May 2025 Virtual Training

All times are in ET (New York) time zone

  • Welcome Session and Anti-racism & Birth Equity: May 5, 2025, 4:00 - 6:00 PM
  • Intro. to Childbirth Part I: May 7, 2025, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • Intro. to Childbirth Part II & Birth Doula Part I: May 8, 2025, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • DONA Birth Doula Part II: May 9, 2025, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • DONA Birth Doula Part III: May 10, 2025, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • DONA Certification and Q & A: May 19 from 3:00-4:30 PM


Discover the transformative power of our workshop!

Hear directly from our inspiring doulas

Are you fascinated with birth and supporting MotherBabies and Families?

Would you like to learn skills to support a partner, friend, family or your community?

Do you feel called to study, learn and experience the nourishing sisterhood that becoming a doula will provide?

Are you a nurse or educator that would like to enhance your skills?

Are you ready to use your special gifts, compassion and desire to make a difference in a career that will fulfill you, your soul, and help to change the world?

If you said yes to any of the above, Debra Pascali-Bonaro’s DONA Approved Birth Doula Workshop will provide you with sessions covering the Introduction to Childbirth and DONA Birth Doula Workshop, two of the requirements to begin your DONA Birth Doula Certification and support you in beginning your doula practice.

The sessions will also include special guest speakers and provide the space and time for more engagement, learning and community .

You will receive an extra bonus Q & A session for extra support in preparing for DONA certification, you’ll feel prepared and empowered to begin supporting your clients as they prepare to give birth.

  • BONUS

    Plus, you’ll receive free access to:
    -Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret Film
    -Ask me anything Q+A with Debra
    -Private lifetime access to a Whatsapp group for ongoing support and community

    A value of over $250

Pricing options

*We offer a 3-part payment plan to provide more accessibility to more people. Your certificate of completion will be held until payment is made in full. This will not prevent you from beginning your journey as a doula or working towards certification. By selecting the payment plan, you agree you understand this policy.

“Debra did a wonderful job fostering connection and intimacy in this training. Although I was in a virtual learning environment, I could feel Debra’s deep compassion, honor, and respect for birth and birthing people. I love how she brought racial and social justice issues to the forefront and provided guidance on how to address some of those issues as a birth worker. I am inspired to work with people in my community in the same nurturing and honorable way. I’d recommend this class to anyone who wants well-rounded, culturally diverse and grounding training.”
-Zuri Davidson


“The workshop covered all the practical, ethical and resources needed to do the job. I feel empowered as a Doula to support the birthing person, their partner and community agencies. I appreciate the virtual and in-person sessions and Debra’s wealth of knowledge, she is a fantastic storyteller and delivered the training humbly with grace. I would recommend her Birth Doula workshop to everyone and would be interested in taking other workshops under her guidance.”
-Railyn P.

During this workshop:

  • Connect to a community of like-minded people

  • Discover the role, traditions and research of doulas

  • Discuss the impact of racism and a doula’s role in advocacy, reducing disparities, and creating equity globally

  • Learn the importance of respectful care and how a doula supports informed decision making

  • Explore current practices vs. evidenced-based care

  • Deepen your passion for providing a doula’s nurturing care and touch to women/birthing people in childbirth

  • Learn 10 tips for doulas to support the hormonal physiology and close gaps when they arise, making birth safer and easier

  • Develop a toolkit of comfort measure

  • Create a language for gentle birth and enhance your communication skills

  • Learn birth traditions: dance, songs and comfort

"I would tell literally anyone who wants to birth, who has a partner who will birth, or who wants to learn about their inner power - “you must attend this course to heal yourself and the rest of our society.”
-Melissa Rose Hirsch

Meet Debra

Debra has trained thousands of doulas, birth keepers, and parents around the world in the practices of gentle birth support. She is the Founder & President of Pain to Power Childbirth Experience, Director of the award-winning documentary Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret, author and inspirational international speaker, and chair of the International MotherBaby Childbirth Organization. Debra’s passion comes from her years as a Lamaze International childbirth educator, and birth and postpartum doula trainer with DONA International where she has worked with women, men, midwives, doulas, nurses, and physicians in over 40 countries bringing comfort, love, and pleasure to birth and life!
  • Alejandra Lozano
  • Amadoma Bediako, MS, CCCE, CLC, CD/BDT(DONA) FDC, P.A.I.L.

Special Guest Teachers

  • Alejandra Lozano, LCCE, Autonomous Midwife

    Combining ancestral knowledge from the ancient and traditional midwives of México and Latin America with the most up-to-date scientific evidence to find a balance in the needs of today’s women and to keep traditional medicine alive. Her personal interest is to offer quality midwifery services at low costs so every woman can have the same opportunities, always working as a team with other Midwives and health providers.

  • Amadoma Bediako, MS, CCCE, CLC, CD/BDT(DONA) FDC, P.A.I.L.

    Amadoma Bediako has been a birth worker since the late 70's when she worked with a cadre of women who were all part of an African-centered religious and cultural organization, based in New York City. In January, 1979 she attended her first birth. She has since attended births in a variety of settings, including clients’ homes, hospitals and birthing centers. Amadoma has a bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences and a master’s degree in Education. A founding member and vice president of “Sistahs for Better Birthing”, Amadoma worked with this group to sponsor the ICTC Black Midwives and Healers Conference in Harlem in 2008. She is also a longtime supporter of The Harlem Birth Action Committee. Amadoma is a childbirth educator, certified by CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association). She is a certified birth doula with DONA International as well as a DONA Approved Birth Doula Trainer. She teaches weekly childbirth classes and is a labor doula with the By My Side Birth Support Program, through Healthy Start Brooklyn. She has taught “Dancing thru Pregnancy” classes for this program as well. Amadoma is a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) and worked for many years as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor with the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services WIC program.

Become a doula!

Scholarships

In childbirth, systemic racism is the root cause of disparities leading to higher maternal mortality rates for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

We believe doulas help to create a more equitable, respectful, maternity care system.

We want to support and amplify BIPOC voices and support every person to have a safe, satisfying, and pleasurable birth and ensuring there is a doula for every person who wants one is an essential step.

We are offering a number of BIPOC Scholarships to promised doulas at 25% rate.

If you are an individual who identifies as a BIPOC and has a financial barrier to taking our course, we welcome you to apply for our scholarship.

Please submit a 1 minute video or letter addressing the questions below:

Why would you like to become a doula?
How will you use this opportunity to support your community?
Do you identify as BIPOC?


Submit your entry and/or questions to: [email protected]

Our scholarships are reserved for BIPOC individuals with financial need. If you are not a BIPOC, we have payment plans available.

Registration Policies and Terms

Attendance & Certificate Requirements

  • Full attendance is required to receive a Certificate of Completion. 
  • If you miss more than 30 minutes of any session, you will be required to make up the missed time before your certificate is issued. 
  • All required sessions must be completed within 6 months of your original registration date to receive your certificate. 
  • It is your responsibility to save the date and ensure your availability for all sessions. 

Rescheduling & Transfer Fees

  • If you need to reschedule to a different date, you may transfer to a future workshop within 6 months for a $50.00 rescheduling fee. 
  • Please note that rescheduling is subject to availability in upcoming sessions. 

Camera & Participation Requirement

  • Cameras must be ON during all workshop sessions. Active eye contact and participation are essential to creating a safe and interactive learning space. 


Payment & Payment Plans 

  • We offer payment plans to help meet your financial needs. 
  • Your Certificate of Completion will only be provided after full payment is received. 


No Refund Policy 

  • All purchases are non-refundable. 
  • We strongly recommend purchasing protection insurance to safeguard your investment in case you cannot attend. 
  • You may also resell or transfer your spot to someone else if you cannot attend — please notify us in advance if you choose to transfer your spot. 


Acknowledgment of Policies 

  • By registering,  you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to these policies before completing your registration. 

Before registering, please be aware that we require a minimum of 14 participants to proceed with the workshop. If this minimum is not met, the workshop will be canceled. In such cases, you will receive a full refund of your fee or have the option to join a future workshop.