Doula Cross Certification:
Why Doulas Are Switching Training Organizations (And Why That's Actually a Good Thing)
By: Julia Forest Co-Director, Doula School International
Something has been shifting in the doula world around doula cross certification, and I think it’s worth talking about openly.
More and more doulas are reaching out to us after completing their training with another organization. Not because they regret becoming doulas. Quite the opposite. They love this work deeply. But somewhere along the way, something stopped fitting. Maybe the organization changed direction. Maybe the certification process felt misaligned with who they’ve grown into. Maybe they were trained in another country and their credentials don’t carry the weight they deserve in North America. Maybe they simply want more from their certification than a piece of paper and an annual renewal fee.
Whatever the reason, they’re looking for a home. And that’s exactly what we built Doula School International to be.
The Doula Profession Is Maturing
When I look at how far the doula field has come, I feel genuinely proud to be part of this moment. What started as a grassroots movement, friends supporting friends through birth, neighbours showing up postpartum, community elders holding space in ways that didn’t have a formal name, has grown into a recognized profession with real clinical credibility.
And with that maturity comes something important: doulas are starting to ask harder questions about where they invest their trust, their continuing education dollars, and their professional identity.
They’re asking: Does my certification actually open doors for me? Is my school also an association that advocates for me? Can my clients get reimbursed for my services? Does this organization reflect my values?
These are exactly the right questions. And at DSI, we’ve been working hard to be the answer.
We're More Than a School
This is something I want to say clearly, because it matters: Doula School International is not just a training organization. We are a school, a certifying body, and a professional association, all in one.
That distinction is significant.
When you hold a DSI certification, you’re not just completing a course. You’re joining a globally recognized professional community with over 6,500 graduates across more than 20 countries. You’re backed by an organization that is actively working to advance the profession, advocate for doulas, and open doors that simply weren’t open before.
And those doors? They’re opening fast.
In Canada, DSI certification is recognized by several extended health benefit providers, including Carrot Fertility, meaning clients can use their benefits to access your services. In the United States, DSI-certified doulas are covered by Medicaid in multiple states. This is not a small thing. This is the kind of institutional recognition that changes what it means to be a doula. It means your clients don’t have to choose between doula support and paying their bills. It means you can build a practice that is genuinely sustainable.
We are making doula work more accessible for families and more viable for doulas. That is something to be proud of.
Introducing the Doula Cross Certification Program
So what does this mean for doulas who trained elsewhere?
It means we created a pathway for you.
Our Doula Cross Certification program was built with a simple belief at its core: the world needs more doulas, and the doulas already out there doing this work deserve to be recognized, supported, and set up to thrive. We don’t think any one training program is perfect. We know people come to this work from all kinds of directions. And we don’t believe your prior experience should be erased just because you’re changing organizational homes.
There are three pathways into the Cross Certification program, each designed to meet you where you actually are:
Pathway 1: Trained but not yet certified. You’ve done some training, maybe even a lot of community-based work, but haven’t completed a formal certification process. We’ll guide you through a review of our curriculum, a practicum with three clients, and an exam to complete your DSI certification.
Pathway 2: Already certified through another organization. You did the training, completed a practicum, earned your certification. You’re just ready to move on. In this pathway, you’ll review our materials (especially our scope of practice and anti-oppression module, which we consider foundational), then sit the exam. Your prior work is honoured.
Pathway 3: Medical professionals and international practitioners. Nurses, midwives, PSWs, and care providers trained outside North America often find their credentials don’t fully translate. This pathway recognizes your clinical foundation, adds a two-client practicum to contextualize the doula role, and brings you into full DSI certification.
All three pathways are grounded in our commitment to collegiate-level training, community, mentorship, and international peer support. Because becoming part of DSI isn’t just about the letters after your name. It’s about the people you’ll be surrounded by.
Pricing starts at $400 USD for one certification stream, or $775 USD for two (for example, if you want to cross-certify as both a birth and postpartum doula). No annual fees. No re-certification fees.
You can learn more and get started here: Cross Certification with Doula School International
We're Also Looking for Allies and Trainers in the United States
Growing DSI’s presence in the United States is something we’re actively and intentionally working toward, and we’re not interested in doing it alone.
The Medicaid coverage we’ve secured across multiple states is meaningful, but it’s only as powerful as the doulas on the ground who can actually use it. That means we need trainers, advocates, and community leaders across the US who believe in what we’re building and want to help bring it to their communities.
If you’re a doula educator, birth worker, or community advocate in the United States who is aligned with evidence-based, trauma-informed, inclusive doula education, we want to hear from you. Whether you’re interested in becoming a DSI instructor, hosting trainings in your region, or simply exploring what an alliance might look like, the conversation starts with a simple hello.
We’ve built something worth bringing to more communities. And we know the people who can help us do that are already out there, probably already doing the work, just waiting for the right home base.
If that sounds like you, reach out. We’d love to connect.
Book a call with our team or visit doulaschool.com/doula-trainer-program to learn more about the DSI Trainer Program.
A Note on Why This Matters
I want to close with something personal, because that’s how I prefer to talk about this work.
We started Doula School International because we believed the birth worker community deserved more. More rigorous training. More inclusive pedagogy. More access. More belonging. And as we’ve grown, we’ve learned that a big part of that mission is meeting doulas where they are, not just students starting from scratch, but experienced practitioners who trained somewhere else and are ready for a certification that reflects where the profession is actually going.
The doulas switching to DSI aren’t starting over. They’re leveling up. And in doing so, they’re gaining access to something that didn’t exist a decade ago: a certification that insurance providers, benefit programs, and healthcare institutions recognize and respect.
That is the work. That is what we’re building. And every doula who crosses over, every trainer who joins us, every ally who says yes to this vision brings us one step closer to a world where doula work is recognized for exactly what it is: essential, skilled, and worthy of investment.
If that’s the kind of community you’ve been looking for, we’d love to welcome you in.
About the Author: Julia Forest
Julia is a doula, childbirth educator, and birth advocate whose work has touched thousands of lives across more than 20 countries. As co-Director of Doula School International, Canada’s largest doula training organization with over 6,500 graduates worldwide, she has spent over two decades redefining what exceptional birth support looks and feels like, both for the families being served and the practitioners doing the serving. Her teaching is trauma-informed, evidence-based, and grounded in the belief that a birth worker’s inner life is inseparable from the quality of care they offer. She is the co-creator of the Sacred Birth Yoga and Doula Training and brings 20 years of study in massage therapy, prenatal yoga, and embodied movement practice to everything she teaches.