The Georgia Black Doula Network serves as a vital pipeline for aspiring and experienced doulas, offering comprehensive training, mentorship, and networking opportunities to expand the doula workforce and improve maternal health outcomes for all communities, with a focus on culturally responsive care. Through expert-led training, hands-on mentorship, and a strong professional network, GBDN is equipping the next generation of doulas and birth equity leaders. When you are ready to expand your practice, join our directory to connect with new clients and fully immerse yourself in the GBDN community.
GBDN Directory Participants Receive 20% off All Trainings
COMMUNITY DOULA TRAINING PROGRAM
INNERSTANDING BIRTHWORK: An Intermediate Doula Training
ADVANCED DOULA SKILLS TRAINING
Invest in Your Future: Understand Key Benefits Every Participant Will Gain from Our Trainings
Knowledge of Culturally Competent Care
Trainees will gain a deep understanding of how to provide culturally competent care, especially within underserved communities. This includes the skills to support individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, particularly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and a focus on addressing health disparities in maternal and infant health.
Comprehensive Education
Through expert-led training, trainees will learn the fundamentals of labor, birth, and postpartum support. This includes evidence-based practices, comfort measures, and understanding different birthing options, empowering trainees to confidently guide families through their birthing journey.
Hands-On Mentorship and Networking Opportunities
Trainees will benefit from personalized mentorship and access to a network of seasoned professionals. This mentorship ensures that trainees not only gain knowledge but also learn how to navigate real-world scenarios, build their practice, and connect with a supportive community of doulas, healthcare professionals, and advocates.
Community Doula Training Program
Our 2026 GBDN Cohort Has Graduated — See the Celebration!
Applications reopen January 2027
On March 21st, the Georgia Black Doula Network & Training Institute (GBDN) proudly celebrated the successful graduation of the second cohort of our Community Doula Training Program, welcoming 24 newly trained doulas into the growing movement to improve maternal and infant health outcomes across Georgia. The celebration was held in the beautiful rotunda of the Tubman African American Museum in Macon, where families, mentors, and community members gathered to honor the hard work and dedication of the graduating doulas. The evening was a powerful reflection of community and legacy, marking another milestone in the GBDN’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the perinatal workforce while reclaiming and preserving the tradition of community-based birth support rooted in culturally responsive care across Georgia.
Become a Certified Doula & Lead the Way in Birth Equity
The Community Doula Training Program curriculum is 72-hours of active workshops, seminars and hands-on training. It includes four modules — each of which have required reading and assignments. The full training schedule will be provided once your application is approved.
The training is conducting both virtually and in-person. In-person trainings are currently hosted onsite in Macon, GA. All in-person trainings are mandatory attendance. Training dates are scheduled monthly, starting in September 2025 and concluding in March 2026 with a graduation celebration.
We believe in making this opportunity accessible to all. Apply for a scholarship to join the training and receive deeper support as you develop the skills to create meaningful change in birthwork for families for generations to come!
Innerstanding Birthwork: An Intermediate Doula Training
Advance your doula practice with Innerstanding Birthwork—an immersive, culturally responsive training designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge to better support families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
Culturally Responsive Training for Impactful Birthwork
Innerstanding Birthwork, Intermediate Doula Training (IBT) is a three-day, culturally-responsive training curated to help birth workers navigate the various dynamics of supporting families during the journey of pregnancy and immediate postpartum. This full circle intermediate doula training includes comprehensive knowledge of antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum. It is tailored to enhance the skills of newly trained doulas and equip them with the tools necessary to provide more effective assistance to birthing families.
The IBT is led by experienced community doulas and other perinatal professionals. These instructors bring lived experience from supporting birthing families from diverse backgrounds across various settings, including hospitals, birth centers, and home births. The IBT incorporates community learning objectives and implements an each-one – teach-one model to encourage participant engagement and to reenforce learning.
Virtual and In-Person Training Dates Available
GBDN Directory Participants Receive 20% off All Trainings
Course Outline:
- Fundamentals of Anatomy & Terminology
- Cultivating a Birth Plan
- The Art of Belly Mapping
- Prenatal Visits and What to Expect
- Birth Rights and Hospital Policies
- Perinatal Drug options
- Supporting Inductions
- Assisting with Malpositioned Babies
- Postpartum Recovery and how to support
- Breastfeeding Support
- Recognizing Perinatal/Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs)
Includes:
- Innerstanding Birthwork Training Mannual
- VIRTUAL — When Birth Calls, Developing Your Inner Birthwork, (E-Book) By Sekesa Berry
- IN-PERSON – When Birth Calls, Developing Your Inner Birthwork, (Hardcopy) By Sekesa Berry
- IN-PERSON – Digital Blood Pressure Cuff
- IN-PERSON – Lunch and Refreshments
Requirements
- Previous doula training not required.
- Full payment upon registration.
- Pass the IBT Competency Exam (only for virtual attendance)
- Complete the Participation Form
- VIRTUAL -Must have functional wi-fi connection.
GBDN Directory Participants Receive 20% off All Trainings
VIRTUAL: January 9 – 11, 2026
IN-PERSON: June 11 – 13, 2026
We believe in making this opportunity accessible to all. Apply for a scholarship to join the training and receive deeper support as you develop the skills to create meaningful change in birth work for families for generations to come!
Advanced Doula Skills Training
Advanced Doula Skills Training (ADST) a.k.a. The Maternal Health Consultant Training (MHC), a culturally responsive program designed to equip individuals and community doulas with the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for the effective supplemental observation of perinatal mothers and infants. This training is well-suited for paraprofessionals, such as doulas, lactation counselors, birth assistants, or anyone with a keen interest in advancing maternal health and well-being.
The ADST enhances maternal and family health outcomes by providing participants with current, evidence-based knowledge and practices designed to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality rates. This comprehensive training program delivers essential expertise in maternal health and wellness while developing practical skills to support women throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
The curriculum encompasses diverse topics including human anatomy and physiology, perinatal mental health disorders, maternal nutrition and hydration needs, and strategies for preventing and managing common pregnancy-related health complications. Beyond clinical knowledge, the ADST emphasizes the critical role of emotional support and maternal advocacy, while fostering effective collaboration with healthcare providers and birth team members to ensure optimal care coordination.
The ADST was curated by Midwife Sekesa Berry to improve maternal wellness within Black communities. The ADST is led by Community Midwives and experienced community doulas These instructors bring lived experience from supporting birthing families from diverse backgrounds across various settings, including hospitals, birth centers, and home births. The ADST incorporates community learning objectives and implements an each-one – teach-one model to encourage participant engagement and to reenforce learning.
Whether you’re a doula, lactation counselor, or simply interested in improving maternal health and wellbeing, the ADST is a valuable resource that can help you make a difference in the lives of mothers and families.
GBDN Directory Participants Receive 20% off All Trainings
Course Outline:
- Herstory and legacy of traditional African American perinatal care.
- The impact of institutional and systemic racism on Black maternal health in the United States.
- Holistic Human Anatomy & Body functions.
- Diabetes as a modern-day epidemic, and glucose measurements.
- Body temperatures and what they reveal about infection.
- Stress, an unsustainable reality; measuring its impact through blood pressures.
- Warning signs that pose threats to both maternal and infant wellness.
- Urinalysis, a window into the body’s chemistry.
- Identify abnormal maternal signs, and know when to seek medical or alternative care.
Includes:
- Maternal Health Consultant Manual
- Digital blood pressure cuff
- Digital thermometer
- Urine test strips
- Glucometer kit
- IN-PERSON only – Grand Midwife Legacy Bag
- IN-PERSON only – Lunch and Refreshments
Requirements:
- Previous doula training required.
- Full payment upon registration.
- Pass the ADST Competency Exam (only for virtual attendance)
- Complete the Participation Form
- VIRTUAL – Must have functional wi-fi connection.
- VIRTUAL – Pass the ADST Competency Exam
Hear Firsthand Experiences from Our Advanced Doula Trainees
GBDN Directory Participants Receive 20% off of All Trainings
VIRTUAL: May 21 – 23, 2026
IN-PERSON: August 20 – 22, 2026
We believe in making this opportunity accessible to all. Apply for a scholarship to join the training and receive deeper support as you develop the skills to create meaningful change in birth work for families for generations to come!