Hi Parents!
I’m Marissa. I have had the honor of supporting parents for the past 10 years as a Birth Doula, Postpartum Doula, Childbirth Educator and Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga Instructor in the Truckee/Tahoe area. My journey with birth work began long before becoming a Doula. Since I can remember I have loved birth and babies. At the young age of 9-years old, I would watch “A Birth Story” on the TLC program and I knew I would work in supporting families during pregnancy and birth somehow.
It wasn’t until 2012 that I learned about Doulas and felt called to become one. That is when I found Birthing From Within and completed their Doula and Mentor program. Since then I have gained further education and training through Jane Austin’s Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga Level 1 & 2 certifications, completed Spinning Babies workshops, studied Birth Story Listening and joined an Ayurvedic Postpartum Doula training with Sacred Windows Studies.
My Doula style is loving, compassionate, understanding, grounding, calming and dynamic. I help people prepare for the birth of their dreams by providing education, information, practices and resources. I believe with the proper care, support, love and time that parents can have happier experiences of pregnancy, birth and postpartum. I strive to help parents understand their options, how to make decisions and how to find solutions in the moment to achieve a positive empowered birth.
I like to help partners and fathers be the hero by helping them understand how to best support the birthing person. The Mother and the partner deserve the best caregiving possible so they can focus on the work of birth and becoming a parent. To me, being a Doula is intuitive and having a special talent for reading the scene and doing what’s best and most helpful in the moment to positively influence their experience.
I want to walk with you. I want to share with you what I know. I want to help you see what works best for you. I want to support you, love on you and be present with you. I want to hold space for you in those moments when you’re doubting yourself or things are coming up for you. I am here to lovingly support, guide and love you through your unique journey into parenthood.
experiences & testimonials
“Marissa has been our postpartum doula for a few months, I wish we had found her sooner! She was recommended by my birth doula when my son was 3 months old. My husband and I were both back to work and we found ourselves very overwhelmed and needing more support. I had assumed a postpartum doula was only for a few weeks post birth, nope! Marissa was exactly what our family needed, she was a like a mother support to each of us! She met our changing needs with ease, taking care of our son, preparing meals, helping with light housekeeping. Every time Marissa left our home after a few hours with us, things were calmer, more organized, more beautiful. She helped us move from overwhelmed and exhausted to grounded and thriving with every visit. She brings both expertise of her field and the intuitive ability to hold space when needed. She is a pleasure to communicate with, she responds quickly, she is prepared and productive. Thrive as a new mom, ask for more support from Marissa!
— Abbey
“Marissa was an amazing doula. As a first time father going through this experience I am so grateful Marisa was there not only to support my wife but also to help me support my wife in the best way possible. We were so lucky to have her at our sons birth. When things did not go to plan she was there to take charge and make sure we had everything we needed during the labor, brith and postpartum. I can’t say enough good things about the experience with Marissa.”
— Thomas
My husband and I both agreed that, in the chaos that was our 48-hour labor and unplanned Cesarian birth, the one constant positive experience (and in some moments, the only thing that kept us calm) was Marissa's presence.
Marissa's comforting, calming, supportive, empathetic nature created space for our labor and birth to be exactly what it needed to be. When things weren't going according to plan and I was having a hard time, she helped us think through our options, and as we made decisions, she listened, understood, and softly helped us give ourselves permission to change the "plan". She was also with us in the trenches the whole way, including the 6-hour middle-of-the-night stretch when she and my husband would take turns giving me counter pressure during contractions and then we'd all pass out for two minutes before having to wake up and do it again.
Our prenatal sessions with Marissa helped us feel very informed and empowered with information, so as new things came up during our birth, nothing was scary or surprising - we knew enough to make decisions as a team. I have heard that Cesarian births can often feel medicalized and impersonal, but when the time came, Marissa helped us advocate for ourselves to create a positive birth environment and a beautiful moment for our daughter to be born into.
After birth, Marissa emphasized the importance of the "fourth trimester" and the care that should be given to BOTH baby and mother. We employed her postpartum services to help cook and clean and provide love and support as I healed and we bonded with our new little love. She always made a point to sit down and talk with me and create space for whatever emotions I was processing.
We've said it a million times since the birth of our daughter: if we did one thing right during my pregnancy, it was hiring Marissa as our Doula. We would recommend her to any expectant parent, no matter your birth preferences or situation. Working with Marissa is a true joy, and having her in your corner, supporting both you and your partner or family, is an immeasurable comfort.
— Emily
The Tahoe Truckee Birth Collective
Marissa is one of the founding members of The Tahoe Truckee Birth Collective, connecting new and expectant families with local community resources and support.
Locations I Serve
I’m proud to serve Truckee, North Lake Tahoe, Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Tahoma, Incline Village, South Lake Tahoe, Reno, Sparks, and the nearby surrounding areas.