Course Description

The Commonsense Childbirth Institute’s Community Based Doula Training Program is a hybrid training program that consists of 14 self directed online training modules, and 32 hours of live (virtual) doula skills training. This academic training is followed by 6 months of clinical skills development during which participants will be mentored through supporting 5 childbearing people and their families through pregnancy, labor and delivery and into the postpartum. 

The foundation of the training is The JJ Way® Reproductive Justice framework for client care delivery, which informs how doulas will care for, advocate for and empower their clients. This program is for those who intentionally want to practice using an equity lens, and who are interested in working towards reducing birth outcome disparities for women of color and lowering maternal mortality.

  • Online Modules

    Comprehensive, on-demand modules give the learner flexibility in engaging with the material in their own time and pace, while still having direct access to the instructor.

  • Live Training

    Four full days of live, virtual skills training allow for review on the topics presented in the modules, as well as practice and case-scenario discussions.

  • Mentorship

    Following the training, participants are mentored through six months of supporting childbearing families. During this time, they'll have access to 1-on-1 support as well as cohort learning and debriefing circles.

Pathways to Certification

We recognize that many participants may come to our program with prior training, experience and knowledge. Our goal is to provide access to our program by connecting you to the right pathway and to internship cohort circles, to recognize the knowledge you are coming into the program with, and to empowering you to practice in the JJ Way going forward.

Pathway 1: Full Program

Pathway 2: Previous verified Doula certification

Pathway 3: Previous verified and approved Doula training

Pathway 4: Previous completion of CCI's COPE program

If you are hoping to complete our program through Pathway 2, 3, or 4, please email us at info.cci@commonsensechildbirth.org for pricing and completion requirements.

About the Instructor

Darline Turner has partnered with our Commonsense Team to develop this brand new Doula program and curriculum. She is the mother of two young adults, and on her journey to motherhood had 4 pregnancies, 2 miscarriages, a myomectomy to remove uterine fibroids, two high risk pregnancies and a traumatic birth. These lived experiences were the driving forces that inspired her to start her company to support other women on their motherhood journeys.

She founded Mamas on Bedrest & Beyond in 2009, a full spectrum doula support, education and resource service for high risk pregnant women (www.mamasonbedrest.com).

In 2017 Darline established Healing Hands Community Doula Project (HHCDP), a 501(c)3 organization designed specifically to raise awareness of, and to address the disparity in maternal morbidity and mortality that exists between black women and women of other cultures in Central Texas. The goal of the project is transform maternity care at the individual, systems and institutional levels by addressing social determinants of health which directly impact black women’s health.

Now back in her native home of Massachusetts, Darline is continuing her work advocating on behalf of black maternal health, and for fair and equitable work conditions and pay for black birth workers.

Darline is an educator, a published healthcare columnist and healthcare author, a healthcare program developer and manager, a healthcare policy advocate, and health literacy advocate. At the heart of all that she does is the pursuit of health equity, and reproductive and social justice for all, but specifically for Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC).