https://302.buzz/PM-WhatAreYourThoughts

Erica Guthaus has been supporting families in their childbearing years since 2008 and has been part of the professional birth community since 2014. A highly skilled communicator, educator, and encourager, she specializes in transformative growth, empowerment, and wisdom keeping. 

As the Conjuror of Birth Reclamation at Rootead, Erica is bringing her skill set to life by supporting Red Birth Green birth workers and families in claiming compassionate, inclusive, and respectful care for the entire family dynamic during childbearing years. Born and raised in Kalamazoo, she currently lives in Lansing with her husband, 4 kids, and 6 rescue pets.

[00:01] Erica Guthaus Shares Her Story With Us

• Erica shares her journey in becoming a “doula”
• She breaks down what a doula is and why you should have one

[07:05] People Over Policy 

• Erica talks about their mission of restoring humanity
• Do not treat people as numbers and statistics 
• Why her tagline in life is “People Over Policy”
• The simple and easy step to decolonize spaces 
• Why curiosity is uncomfortable according to Erica 

[17:25] A Young Black Woman’s Experience in the Healthcare System 

• The experience of a young Black woman in a healthcare setting
• Erica offers a unique perspective 
• Why delivering information the right way is crucial in interacting with patients 
• Erica shares interesting insights about the healthcare system
• A frightening position and place for a pregnant or first-time mother 

[28:43] Pursuing Racial Reconciliation and Diversity 

• What you should realize about racism according to Erica 
• Why engaging with people is like peeling off an onion 
• Erica gives her thoughts about engaging the youth in their initiatives  
• She talks about our progress in racial reconciliation and diversity 

[39:09] Generating Sincere Patient-Provider Conversations  

• The very first question that providers need to ask to their patients 
• How to generate sincere conversations with patients 
• No is a complete sentence that providers should accept from patients 
• Believe the patients even if you can’t understand them yet 
• The most fulfilling part of working in the healthcare sector 

 [54:45] Closing Segment  

• Final takeaways:
• A doula provides non-clinical, social-emotional support for pregnant mothers 
• Thinking about the people that the healthcare system really serves 
• People over policy
• Why asking questions is important to change the system
• Why people assume and judge others first before understanding them better
• Real experience starts on the phone
• Many women of color still don’t feel like they’re being taken care of 
• What Erica would do if she can change the system
• Many of the things we can do to change the experience of BIPOC patients are free.
• Not seeing color is racist. Period
• No is a complete sentence that should be accepted 
• Incremental change is happening; be part of the change now
• We need to believe the patients, to see them, and to not dismiss them

Key Quotes:

“All of the things that actually would have the most change are free.” - Erica Guthaus

“It should not take a high-profile situation for the situation to be believed.” - Erica Guthaus

Email [email protected] to connect with Erica or check out Rootead Enrichment Center to learn diverse, inclusive, anti-racist, and trauma-informed programs for mothers. 

• Check out her personal website to know more about her work. 
• Learn more about the Red Birth Green and their doula community

Resources Mentioned:

• Brené Brown

If you’d like to connect with me, you can find me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter or email me at [email protected]. To learn more about me visit https://www.medicalbhs.com/

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