Community Care Workers, Unite - Reflecting On BADT's First In-Person Full Spectrum Doula Practicum
by Natalie Eckhardt
Hi all—Natalie Eckhardt (she/her) here. If we haven’t yet met, I’m a BADT alum who wears many hats—one of them being tech support for BADT’s virtual classes and workshops.
As a parent to two young kids, the accessible nature of BADT’s offerings has always been a huge draw, whether as a student in the numerous trainings I signed up for (I have a problem, I know), or as a contract employee trying to find balance between building my business while navigating contract work, parenthood, and a wild postpartum journey that I’m still unpacking 5 and 7 years later.
Like many have shared during class, I wrestle with imposter syndrome, perfectionism, self-care struggles, boundaries, neurodivergence, and more, so when I heard BADT was hosting its first-ever in-person gathering, I knew I had to join. BADT classes already give me life—I had a feeling the in-person version would be next-level.
For me, BADT for me is less “Birthwork 101” and more “How to be a human in a difficult world 101.” The first annual in-person practicum embodied that–and then some.
Yes, the basics were covered.
Hands-on practices—check.
Live demos—check
Information sessions—check, check, check.
But the gathering went far beyond the technical skills needed to serve our perinatal population.
At its core, it was about caring for ourselves so we can care for others.
It was about reminding ourselves of our worth, navigating boundaries, managing the sneaky voice of imposter syndrome, and reconnecting with our “why.” In a world that feels brutally broken, the days spent together reminded us we are not alone–and that being in a sacred space where you feel seen, heard, understood, and valued changes everything.
We laughed together. We cried together. We danced. We lifted each other up.
I recently came across this post from @LivingLunaCreations on Instagram:
“Love, Joy and Community are the greatest acts of resistance.”
The sessions were priceless and covered a wide range of topics, but some of the most impactful moments were between sessions.
They were in the quiet moments getting to know each other (introverts and extroverts alike) and connecting with people in our area or those navigating similar journeys. Getting to pick Sabia’s brilliant brain during a night out, or closing out the weekend with dancing and heartfelt goodbyes felt like what I can only call a love-and-appreciate-everyone-fest.
It also brought to mind something Dan Savage said during the height of the AIDS epidemic:
“During the darkest of days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced all night.”
This work we do, while rewarding, is heavy.
It can sometimes feel like standing at the base of Mount Everest, staring up at the change we want to make in the world.
But as Sabia has reminded us: joy, love, rest, and community are essential.
The impact of our gathering is still rippling. Our group text is still alive–celebrating wins, offering advice, and holding each other through the hard days. Links and resources keep flowing. (Special thanks to Bernadette Pleasant of the Emotional Institute; your Caretaker’s Meditation is now part of my nightly ritual, and MaryNissi, I’m counting down the days to your 8/20/2025 Placenta Encapsulation event!)
A Personal Reflection
(Trigger warning: infant loss)
My last day in the city happened to be the birthday of a former client’s son, who would have been five. He died at 21 months. We had met when I supported her in her subsequent birth.
After the practicum, especially following Bernadette’s powerful grief ritual, I knew I needed stillness to process. I felt the weight of my own journey, my client’s experiences I had stored up, and the state of the world. (Shoutout to BADT for including grief in allll the programming… you’re so real for that).
In the days that followed, I received signs and messages—from that sweet baby boy I never got to meet, from ancestors, and from my grandmother and dad who died within a month of each other in 2015 and drive the very work I do. I stumbled upon a state senator and shared with him the work we do, to which he responded how hugely important our role in this world is. (We know, sir. We know.)
Every message was a beautiful reminder and an extension of what I took from our time as a collective together: the huge importance of continuing on in this work and making our world a better place in the ways we uniquely can.
A Perfect Closing
On my final day in the city, I visited the MLK House and found two quotes that felt like the perfect capstone to our time together.
From Martin Luther King, Jr.:
“Don’t allow anybody to make you feel that you’re nobody. Always feel that you count. Always feel that you have worth, and always feel that your life has ultimate significance.”
From the MLK Jr. World Peace Rose Garden:
ME
March with me, dream with me,
Stand with me, lead with me,
Light fire with me, speak with me,
Rally with me, pray for me, and aspire to
The change you want to see in me
Fatima Berclan, Grade 5
If you have a chance to attend the 2026 Practicum in Denver, I’d 10/10 recommend it. But don’t let the work stop there. Create community where you are. Find your people. Because we are so much stronger together–and the world needs our hearts now more than ever.