“Each of the midwives took time to get to know my partner and I and answer all of our questions. They were each gentle, personable and each time we left feeling respected, cared about, peaceful, empowered and looking forward to the next appointment.” – Krista W.

Aleksandra Evanguelidi, LM, CPM Clinical Director for Midwifery Services

While reading ‘The Red Tent’ in 1999, Aleks had a vision for what was possible for women and families when the sanctity of the birth process is honored.  Through this vision she was inspired to become a midwife.  She began her midwifery training at The Hollywood Birth Center in 2001 and completed it by August 2005. During this time, she was an herbal educator for Gaia Herbs.  She simultaneously completed a three year midwifery curriculum from The National Midwifery Institute in Bristol Vermont from which she graduated in March 2006.  She also received a bachelor's in English from UCLA in 1997.

Aleksandra Evanguelidi, LM, CPM, has been a California Licensed Midwife and Certified Professional Midwife since July 2006. After she received her midwifery license Aleksandra co-founded a home birth practice and midwifery training program. Aleks has also been a nutritionist for the last 10 years and has spent many moons holding sacred space for women and couples during Blessing way ceremonies and wedding rituals.

 

The work Aleks does as a spiritual counselor is interwoven into her unique style of midwifery. Aleksandra is passionately committed to bringing knowledge of self-care to families such that they experience radiant health and an empowered sense of self.

 

Through her many years working with families, Aleks has seen the possibility of serving the larger community while providing products and services from some of the finest practitioners in the birth & wellness fields. Her vision for The Sanctuary Birth & Family Wellness Center is to create a new model of integrated care that meets the complex needs of today’s family.

 

Dr. Stuart Fischbein MD, OB/GYN

Monica Wood, LM, CPM grew up in Venice CA and after graduating from UCSB moved to Seattle in search of what she might do next. There she discovered midwifery and felt that all her interests and passions had found a home. This calling to midwifery came out of an interest in herbalism and holistic health, a desire to work with and among women and to feel that she was making a difference in people’s lives and the world around her.

She graduated from Birthingway College of Midwifery in Portland, Oregon with a B.S. in Midwifery which included a two and a half year apprenticeship in a homebirth practice and a one year apprenticeship in a busy water birth center and has since become a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) and an LM (Licensed Midwife). She has worked in a private midwifery practice with another midwife in Portland Oregon since the beginning of 2009 and in 2012 decided it was time to return home to her family and beach and sun here in LA. She feels blessed to be part of the nurturing, supportive and collaborative practice and community at the Sanctuary.

Monica is passionate about creating a practice that respects and empowers women in their choices and demonstrates her fundamental trust in a woman’s knowing as to what is right for her and her family. Viewing birth as an inherently normal and healthy process, she believes in each woman’s ability to birth her babies in a supported and loving environment. Monica is honored to be a part of her client’s transformative journey through pregnancy and birth and she is continually inspired by the women she works with.

Dr. Molly Jarchow, ND, LM

Naturopathic Doctor, Licensed Midwife

Dr. Stuart Fischbein has been in private practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Century City , California , since 1986.  He graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1982. He has a long history of support for Certified Nurse Midwives and Licensed Midwives.  This interest began during his Cedars-Sinai residency, as he was rotating through LA County-USC Medical Center, where he had the good fortune to be exposed to the midwifery model of obstetrical care.   In the mid 80's, he was approached by Nancy McNeese of the Natural Childbirth Institute, formerly in Culver City , to provide back-up support for women choosing alternatives to hospital based birthing. In 1995 he co-founded, The Woman's Place, Inc., an innovative model of collaboration between Certified Nurse Midwives and Obstetricians, in Ventura County .  In 2004, he co-authored, Fearless Pregnancy, Wisdom and Reassurance from a Doctor, a Midwife and a Mom, (Fair Winds Press, 2004) with long time associate, Joyce Weckl, CNM; and writer, Victoria Clayton.   He has twice been awarded Physician of the Year by the Doulas Association of Southern California  and in 2008 received their first Lifetime Achievement Award. .  A long time outspoken advocate of women's' rights to informed consent and refusal and the exercise of their free will, Dr. Fischbein is honored to be a founding member and medical advisor to the Birth Action Coalition and contributor to, "Ricki's Room" and “Your Best Birth”, a book published in 2009 and authored by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein.

Jacqueline Little, LM, CPM

Licensed Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife

Jacqueline graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Maryland with a Bachelors Degree in Women’s Studies, and as an Undergraduate was awarded a scholarship to conduct original research in women’s health. It was in this context where she became dedicated to empowering women through knowledge, support and advocacy- key tenants of midwifery care. Her research background has additionally endued a passion for integrating evidence-based practice with the art of midwifery care.

 

While evidence and feminist ideals initially drew Jacqueline to midwifery, the opportunity to work closely with the strong, directed and intelligent people that home birth attracts continues to enrich her enthusiasm. She values the meaningful and intimate relationships midwifery care offers, and believes that connection is an important facilitator in the physical and emotional transformations of pregnancy, birth and parenthood. In is in this vein of connection and growth that Jacqueline enjoys mentoring future midwives as the Sanctuary's Student Coordinator and co-teaching the Childbirth Education classes.

 

Jacqueline is particularly interested in gynecology, well-woman care and family planning. She has extensively studied and practiced the Fertility Awareness Method, and enjoys advising women on their options in the postpartum, breastfeeding and throughout their lifespan. Jacqueline is passionate about woman-centered reproductive care, and hopes to further integrate full-service holistic gynecological care into her midwifery practice.

 

 

Heather Schwarz

Student Midwife, Doula, Childbirth Educator

Heather Ann has been committed to a path of empowerment for women, especially birthing women, for 10 years. Her journey began when she was asked to be a doula for her closest friend. It was at this natural birth center birth that she began to see that birth could be a beautiful and empowering event in a woman's life. Since that experience, she has been inspired to educate herself and others about how to make the choices that are empowering for them as they become parents.

 

This has led her to take trainings of all kinds and as such, she has been trained in Birthing from Within childbirth mentoring, ALACE childbirth education, DONA's doula courses, and mentored with veteran doula Carmen Bornne-Gilman. She is a spiritual counselor and reiki practitioner who has taught women's circles and classes. She is also mother to two children, one born in the hospital and one at home in the water, who continue to be her biggest inspiration in all things. She is always expanding and learning how to find new ways to empower, educate, inform, support and hold space for pregnant couples, new parents and for those who wish to empower and support them.

 

You can find Heather Ann at the Sanctuary as a Student Midwife, as a Birth and Post Partum Doula, a Doula Trainer and Mentor,  and as the Sanctuary's Doula Coordinator.

Molly Jarchow graduated from Bastyr University in Seattle, WA where she completed a 5 year intensive medical program in Naturopathic Medicine, including 3 years of supervised clinical practice. Molly chose to become a Naturopathic Doctor because of her desire to provide full family natural healthcare.

 

Molly discovered midwifery when she was eighteen, captured by the magic of Ina May Gaskin’s book, Spiritual Midwifery, and began her training immediately through courses offered by the Seattle Midwifery School.   Her formal midwifery training began in 2005 at Maternidad La Luz Midwifery School and Birthing Center in El Paso, TX.  Knowing that she wanted to become a Naturopathic Doctor, she continued studying natural childbirth while attending Bastyr University.  After working with several midwifery practices in Seattle, Molly traveled to the island nation of Vanuatu in the South Pacific to volunteer in the local hospital and complete her midwifery training.  She believes that she was gestated here in the States, but was born as a midwife in the South Pacific, where she was blessed to witness a spectrum of birth experiences in the busy Port Vila hospital.  

 

As a Naturopathic Doctor, Molly’s philosophy is rooted in the cultivation of health, rather than the treatment of disease.  She empowers clients to make the best choices for their health and that of their families, approaching each person as an individual.  As a family doctor she happily sees people of all ages, providing full physical exams, well child visits, and laboratory work as necessary.  Her therapeutic toolbox includes botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, homeopathy, hydrotherapy and lifestyle counseling. Molly is excited to be a part of the integrative team and a new
model of healthcare at The Sanctuary.

 

Monica Wood, LM, CPM

Licensed Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife