Meet Barb Buckner Suárez
Hi there. I’m Barb Buckner Suárez. Nice to meet you.
Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana and smack dab in the middle of a family with two older brothers and an older sister and two younger sisters, I worked hard to stand out and keep the peace at the same time. I still operate on that same principal today.
Here’s a few things I wanted to do when I was a grown-up: join the Peace Corps, train to be a neurosurgeon, work side by side with Jane Goodall and her chimps and become a Rock Star.
And here are a few things that I’ve actually done as a grown-up: I joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, I hold a Master’s Level Certificate in Interpersonal Neurobiology and read everything I can get my hands on about the brain – with a focus on how it affects pregnancy, birth and new parenthood, and I’ve gotten the chance to pretend to be a Rock Star while singing with the local band, Karaoke From Hell! (Living with Jane and the chimps is still a
dream of mine, but I think it would be too solitary a life for the extreme extrovert that is me.)
If someone had told me when I was a kid that I’d grow up to be an educator I wouldn’t have believed them. And if they’d said I’d find my life’s purpose in helping families prepare for pregnancy, birth and parenthood, I would have laughed outright!
It’s true that I always had a fascination with the human body – just ask Sr. Joan of Arc about how my impromptu sex-education class went down during 1st grade recess at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Elementary School!
But my reputation as a doll-hating, sports-loving, tomboy would have kept me from ever even considering this work if it weren’t for a request from my friend, Liesl.
Liesl was pregnant with her first baby and asked if I would be with her and her partner, Andy, for the birth.
I’ve never done anything in my life halfway. I don’t know how else to be in the world. “Go big, or go home!” could be a motto that was written with me in mind.
So, it made complete sense to me, that I should drive 300 miles North of my home in Portland, Oregon and take an eight-day doula training in Seattle, Washington. All so that I’d be ready to be the best damn Doula the world has ever known! (This was in 1998 – long before Doulas were such a part of the mainstream!)
As I sat in the darkened auditorium at the end of the first day of training, images of folks giving birth flashed across the screen, and I had an epiphany: “I know what I’m supposed to do with my life!”
And I’ve been working in this field ever since.
I’m blessed to be happily married to my best friend, Roberto. We met over 30 years ago, and I’m so glad that we both ended up here, to raise our family together. We have four children – Elisa, Alejandro, Lucía and Félix – and the pregnancy, birth and parenthood experiences I’ve had with each of them have taught me so much! They are gifts in my life.
And for over 25 years, I’ve been lucky enough to support thousands and thousands of pregnant folks and their partners as they are transformed by the power of birth to start new families of their own. I’m still as fascinated about pregnancy, birth, and parenthood as I’ve ever been – and I hope that my passion shines through.
What You Can Expect From Me…
You may not know about all the changes our brains go through in the pregnancy year – from trying to conceive all the way through “The 4th Trimester” – but I do! And I’ll help you learn how best to work with your brain, instead of fighting it, so you can have easier and more enjoyable experiences throughout.
I’ll share some resources with you – but only those I feel confident in promoting because I believe in the integrity of their evidence-based message. While I promise to never share any scary stories, I think real-life can sometimes be the best way to counter the effects of what I call “Pinterest Parenting.”
And I sincerely hope that who I am and what I offer will help ease any fear or anxiety you might feel as you make your way through the most important journey ever: pregnancy, birth, and parenthood.
Thank you for trusting me to be your guide.
