Haven Doula Spotlight: Dr. Abby Jorgensen

In this spotlight, we feature Haven founder, Dr. Abby Jorgensen.

Why did you decide to become a bereavement doula?

It was by accident. I was surrounded by people experiencing loss, and I started seeking out bereavement support trainings and resources so that I could fix things. Of course, I quickly learned that you don't get to fix anything when someone experiences a loss. But you can be with them, and that can make a world of difference. I wanted every person experiencing a perinatal loss to know that they weren't alone. Soon, I started providing support to more friends, then friends of friends, and soon I realized that the work I was doing had a title: bereavement doula. 

Why did you decide to create the Haven Bereavement Doula training? 

I founded Haven in order to fill a few gaps I saw in trainings for people who, like me, wanted to know how to support others better. When I was searching for the information I wanted, I kept running up against two barriers: 1) a training was based on one person’s opinions rather than peer-reviewed research and ancestral wisdom, and 2) a training either addressed only one spiritual/religious perspective or none at all. I kept looking for something that incorporated the wisdom of others and that prepared me to serve clients of many different spiritual or religious perspectives, and I couldn’t find it in the bereavement doula trainings out there. With the encouragement and help of several people, I put together a few trainings leading up to eventually writing the curriculum for the Haven Bereavement Doula Training. 

What does serving as a bereavement doula look like for you right now?

I'm currently doing mostly virtual work with clients who are anticipating loss or are recently post-loss. I do occasionally take clients in person in St. Louis, Missouri. I also get to run Bereaved Parents Community Group with Julie McKay. And, I speak and write about loss for different audiences, including through podcasts, academic journals, and presentations. 

How else do you serve your community? 

I am an assistant professor of sociology at Saint Louis University, where I get to serve students as a teacher and research director. I also get to volunteer as a book reviewer for my church magazine. 

What is one thing that you like to do to take care of yourself?

I love to read, and I love to (mindfully) eat ice cream – particularly the Gooey Butter Cake ice cream from Clementine’s.

Do you have any advice for anyone who is considering becoming a bereavement doula?

Do it! You don't have to have everything ready or decided. You can just do it and figure most things out along the way. I do think it’s crucial to have a support system in place, but otherwise, a lot of the details of doing this work are things you will learn in training. A very wise Haven doula, TaKiesha Smith, often says, “Do it scared,” and I like that way to verbalize this approach. Take the leap in. There are so many amazing people who have helped me navigate this work, and we will all be here for you too. 

You can reach out to Abby at abbythesociologistdoula@gmail.com, and you can find her book on Amazon or Ave Maria Press.