Hi, I’m Julie. I’m a wife, mother, educator, life-long learner, Catholic, FertilityCare Practitioner, and biology nerd. Picking favorites is hard, but if I had to choose, I’d go with A Tale of Two Cities for books and Psych for TV shows. I enjoy making my own kombucha and kefir and cooking without a recipe.
My family and I live in Lansing, MI. We have one cat, Franklin, who is named after Rosalind Franklin, a scientist whose work was key to the discovery of the structure of DNA. My husband and I share a love of teaching and tackling big ideas. You’ll often find us off on big or small adventures, enjoying nature walks, small towns, or the best allergen-free chocolate.
I enjoy research deep dives into topics I’m passionate about. While I’m learning, I’m already planning in my mind how I can share my knowledge with others and connect them with resources. For me, teaching is so much more than one-way transfer of knowledge. It’s a collaborative process of mutual growth in understanding and knowledge. I always learn with the individuals that I teach.
What I do
I run our local babywearing group with my husband, so parents can learn how to safely wear their babies and toddlers. I also am a Catholic Nursing Mothers League mentor mom.
Most of my days are spent as a mom and a wife. I am also a Creighton Model FertilityCare Practitioner. When I was single, I got frustrated that the only solution that I was offered for my irregular cycles and ovarian cysts was the birth control pill. I learned about Creighton Model cycle charting which tracks standardized cervical mucus observations and NaProTECHNOLOGY trained medical providers who address women’s health issues without the use of artificial reproductive technologies or birth control. I was able to find hope and healing for my own health issues, and I discovered a passion. Teaching the Creighton Model System to women and couples brings together my love of biology, my passion for women’s health, and my faith.
Finally, I’m a grief worker. My interest in grief work started with my own experience of perinatal loss. I seek new ways to make my work as a FertilityCare Practitioner grief-informed to better support clients who have a loss. I am also a facilitator for the Bereaved Parents Community Group. I want all parents to be able to access support in the immediate aftermath of a loss and even years later. I want them to know that they are not alone, and I want to connect them to the resources that they need. Grief is messy, confusing, and not linear. I want to hold space for that grief.
Where you can find me
You can connect with me for Creighton Model System services at Groesbeck FertilityCare Center. I teach women and couples virtually.
You can connect with me about babywearing at Mid-Michigan Babywearers.
A note from Abby: I’m so excited to welcome Julie to the team! Her expertise and dedication are a fantastic addition to our community group team, and I’m selfishly glad I get the chance to hang out with her more.
All loss parents, regardless of how long ago your loss occurred or how old your baby was when they died, are welcome to join us at our free virtual Bereaved Parents Community Group every month. Register for the Zoom link here.
P.S. I asked Julie what the best allergen-free chocolate is, since she mentioned it. She said it’s Oh MI Organics. Check them out!
Abby the Sociologist Doula 