The 2026 Birthworker Retreat
January 20-22, 2026
Clearwater, FL
Nourish yourself and your business
Expansion, rest and FUN for perinatal professionals
Step away from your day-to-day obligations. Take off your "mom" hat, set your email Out of Office messsage and step into a space where you can become the next version of yourself.
Meet us by the beach for deep rest, intention settings, and connection with like-minded entrepreneurs.
Magic happens
…when you put yourself IN THE ROOM with doulas, sleep consultants and newborn care specialists who are focused on growth.
…when you surround yourself with people who “get you”
…when you give yourself permission to take a break
The Birthworker Retreat is a mix of relaxation, connection, learning and kicking off 2026 in the absolute BEST way possible.
Want to kick of 2026 by surrounding yourself with other doulas, birthworkers, sleep consultants, IBCLCs and Newborn Care Specialists who will lift you up?
Save your spot now for the 2026 Birthworker Retreat. Spots are limited and this will sell out.
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
Ready to elevate your business and your mindset?
Surround yourself with doulas, postpartum doulas, IBCLCs, sleep consultants, and other birthworkers who are making waves in their lives and careers.
Save your spot now for the 2026 Birthworker Retreat. Spots are limited and this will sell out.
“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.”
Speaker lineup
Jillian Anderson -
“How to Write Sales Copy that Sounds Like You and Sells Way Better”
Jillian Anderson is a Positioning Expert and Lead Copywriter who serves holistically-minded women in business.
She's worked with over 250 clients from across 55 countries and now specializes in High Performance Sales Copy — the kind that sounds like you and sells way better.
Originally from NJ, Jillian now lives in South Carolina with her husband and children.
The Doula Darcy -
“Social Media - Instagram Workshop”
Bring your phones and sit down with Darcy to up-level your Instagram account. Let’s dish on how to maximize your Bio, make a Reel and more.
“Building a Hybrid Business Model to Scale your Impact & Income without Burnout”
The key to longevity as a birthworker is finding ways to continue to serve that don’t require you trading hours for dollars. Darcy walks you through the infinite options available.
Darcy Sauers is a Doula Business Coach & Marketing Strategist who combines her unique background: 10 years in advertising and 15 years as a postpartum doula to help other doulas build thriving businesses. She is the host of The Doula Darcy Podcast and the My Doula Village membership community for doulas.
Jodi Congdon -
”Building Community (and Revenue!) with Memberships and Subscriptions”
and
”Going from Solo Doula to Agency Owner”
Jodi is driven by a passion for learning and excellence in the perinatal field. She’s a certified Postpartum Doula and Lactation Educator and a member of the CAPPA Faculty, where she proudly serves as the Postpartum Doula and Lactation Educator Trainer for New England.
Leslie Owens, RN, IBCLC -
”Becoming an IBCLC: A Guided Session for Curious Birthworkers”
Leslie Owens is a certified lactation consultant and trainer registered with the IBCLC Commission and founder of the Lactation Consultant Launchpad™, your Golden Ticket to help you on your journey to your new career as an IBCLC. Bring your questions to this casual session geared towards explaining the different paths to becoming an IBCLC.
Welcome to the Container Store: The Neurodivergent Birthworker Problem - Alix Myers
Ever feel like everyone else got the right bins, labels, and shelves — and you’re just trying to keep things from falling over?
In this talk, Alix Myers invites birthworkers to take a walk through the “Container Store” of their brain to explore what happens when neurodivergent executive functioning, sensory processing, and communication styles are forced into systems that don’t fit. You’ll leave with language for your overwhelm, relief from self-blame, and a clearer sense of how to build support, structure, and boundaries that actually work for your brain — not against it.
Alix Myers (she/her) is a doula, perinatal support professional, and educator, and the founder of TENDER.LY, a practice offering pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and early parenting support. Her work specializes in neuro-affirming, nervous-system-aware care, with a particular focus on supporting neurodivergent clients within perinatal settings.
Alix has completed advanced training in birth and postpartum support, infant feeding, mental health first aid, and trauma-informed care. She regularly educates and consults with birthworkers on adapting care practices to better support sensory needs, communication differences, emotional regulation, and sustainability in care-based work.
Through speaking, teaching, and consulting, Alix supports doulas, midwives, lactation professionals, educators, and therapists in building inclusive, effective care models that honor real capacity — for both families and providers.
Emily Wannenburg, DNDM, CLC, AdvCD(DONA), CBE
Building Cores and Communities: How to Use Fitness Classes to Grow your Birthworker Biz
Emily Wannenburg, Founder and CEO of 4th Trimester Fitness Method, began her career as a nurse midwife in South Africa and has been active in the women's fitness, health and wellness world for more than 25 years as an educator, personal trainer, presenter, mentor, advanced doula, and magazine contributor. Her work in the Perinatal Fitness and Wellness community has expanded over the years into mentorships and trainings for medical providers, doulas, and birth and fitness professionals. She is the creator and founder of 4th Trimester Fitness® Method’s evidence-based courses. These programs have been experienced by thousands of women, birth workers, and obstetric care providers around the world.
”Havening Touch for Sustainable Calm” with Yiska Obadia
Join Yiska to practice and learn more about Havening Touch, a psychosensory healing modality that can be applied easily to support you and your clients in more readily accessing deeper calm and presence. The power is literally at your fingertips. Come to our session prepared for a deep relaxation experience, and to take home a new tool for enhancing both your personal and professional life.
Book Club
Read one of these books before you get to the Retreat and join in on our discussion at our afternoon bookclub!
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks - lead by Darcy
Profit First - lead by Jodi
ROOM BLOCK
Once you purchase your ticket, you’ll receive an email with the link to book a room on our room block for $289/night at the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Clearwater. You’ll also be invited to join our private Facebook Group for the event where you can find a roommate and coordinate Uber rides to/from the airport.
TRAVEL
The easiest airport to fly into is Tampa International which is an easy 30 minute drive from the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Clearwater where The Birthworker Retreat will be held. We use our private Facebook Group to coordinate rental cards & Uber rides to the retreat.