About Sophia Tschida She/Her

"She has a natural ability to remain calm and collected and listen to your needs. We never felt that she judged us or our plans for our birth. She helped us think about things we weren’t preparing for and made space for our unique experience" - MT

Birth work came into my life unexpectedly.

It is a passion born of my own tumultuous journey into woman and person-hood.

Several years ago I began coming together to sit in circles with other women.  I experienced the deep healing, growth, and empowerment that is cultivated and nurtured within the safety of an intentional, non-judgmental, support system. This sparked a passion within me to begin the work of holding space. I wanted to provide other folks in my community with a supportive, non-judgmental place to just be. I wanted to tell other people that it was OKAY to be in their process, to be in their skin exactly how they were. That their experiences were valid, and important. I wanted to make people feel safe, loved and heard. I was mad, and still am mad that our society doesn’t acknowledge the messy rawness of being human.

Then there was the lightbulb moment. 

In 2017 I had the honor of supporting my best friend as she labored and birthed her oldest son. It was also my very first birth. It was an incredibly powerful and illuminating experience. I stayed with my strong and radiant friend through her entire birthing process. I knew in my bones this was exactly where I needed to be, like I was born to do this work. I felt so natural and at ease in her birthing space - like I was tapping into ancestral wisdom and strength. I remember sitting up with her at 3am, the house dark, candles flickering, partner, doula and midwives all asleep. I sat on the bathroom floor  while she was in the bathtub and poured warm water over her back and belly. We didn’t talk. I just quietly sat, listening and watching. I listened to her deep groans and long slow breaths. I was fully present with her rawness in that moment. No fear, no anticipation. Just a soft loving presence. I remember thinking in those moments, “This is where you need to be.” Witnessing this incredible strength, power, beauty and softness in the dark quiet of the night.

After that, Doula work snow-balled into my full time job. I am so honored and grateful to be able to do this work. I am always thinking of how I can grow, how I can do more, how I can give my AMAZING clients more tools, more support, more love, more witnessing. I am constantly learning about the depths of what this work encompasses. I am thrilled and humbled to be a life-long student of humans, emotions, and transitions. Doula work has showed me who I am, and it also has shown me how much work I have left to do.

When I am not supporting families in pregnancy and Birth, you can find me making art, foraging mushrooms and other wild edibles and medicinal plants, brewing tea, reading books by the wood stove, salt water fishing, crabbing, shucking oysters on the beach, drinking cheep beer while floating around in the puget sound with my goofy friends, glamping, and dancing around bonfires. I am deeply connected with the moon and the sea. I love pepperoni pizza, hanging out with my dog, being barefoot in the forest, watching trashy TV, and being as cozy as possible. I live in a 115 year old farm house on Bainbridge Island with my husband, Charlie, and our dog Rosie.

Why Wolf moon?

The name “Wolf Moon” was inspired by the Roman Moon Goddess Diana. Diana is a huntress, protector of wild lands and animals, women and girls. She is also a midwife goddess. She is usually depicted with a stag or dog as her companion, but I choose to see her running with the wolves. Wolves embody quiet strength and resilience. They are fierce, loyal, and loving mothers to their cubs.

I have always had a deep connection to my ancestors, specifically the lineage of women on my mother’s side. I recently found out more about that lineage - My mother’s family is descendent from an ancient Samnite tribe from the Apennine mountains of southern Italy called the Hirpini, which is devired from the Oscan “Hirpus”, which translates to “Wolf." It is written that the Hirpini people were nomads, until the wolves of guided them to settle in that region. I am constantly finding out more and more about my deep connection to these powerful, beautiful animals.

Wolf Moon Doula came to fruition in January of 2017. The ancient name given to January’s full Moon and corresponding cycle by the Indigenous people of what is now the Northern United States is "Wolf Moon.” Wolf Moon Doula lives and works on the occupied ancestral Salish Coast Tribal Lands of the Suquamish, Duwamish, and Twana/Skokomish people. To them and to this land I express my gratitude. To find out what tribal territory you live on, visit: native-land.ca

Training and experience:

  • DONA International Birth Doula Training at the Penny Simkin Center - Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA.

  • DONA International Certified Birth Doula.

  • Childbirth International Birth Doula Training - In Progress.

  • Childbirth International Beyond Boundaries Retreat -Bali, Indonesia.

  • Placenta Encapsulation with Carrie Kenner of Big Belly Services - Seattle, WA.

  • Journey Through the Pelvis Workshop with Carrie Kenner of Big Belly Services - Seattle, WA.

  • Supporting Families in Grief Workshop with Carrie Kenner of Big Belly Services - Seattle, WA.

  • When Survivors Give Birth: Understanding and Healing the Effects of Early Sexual Abuse on Childbearing Women Training with Penny Simkin and Phyllis Klaus - Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA.

  • Spinning Babies Workshop with Tammy Ryan - Victoria, B.C.

  • Spinning Babies Workshop with Rachel Shapiro - Edmunds, WA.

  • Assistant; Childbirth Education Home and Birth Center 8 week Series with Penny Simkin, Center for Birth - Seattle, WA. 

  • Working with Clients Experiencing Addiction and Recovery - Swedish Hospital, Ballard, WA.

  • Events and outreach committee member for Peninsula Birth Network - Kitsap County, WA.

  • Operations Lead and Venue and Production Coordinator for Peninsula Birth and Baby Expo - Kitsap County, WA.

  • Swedish Hospital Doula Program, First Hill and Ballard Campus - Seattle, WA.  

  • Swedish Doula Program Leadership Committee - Seattle, WA.

  • Birth Assistant with Salt & Cedar Midwifery - Kitsap and Jefferson Counties, WA

  • Midwife Assistant Basic Training with Ashley Jones, LM - Port Orchard, WA 

  • Neonatal Resuscitation Program 7th Edition Credentialed Provider with American Academy of pediatrics - Silverdale, WA