Our Story
Hi, my name is
Natalie Peña (they/she)
I am a full-spectrum doula, sex therapist, intimacy consultant, and couples therapist. I have had the honor of supporting homebirth, birth center birth, and hospital birth. I am a Certified Lactation Consultant, and trauma-informed educator. I have always loved to be a witness to the transformation of people into parenthood.
I am the founder of Healing Internationale where I spend most of my time working on reproductive justice, and health-based advocacy, as well as training providers and community members. I am passionate about supporting families’ transformation and transition during the perinatal period, especially with those building a new legacy as immigrants.
From prenatal care to doula work, to couples therapy, I have a deep calling to create education for sexuality through the lifespan and create spaces for intergenerational health and healing. My practices focus on holistic perinatal care, community health education, and lactation consultancy.
I am a first-generation Dominican community organizer and facilitate educational training to parents and providers. I received my BA in International Community Health and Reproductive Justice and my master’s in Clinical Sexology and Couples Therapy. I was trained as a doula through Ancient Song doula Services and received my CLC through Health Children Academy. I am Spinning Babies trained and have gone on to continue learning through Manhattan Birth and the Conscious Birth Collective Mentorship. I am passionate about bringing together different health professionals in the interdisciplinary practice of holistic people-centered care.
Trainings & Mentorships
BA in International Community Health and Reproductive Justice
Master’s in Clinical Sexology and Couples Therapy
Full spectrum doula training, Ancient Song doula Services Certified Lactation Counselor, Healthy Children Academy
Spinning Babies
Manhattan Birth Mentorship Program
Conscious Birth Collective Mentorship Program
Testimonials:
“Having a doula (and choosing Natalie, specifically), was the absolute best decision we
made in the process of having our daughter. Natalie’s presence allowed both my partner
and I to relax into the experience without fully entering a fear response. The day I was in
labor, we both were so relieved when Natalie came to the apartment...it felt like someone
knew what to do. Natalie’s intuition about the specific comfort measures and positions
my body needed was invaluable. I remember, on the cab ride to the hospital, thinking in
the haze of active labor, “If everyone had a doula, no one would need medicated birth.” Of course, I still had hours of labor in front of me but that’s how shocked I was by the comfort of having Natalie be a part of this process with us. I truly cannot fully express what it meant to us. Natalie felt the baby’s feet and hands pushing into my back, she cut the umbilical cord, and she helped us respectfully navigate the care we were offered at the hospital. It’s an intimate thing to share birth with another person and I am so grateful
we had a doula with us.”
“The doula services we received were really above and beyond what I could have
imagined in terms of preparation, support and education. Our process with Natalie
began with a super helpful prenatal visit where we discussed both my partner and my expectations for labor and delivery. The process of naming some of these assumptions and needs really helped us get on the same page and left me feeling more prepared for the stages of labor but also more connected to my partner. Natalie checked in with me
regularly in between meetings and was a resource for all sorts of questions and
connected me with different services/made helpful recommendations.”
“I cannot overstate how important Healing Internationale was to both my wife’s journey and comfort during her pregnancy. From the initial interview with Natalie, we were impressed with the attention to detail and nuance involved in getting to know us both, what we envision for my wife’s road to the birth of our son, the expectations and realities
of the health care system and how that reflects on people of color.
Each interaction provided us with a wealth of information regarding the lesser-known aspects regarding birth, birth plans, hospital rights, and the importance of experiencing a stress-free atmosphere during labor.”