Laura was my own Doula, my mentor and my trainer as I went on my journey to becoming a Doula.  She is extremely knowledgeable and experienced and I fully enjoyed my time learning from her. I still use advice I took from her workshops and classes to this day and value all the advice she has given me along the way. Laura always makes a point of keeping up with the most current information in the world of pregnancy and childbirth makes sure to impart her knowledge to her students as part of her workshops and Doula trainings.  She is a great childbirth and Doula educator.

Testimonial submitted 4/18/2024

I had a very good experience training with Laura DePasquale.  Her style of teaching was energetic and engaging.  I finished the three day training inspired to complete my certification and begin supporting families.

Testimonial submitted 1/20/2024

Laura DePasquale is a wonderful doula training provider. I enjoyed her workshop and especially appreciated her real life experiences as a doula, her advice and personal sugggestions/recommendations/tips to make every student be a better doula. From the first time I met Laura, she was personable and went out of her way to make sure all of our questions were answered.  Laura is a great resource and I highly recommend using her as your birth doula training provider.  

Testimonial submitted 1/17/2024

Laura was an amazing trainer! I left that weekend feeling empowered to go out into the birth world and make a true difference with families and their birth and postpartum outcomes. She is truly passionate about what she does and extremely skilled. Even after training she has made herself available amongst her busy schedule to answer questions I may have to give guidance for difficult situations. I am forever grateful for her support! 

Testimonial submitted 1/2/2024

Testimonial submitted 1/2/2024

Laura DePasquale's doula training was a personalized journey of warmth and wisdom. Her organized approach made learning a breeze, and the enthusiasm she brought to each session made it genuinely enjoyable. What sets Laura apart is the personal touch; she created a supportive community where I felt valued. I enthusiastically recommend Laura for a 100 percent enriching and personal training experience!

Testimonial submitted 12/27/2023

When I signed up for doula training this past fall, my criteria was basically, location.  Little did I know my training instructor was going to be Laura, who in my opinion, is phenominal.  She is engaging, funny, focused, so incredibly knowledgeable, and absolutely loves what she does.  In the future, location will no longer be the #1 factor.  For any and all future doula training or extra classes I may be taking for recertification or just plain more education, I will speficially be looking for Laura as a teacher/trainer, and adjust my dates and location accordingly.

Testimonial submitted 12/27/2023

I trained with Laura in August of 2022. If you are wanting a training that is warm, engaging, energetic, and also feels like a safe space to be you and learn, you should train with her. She also made it super fun (hello, jeopardy and other games with prizes!) 

She LOVES what she does, both her doula practice and training future doulas. She is passionate, her material is thorough and her experience/story telling helps you retain the information. I just really appreciated her approach to the class and how real/authentic she is as a person. You can tell she truly cares deeply about her clients, her doula students and in general, bettering the world of birth! 

Once you train with her, she makes herself available to you as much as you need as you pursue your certification and throughout your doula journey. Ten months later I am officially certified and I really do think her excitement helped to ignite my flame! 

Testimonial submitted 6/13/2023

If you ever have the chance to take one of Laura’s classes, as either an aspiring doula or birth worker, or as a parent taking prenatal or birthing classes, you most definitely should take a class with Laura! I took Laura's Doula Training class in-person (March 2023), and her style of teaching, and ability to relate to the content, along with the relationships she was able to foster with and among her students, is truly engaging. As a teacher and school administrator of over 20 years, I naturally look at how information is organized and delivered, how it is differentiated, and how engaging the teacher is. Laura checks all the boxes! I was upset when the 3 day course ended and we had to leave - I wanted to learn more, pick her brain more, and hear more about the many birthing experiences she has had over her career. There were ample hands-on learning and practice opportunities, small group work, and an organized, extensive binder of materials and resources that will surely be referenced again and again. I also have taken Laura's lactation course (virtual format) and it was as equally engaging and informative as the in-person class. Laura is personable, empathetic, extremely knowledgeable in the field, and will always be there for you. I look forward to having Laura as a colleague as I step into a new field, and I will undoubtedly turn to her with any questions, and for any support that I may need as a doula. 

Michelle Giampapa

Testimonial submitted 6/13/2023

Laura was a fantastic trainer. I learned more than I could have imagned in our DONA birth doula training. So happy that I chose that weekend to take the course! 

Testimonial submitted 4/30/2023

Simply an exquisite & enthusiastic teacher who cares that her students leave with an understanding.

Testimonial submitted 3/16/2023

Laura is extraordinary.

Training with Laura has been one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced. She is patient and helpful. She is kind and compassionate.

I have taken two of her classes. I will never use any other trainer. 

She gave the most fantastic training(s)I have ever experienced, and was very informative. She explained the information in great detail with examples and ensured everyone understood. The training group didn't leave at the end of the day with any questions and by the end of the workshop, we left confident in our abilities as women to become amazing doulas. 

Laura is the reason I am confident in myself and how to properly help my clients. 

Testimonial submitted 3/11/2023

Laura was a fantastic instructor! I am so thankful that I was able to attend her workshop. I learned so much and enjoyed every minute of it. Laura is incredibly knowledgeable and a great presenter. She held my attention for three full days and I loved listening to her insights and wisdom. I would highly recommend taking any class or workshop she has to offer! 

Testimonial submitted 3/9/2023

Laura Depasquale was my birth doula trainer, I cannot begin to express my gratitude for her guidance and support throughout my journey as a birth doula. Her training was very informative, I came out of that weekend feeling confident in the path ahead! She continued to be a source of mentorship as I built confidence in my work as a birth doula. Anytime I had a question, she was always available, and happy to help! Definitely recommend her training!! 

Testimonial submitted 3/3/2023

A master of her craft, Laura brings both expertise and enthusiasm to the classroom. Her teaching style includes hands-on activities, interactive and thought-provoking conversations plus practical advice for any doula in today's world. It is clear that she is passionate about the work she does and that passion is contagious! I personally feel so supported by Laura (and continue to feel supported, well after the doula workshop) and that anyone taking her course would be lucky to do so! 

Testimonial submitted 3/2/2023

I did my DONA birth doula [CD(DONA)] training course in Laura's class back in 2016 and I haven't looked back since! Her knowledge of, experience in, and passion for the doula's role in the birth world makes her the perfect educator. Laura's willingness to share, teach, and guide, both during her course and afterwards, ensures that all her students are supported throughout their journeys, as well as set up for successful careers as doulas. Laura went above and beyond in every which way. As her student, I immediately felt that I had a mentor. I had someone to reach out to with any questions, someone to talk to about challenges I felt or faced, and even someone to help me fill out my original DONA certification application. Now, a number of years and more than a couple of hundred births later, I have an even greater appreciation for the influence Laura has had on my doula career. Even doulas need doulas, and Laura is an amazing, inspirational doula educator to have on your team!  

Testimonial submitted 1/24/2023

Laura was an amazing DONA Doula instructor! I have been a doula for 4 years now and Laura's training was everything that I needed to be. It helped prepare me for my first birth as a doula a few weeks later and all the births that have followed. There are pointers that she gave from her years of experience that I still think about whenever I am at a birth. I could not have ask for a better training to help kickstart my career as a doula!

Testimonial submitted 12/21/2022

Laura was an amazing doula instructor. I was a little nervous going in and after 10 minutes, Laura made me feel so much more comfortable. I am grateful to have experienced my training with her. Her spirit is unmatched and her organization along with professionalism truly gave the me the most information possible out of my training. I appreciate her and all her wisdom. She is the real deal!!

Testimonial submitted 12/20/2022

I attended doula training with Laura in March of 2020 and began attending births shortly after. I left the weekend of training feeling confident, prepared, and ready for a variety of birth experiences. Laura is not only an incredible doula, but a skilled teacher. She broke down concepts and gave hands-on learning experiences in a way that made the workshop approachable for anyone, with any level of background knowledge. Beyond that, Laura worked hard to make everyone feel welcomed and cared for. I'm so glad I got to start my doula career under Laura's guidance and highly recommend her training to anyone who is looking for a comprehensive and FUN experience! 

Testimonial submitted 12/19/2022

Laura was a fantastic instructor. I learned new techniques from her and she inspired me to never give up on my certification. She made herself available for any help after taking her training class. Thank you for continuing to inspire many women to become doulas to serve future generations. 

Testimonial submitted 12/18/2022

Laura was a phenomenal trainer! She was engaging, professional, friendly, and I would definitely recommend her as a trainer. 

Testimonial submitted 12/18/2022

I had no prior knowledge about Laura prior to joining her training. I was looking to attend a training ASAP and this was the most accessible location for me to travel to. That said, I feel so incredibly grateful to have had a training led by Laura. Since attending and completing her workshop in August 2022, I've attended two births with amazing confidence. Outside of her training she does a great job of keeping new doula cohorts close by communicating and checking in through our private Facebook group. She even jumped on a call with me to talk through a birth I attended and provide some helpful feedback. I would recommend her training to anyone looking to pursue doula work. I've also attended her lactation workshop as a part of the doula certification. Cannot thank Laura enough for her dedication to training future generations of doulas! 

Testimonial submitted 12/14/2022

Laura is more than a DONA Doula Trainer she is a tremendous mentor!  After completing Laura's Birth Doula training, I felt well prepared and motivated to complete my requirements for certification and breezed through the process thanks to her excellent teaching, and encouragement.  Once I decided to "go for it" and had signed up for the course, I couldn't be more excited to get rolling, then Covid tried to put a damper on our progress.  Laura was optimistic and flexible, pivoting and re-imagining ways to get our group through the process so we could stay on track towards certification.  In the past two years of my practice as a Certified DONA Birth Doula, she has been available, always taking my calls as a mentor, to run questions by or lend her support when I felt challenged.  I am very grateful to have her "doula the doula" approach, where she doesn't leave "her doulas" to figure it all out alone.  I feel grateful to have been one of her trainees, and working with her has literally changed my life. If you are preparing to begin your doula journey, training with Laura at Holistic Beginnings is the best place to be.  

Testimonial submitted 12/13/2022

When I walked into my first ever doula training, I felt mmediately comfortable and welcomed by Laura's warmth and genuinity.  Prior to the actual event, Laura contacted me personally to ask if I had any questions or concerns and answered all of my many questions warmly.  Her years of experience, personalbility, knowledge and ease in teaching were all part of what made the entire weekend of training memorable and motivational.  If I was ever asked to recommend a childbirth class or doula training, there wouldn't be a moment of hesitation. Laura DePasquale has a gift, and I feel very privelaged to have had her as my trainer.

Testimonial submitted 12/13/2022

I had Laura as my Birth doula instructor. She was fantastic! Very informative, passionate about what she teaches and overall a great person and doula! I don't think I would be this successful in my doula career if it wasn't for Laura! Thanks again! 

Testimonial submitted 12/12/2022

I attended Laura's DONA Birth Doula training workshop on March 13-15, 2020. We met in person on March 13 to learn about childbirth education. Then the world shut down on March 14 due to Covid-19. We resumed online to complete the remainder of the workshop at the end of April 2020. Laura was a Zoom pioneer who had to step up and learn how to engage her students online. She made the training fun with learning games and we practiced our skills with real-life scenarios. We met at the end of the summer (when it was safer to be in-person masked), to complete our hands-on training. Laura inspired me to complete the DONA certification requirements ASAP, which I had time to do during the pandemic and she advocated for me when I was unable to attend my first hospital birth with a "provisional birth doula certification". She kept a recurring online meeting going for graduates of her workshop to hop on and ask questions and learn from each other. She's my first go-to when I have a challenging situation with a birthing client. She always congratulates me when I receive a testimonial on Doula Match. I'd characterize Laura as knowledgeable, compassionate, and an educator devoted to the success of her students. 

Testimonial submitted 12/10/2022

I felt very fortunate to participate in DONA International approved birth doula certification workshop with Laura DePasquale. I appreciated the large number and diversity of students Laura attracted to her course which along with her amazing breadth of knowledge, made the course fun and interesting. There was a perfect balance of classroom teaching and "doing" activities and I left the course feeling motivated and empowered to continue the outside of class training necessary to become fully certified. My only regret was that I did not take the leap and take the course sooner.

Testimonial submitted 12/10/2022

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Laura and her training workshop. Laura's class was thorough and provided a complete understanding of the role of a birth doula and its value in the maternal world. She was so warm and welcoming and created such a beautiful space for sharing and learning. I took Laura's workshop 5 years ago and still reach out to her when I need guidance and she's always happy to help! 

I now have a thriving doula practice taking on 4-8 births a month and it's because of Laura's teachings and confidence in us that I was able to go out there and work in this field with such success. 

Laura, you're such a light in this field and I feel so very lucky that I fell into your hands! 

Testimonial submitted 12/9/2022

Laura is a wonderful, knowledgeable and engaging doula trainer.  As someone who moved into the birth world from a career as a classroom educator, I was impressed with Laura as a teacher and with the effort she put into addressing different learning styles.  I trained with Laura five years ago and I still make regular use of the wisdom and skills she shared!

Testimonial submitted 12/9/2022