Meet Tekara
Greetings! I’m Tekara Gainey. Welcome to my page and thank you for getting to know me.
I am an experienced doula, childbirth educator, placenta specialist, and advocate for reproductive rights and justice.
I am a Philadelphia native, who has a passion for birth, traditional healing modalities, reproductive justice, and women’s empowerment led me to and continue to guide my calling as a doula.
My spirit has been rooted in healing and birth work since a very young age. My involvement in a summer youth program granted me the gift of witnessing many women make the transition to motherhood. This experience was unique in that I was observing the experience through the perspective of the medical provider. Most of what I witnessed was pure beauty and magic; however, I remember leaving with feeling some uneasiness and a yearning to do more.
A few years passed and I returned to doula work, unofficially, when I was called to be with my friend and hold space for her during her abortion. Although I didn’t have a name for it at the time, I recognized that all pregnant bodies deserved access to supportive and compassionate care. At that moment, I was a doula, and I wanted to explore that some more.
Through collegiate studies and training, I built on my natural inclination to be with, hold space for, and celebrate people going through reproductive experiences. It is a huge honor to work with people during this sacred and transformative time in their lives, especially when it comes to encouraging people to trust in their bodies.
Credentials
B.A Anthropology - Temple University
Full Spectrum Doula Training - LA Doula Project
Birth Doula Training- SMC Full Circle Doula Training (Formerly known as: ICTC)
Placenta Encapsulation Training - MaMi Amor Birth
Spinning Babies Training for Birth Professionals - Nicole Morales
Childbirth Education - International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA)