We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jodi Graves. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jodi below.

Alright, Jodi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

Jodi Graves’ experience with postpartum depression and anxiety—in a time when no one
believed that postpartum depression was a real thing—was the very catalyst for her
business and her healing.
From not being listened to, to ending up in an ER where the
physician wouldn’t come into the room for an exam because he thought her suffering
wasn’t real, to waking up in a psych ward with no idea where she was or why.

After hiding the shame and embarrassment of that event for years, Jodi Graves thought
she was alone and that no one would ever understand. One day she decided she
couldn’t hold on to it any longer! So, Jodi began sharing her story in the hopes that it
could help other people. That story became a mission and a purpose!
Jodi then opened her birth & postpartum doula agency from nothing more than an idea
and a bit of rage as fuel and built it into a million dollar agency that’s poised to push for
the biggest changes that the birth industry has ever seen.

Hers is a story about taking those lemons that life gives you and making a big, giant,
glistening vat of lemonade that can be used to hydrate the entire country!

Jodi , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got into this work because the medical system in the US failed me and my family so horribly that I knew I had to do something to help! I was so very ashamed that I went through what I did, I figured I was just a victim and there was nothing I could do to change my story. I didn’t hold on to those feelings for long because I am a ‘take-action’ kind of person. That lead me to creating one of the fastest growing and most successful doula agencies that Michigan has ever seen! Granted…that wasn’t my intention at first. However, once we got rolling things have grown beyond my wildest dreams!
Michigan Family Doulas is a full service doula agency that works with pregnant people and their families from prenatal care through the entire postpartum recovery year. We focus on helping women & birthing people understand what is happening around them in labor, to make informed decisions and we help them use their voices to advocate for themselves against a system that no longer cares about women as humans and instead only focuses on the bottom line. (The research proves the US is at an all time high for maternal morbidity and mortality since the onset of the Covid19 virus-the worst stats we have seen in American history).
Then when newly birthing people are ‘dismissed’ and sent on their way post birth, we doulas are the only ones laying eyes on and caring for women during the 6 weeks postpartum in what I affectionately refer to as ‘The Black Hole’ of healthcare. We help folks not just survive birth and postpartum but THRIVE!
Since I am a doula AND a Nutritionist, my agency also helps people stay nourished during their first month postpartum with our unique postpartum nutrition support packages. This is a slam-dunk for a beautiful, healthy postpartum recovery that is one-of-a-kind in Michigan.
I am proud of my agency and of the team of incredible doulas that work with me and I know we are all excited and honored to work with anyone and everyone who needs a doula. And if you’re pregnant in these times, you need a doula!

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

I think, as women, we sometimes believe we need dozens of credentials behind our name in order to start working in our desired field, and that’s just not true. I think what is most helpful is if doulas start with one area of focus and become an expert in that. Make no mistake, the world needs more postpartum & infant care doulas and if you focus your efforts on these folks and curate your name and your brand, you will be successful!

Birthing people need doulas if they’re giving birth in this country. Having a doula with you in labor, birth & postpartum isn’t a ‘right’ as of the writing of this article, but I am making it my mission to ensure that everyone who wants one, has a doula by their side throughout this process. One that helps them advocate for themselves and works ONLY for that person. Imagine how we could change the entire landscape of birth & early parenting if everyone had their own professional, compassionate and PERSONAL doula by their side, helping them navigate the way and ensuring that they thrive!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Jodi Graves’ experience with postpartum depression and anxiety—in a time when no one believed that postpartum depression was a real thing—was the very catalyst for her business and her healing. From not being listened to, to ending up in an ER where the physician wouldn’t come into the room for an exam because he thought her suffering wasn’t real, to waking up in a psych ward with no idea where she was or why.

After hiding the shame and embarrassment of that event for years, Jodi Graves thought she was alone and that no one would ever understand. It was so difficult to even talk about what happened. One day she decided she couldn’t hold on to it any longer! So, Jodi slowly began telling her story and realizing that if she could help just one person with the story of what happened to her, it would make that suffering worthwhile. That story became a mission and a purpose and Michigan Family Doulas was born from this struggle.

Jodi then opened her birth & postpartum doula agency from nothing more than an idea and a bit of rage as fuel and built it into a million-dollar agency that’s poised to push for the biggest changes that the birth industry has ever seen. We now have a team of nearly 50 doulas and serve all of the state of Michigan, and anywhere else we get the call to go. (We’ve been to Anguilla! To California! and to all the states that surround Michigan- where can we care for folks next?!)

Jodi Graves has personally suffered immeasurably at the hands of doctors when giving birth to her own children. Between her agency, classes, speaking engagements and her podcast (Tea with Jodi) Jodi reaches over 30,000 women and their families each year.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Michiganfamilydoulas.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michiganfamilydoulas/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/Michigan-Family-Doulas/61554668221740/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodi-graves-679581308
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tea-with-jodi/id1653036361

Image Credits

https://brookeleighphotographer.com/