Betsy Merbitz, Massage Therapist, Herbalist, Midwife
I’m a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), and herbalist. Based out of Chicago, IL, I provide holistic services throughout the life cycle, including massage, childbirth education, herbal healing, and more.
In 2006 I attended my first herbal medicine training with the late Michael Moore, and my first doula training with ToLabor (then called ALACE). I began my journey into holistic healing because I saw how the medical system wasn’t helping people, and I wanted to be able to offer something better.
Over the next several years I continued my herbal training, including completing community herbalist programs at the Maryland University of Integrative Medicine and the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine. I also studied with the late Frank Cook and assisted at the Green Farmacy garden of the late Jim Duke. I began my birth doula work at the DC Family Health and Birth Center and soon began offering postpartum doula services and childbirth education in addition to labor support. I also co-led reproductive health workshops with the DC-based Down There Collective, and taught herbalism classes through the Baltimore Free School.
In 2014 I began my studies to become a Certified Professional Midwife, after many years of offering doula services and community herbal support. I am a graduate of the National College of Midwifery and Midwest Maternal Child Institute, and completed a multi-year apprenticeship attending homebirths and birth center births. I have supported hundreds of families during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum as a midwife, labor support and postpartum doula, and childbirth educator. I value holistic, family-centered healthcare.
In 2022, I became a Licensed Massage Therapist in order to incorporate bodywork into my holistic healing. I specialize in Manual Lymphatic Drainage and neurolymphatic massage, as well as massage techniques for chronic illness. Lymphatic and neurolymphatic massage can help with post-covid syndrome, brain fog, allergies, muscle fatigue and more. I love offering multimodal healing sessions that incorporate massage and herbal medicine.
Though I’m not accepting private clients for home birth midwifery care at this time, I offer education and coaching. My childbirth education offerings include some unique stand-alone classes on topics such as choosing where to give birth, postpartum preparation, and avoiding interventions. I also offer 1:1 and group midwifery tutoring for midwifery students and any other childbirth professionals seeking to deepen their knowledge, and coaching for doulas.
I am passionate about equity and justice in holistic healthcare and strive to be accountable for my own actions and support others in accountability. I am also a street medic with Chicago Action Medical, offering first aid at actions and demonstrations. I became licensed as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in order to deepen my knowledge of first aid and emergency response.
I write poetry and prose and am working on a series of poems about medicinal plants. Click here to read my work
Facts on Betsy:
Full name : Elizabeth Therese Merbitz
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Favorite Breakfast food: Eggs and Toast for sure!
Favorite sport: Ultimate Frisbee
Favorite Plant: I can’t pick just one!!
Attended my first birth in: 2006
Favorite Poem: “Why I Write Poetry” by Major Jackson
Number of births attended: About 250