Dolphin Doula Team

Melissa Edling – CCHT, CD

The birth of Melissa’s first daughter was an empowering and life-changing event. The support she received from doula and mentor, Jennifer Wolfe, inspired her to provide the same support to other laboring women. As a Certified Dolphin Method Doula and Childbirth Hypnotherapist, Melissa is committed to her true passion. This passion and dedication is what prompted her to become the managing partner of the company’s doula service practice in 2011.

Melissa believes a woman’s childbirth experience is most powerful when combined with the physical, informational, and emotional support of a doula. She respects the unique characteristics of each woman, recognizing that each individual will have their own concerns, fears, and/or goals. As such, Melissa is committed to providing non-biased support to all types of births.

Melissa is a long-standing resident on the Peninsula. She attended the University of California, Davis attained a degree in Managerial Economics and previously worked in the real estate valuation industry. Melissa and her husband Jason have two amazing daughters Reese and Zoe. In her free time she likes to read, bake, dance, decorate and spend time with family and friends.

Katriona Seevers - CCHT, CD

Katriona Seevers is happy.

Married to her best friend and mother to three precocious, wonderfully monstrous children, she can only describe her work as a Doula and Childbirth Hypnotherapist as the icing on top of a life filled with love and wonder.

Supporting women and their families during the most transformative parts of their lives is the most rewarding work she could ever have hoped to find. Kat feels she will never tire of welcoming new folk to the Earth, seeing women morph into mothers before her very eyes, and watching new families be born. It is very important to Kat that you have the best birth experience possible, and she is tickled pink to be able to assist you on your own personal journey. As for those jelly stains on the couch and unauthorized haircuts given to family pets…well, on that you’re on your own and she sympathizes.

Jody Simon - CCHT, CD

Jody, originally from San Mateo, moved to France at the age of 18 and married a Frenchman. During the nine years she lived there, she gave birth to their first child. She moved back to the United States and has remained in San Mateo for the last 14 years and is now a mother of three.

Jody understands the “joie de vivre” because she lives it every day. She and her husband are raising their three children in a bilingual (French/American) household. They strive to teach their children self-love, to follow their dreams, and the sky is the limit. She has always had the passion to be of service. After being introduced to the profession, she discovered being a doula encompasses everything she loves to do; encouraging, guiding and supporting others. Her calming presence is one of her greatest assets treasured by clients.

When she received her doula training from Jennifer Wolfe’s Dolphin Method, she discovered that connecting, nurturing and empowering women in birth resonated with her heart. She maintains her well being with meditation, exercise, music, and a positive attitude.

Susan Cortez - CCHT, CD

Susan is a Childbirth Instructor, a Childbirth Hypnotherapist, Reiki practitioner, and Birth and Postpartum doula. To keep up with the continual changes within the world of pregnancy, birth, and parenting, she attends pertinent trainings, workshops and talks whenever possible, as well as reading current literature.

The birth’s of her two children, son Jeremy now 13, and daughter Angela now 15, were incredibly positive, life-changing events, and were the initial inspiration behind Susan’s choice to pursue a career in this field.

Susan has been teaching childbirth preparation classes, and attending births as a Birth Doula for over 10 years, and has assisted hundreds of women, couples, and families to have a more empowered and positive birth experience. In the past year, Susan became certified as a Dolphin Doula, and is very excited to add the dolphin skill set. The dolphin method, in connection with her extensive knowledge, personal and professional experiences, intuition, and passion allow her to serve birthing families now even more effectively!

Susan is open to, and enjoys working with, the diversity of families that the Bay Area offers, interacting with each family in a welcoming and supportive way.

Occupying her time aside from her work, Susan is back in school studying to attain her B.A. in Psychology, enjoys daily exercise, reading, painting, dancing, writing, spending time with family and friends, and experiencing all the good life has to offer.

Cindy Curry - CCHT, CD

Cindy was trained by Working Woman Productions in June of 2006 with Felicia Roche. As a certified doula through DONA,she gained her experience by providing labor support to a variety of women including young teens to 30 years and older. She is a postpartum doula helping new families and growing families with the challenges that come with a new baby and help to make the transition easier. Cindy has received her Childbirth Hypnotherapist certification, taught by Jennifer Wolfe through the Palo Alto school of Hypnotherapy. Cindy also is currently a Masters of Psychology MFT student at Argosy University in Alameda.

Cindy is a mother to three naturally birthed and all breastfed children and continues to nurture and support their growing curiosities.

The compassion Cindy shows to each and every woman she comes in contact is self evident. Her ability to listen to the needs of her client and her clients partner is an important part in supporting the couples needs when preparing for the birth and labor. Showing support and compassion for every woman who wishes to experience her birth with the love and support she deserves, is Cindy’s ultimate goal.

Natalie Thiel - CCHT, CD

Natalie is a Certified Dolphin Doula, a Certified Childbirth Hypnotherapist, a Relationship Coach, and is currently enrolled in the Instructor Certification Training Program for Hand and Hand Parenting in the Bay Area. In short, her passion revolves around all intimate aspects of the family. She works with families of all forms and expressions, and loves the work of being present and offering support for people moving through major life and family transitions; namely, childbirth. Just like all families and relationships are different, every childbirth experience is completely unique, and she is dedicated to specializing care for each woman and parent-to-be so they can have a better birth experience.

Her path to becoming a doula herself began with the gift of having a doula attend the birth of her son, giving her first hand experience of the amazing support services a doula can provide. Since becoming a Certified Dolphin Doula she now has the opportunity to continue the work that was so meaningful for her: helping women have a positive and empowered birth experience, however that may look for them.

Natalie currently lives in the East Bay Area with her partner and their son, tending to a small urban farm in their backyard. Her son, who is now five, reminds her often how eagerly he awaits the day he is old enough to attend a birth.

Sheila Dukas-Janakos MPH, LE, IBCLC

Sheila has been involved in the field of reproductive maternal and child health for over 23 years. She has worked in public health for 7 years shifting her focus to babies and moms and a lactation career after having 3 children. She earned her B.S. in Community Health from SFSU in 1987, attended UCLA’s Lactation Educator Program in 1991, and completed her Masters of Public Health in 1995 from San Jose State University with her theses on “Breastfeeding for the Working Mom and/or Student.” She passed the boards to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in 1996, a certification she maintains to this day.

She currently has a private practice and is the Owner of Healthy Horizons Breastfeeding Centers in the San Francisco Bay Area, acting as a Clinical Lactation Consultant, Health Educator, and Perinatal Educator for local hospitals and pediatric groups. As part of her practice, she operates support groups for new moms and babies, and working moms and has provided consultations, pump rentals, and health products for over 19 years to the community. Her specialties include suck & swallowing disorders; working and breastfeeding; infant nutrition, care and normal newborn behavior; breastfeeding challenges such as breast refusal, sore nipples, mastitis, weight gain/loss, and milk supply problems.

Katie Comfort - CCHT, CD

A native of San Mateo, Katie resides in Redwood City with her husband and is a mother of two little ones (a 4 year old girl and a 2 year old boy).

Katie received her doula training from Jennifer Wolfe’s Dolphin Method, which encompasses standard doula practices with added hypnotherapy techniques. She is also a certified Childbirth Hypnotherapist through the Palo Alto School of Hypnotherapy.

Katie decided from her own birth experiences to pursue guiding and empowering other women through birth. She knew she wanted to help other women with their birth experiences when she was able to listen and be of emotional support for her ante-partum roommate through a difficult and frightening moment in the hospital. Through training and experience she has found that providing information and guidance for the woman (and her partner) in order to help them feel prepared for childbirth before and during labor helps to melt away the fear that our culture has come to associate with hospitals and childbirth.

Katie has a BA from Miami University of Ohio and has been working in the business world up until current.

Tracy Stettner – CD

Trainer & Doula

Tracy is a certified Birth and Post Partum Doula, Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor and Nutritional Counselor. Tracy has been working for many years in the fitness industry and has spent the last few years focused on pre/postnatal clients. She so enjoyed working with this clientele that in June 2006 she became a Dolphin Doula as well.  Tracy, along with Jennifer Wolfe, helped to reopen Dolphin Doula.
Women have such different views of what a safe and healthy child birth is. Tracy finds in important to help those involved in the birth community to understand the uniqueness of every situation. Since every birth is so individual, whatever road is traveled to get there, the birth was successful if the woman and her partner felt empowered and educated to make effective decisions.

As a fitness expert and nutritional counselor, Tracy is excited to not only assist pre/post natal women, but all those who are eager to work hard on bringing their bodies into optimal health. She has years of experience assisting women and men of all ages of become more physically fit and nutritionally balanced.

Tracy grew up in on the Peninsula and attended the University of Colorado attaining a degree in Sports Psychology. Tracy and her husband Aaron have two amazing sons Alex & Jordan. In her free time she likes to workout, volunteer,  travel, spend time with her family and friends and enjoy nature.
Affiliations & Certifications
ACE Personal Trainer • AFAA Group Exercise Instructor • Powerhouse Pilates Instructor • Spinning Instructor • IDEA Fitness Member • CAPPA Member • BABI Member • Dolphin Certified Birth & Post Partum Doula • DONA Trained Doula and Member • ICEA Childbirth Education Instructor • AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant • Baby Boot Camp Instructor and previous franchise owner
Tracy is a certified Birth and Post Partum Doula, Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor and Nutritional Counselor. Tracy has been working for many years in the fitness industry and has spent the last few years focused on pre/postnatal clients. She so enjoyed working with this clientele that in June 2006 she became a Dolphin Doula as well.  Tracy, along with Jennifer Wolfe, helped to reopen Dolphin Doula and now spends her time as a Birth Doula Trainer and Operations Manager of the business.

Women have such different views of what a safe and healthy child birth is. Tracy finds in important to help those involved in the birth community to understand the uniqueness of every situation. Since every birth is so individual, whatever road is traveled to get there, the birth was successful if the woman and her partner felt empowered and educated to make effective decisions.

As a fitness expert and nutritional counselor, Tracy is excited to not only assist pre/post natal women, but all those who are eager to work hard on bringing their bodies into optimal health. She has years of experience assisting women and men of all ages of become more physically fit and nutritionally balanced.

Tracy grew up in on the Peninsula and attended the University of Colorado attaining a degree in Sports Psychology. Tracy and her husband Aaron have two amazing sons Alex & Jordan. In her free time she likes to workout, volunteer,  travel, spend time with her family and friends and enjoy nature.

Affiliations & Certifications
ACE Personal Trainer • AFAA Group Exercise Instructor • Powerhouse Pilates Instructor • Spinning Instructor
IDEA Fitness Member • CAPPA Member • BABI Member • Dolphin Certified Birth & Post Partum Doula
DONA Trained Doula and Member • ICEA Childbirth Education Instructor • AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant • Baby Boot Camp Instructor and previous franchise owner

Jessica Berman – CD

As a birth and postpartum doula, I work with parents before, during and after the births of their children. I work helping to prepare families for childbirth and I provide continuous support, guidance and encouragement throughout labor. I believe that birth is a natural and powerful event and that every woman deserves undivided care and attention as she brings a new life into the world.

I also work with parents to help them adjust to their new arrivals by providing practical assistance and emotional support in my postpartum practice. This includes assistance with breastfeeding, teaching parents to care for and soothe their newborn and understand their baby’s cues, helping mothers recover from childbirth through rest and nutrition, and helping with general household tasks such as dishes and laundry.

Each family, mother, baby and birth is unique, and my care is tailored to meet individual needs.

My path to becoming doula starts in South Africa, where I lived until moving to Canada in the late 1980s. After 10 years in Toronto, I moved to San Francisco in 1999. After surviving several spectacular dot-com meltdowns, I shifted career paths into the not-for-profit world.

After five years of raising money for wonderful organizations such as Shanti (a San Francisco-based organization that provides social services for people living with AIDS and breast cancer), I embarked on a more hands-on career: working as a doula.

This work enables me to fulfill my life-long passion for women, pregnancy, birth and babies!

In 2006 I had the opportunity to learn from the legendary midwife Ina May Gaskin by participating in The Farm’s Midwifery Assistant workshop and I have also completed several programs offered by Doulas of North America (DONA). I also volunteer as a birth doula at St. Luke’s Hospital in San Francisco, primarily servicing low-income women.

After living in San Francisco for four years, I now live in Oakland’s Lake Merritt District. I provide birth and postpartum services in the East Bay and in San Francisco.

Other Training/Education
I was a women’s studies major at the University of Toronto. I am also a DONA-trained birth and postpartum doula, and I participated in the assistant midwifery program at The Farm (Tennessee) in September 2006.

Helen Marlo, Ph.D.

Dr. Marlo is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst (certified through the C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco), and professor of clinical psychology at Notre Dame de Namur University where she is Director of the Master’s of Science in Clinical Psychology Program. She is the founder of Emergence: Reproductive Mental Health Services, which provides integrated mental health services for perinatal issues including: prepartum and postpartum emotional problems, birth trauma, infertility, pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and women’s health problems. With a background in integrative and behavioral medicine, developmental psychology, and trauma, she has taught and provided clinical services for over two decades. She has a private practice in Burlingame, CA, with an emphasis on reproductive mental health, trauma, and lifespan developmental issues. She provides psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, consultation, psychoeducation, and training for adults, children, and infants, as well as for professionals and organizations, including to professionals and clients of Dolphin Yoga and Doula Center.