“We’re treated as if we ‘don’t understand’ yet we understand A LOT because we have years of life and experiences to draw from.” Sheryl has a bone to pick with stereotypes of “older” women.
She is a woman who is kind, genuine, resilient, and selfless – but with boundaries. If someone is needed to make ‘it’ happen, she will make it happen! Known as the ‘magic doula fairy,’ who magically makes it all come together, she excels at coaching new parents through the fear of bringing home a child. After becoming a postpartum doula, Sheryl became Founder and CEO of two companies that support new and growing families, leading women who love and care deeply to do big things and make a difference in the world.
Even though she has done great things, Sheryl teeters between believing she is a badass and feeling like she’s an imposter with no idea what she’s doing. In life, Sheryl was told she was fat, stupid and ugly and spent the majority of her life fighting back and showing the world “what she’s got” and that fat does not equate to stupid and ugly. Becoming a single mother at 25, marrying at 29, fostering over 25 children and adopting 3 of them formed some early adult life points. The birth of her grandchildren, marrying husband #2 at 49, losing a son and forging a future without him are some more recent life milestones.
Loyal, intelligent, and giving, the most rewarding thing for Sheryl as she has gotten older is that she doesn’t allow anyone to tell her who she should be or what she should wear. She finally gets to be her TRUE self and not give a crap what society says. With one year of nursing school and then some community college under her belt, she is a wonderful example that you don’t need advanced degrees to form a successful business.
“I never fit the mold of the typically attractive girl or woman. I was always the friend, never a head turner. I saw physical beauty as the end all of being attractive. NOW I believe that confidence is attractive, even if you’re faking the confidence. Having a warm smile with eyes that show warmth is attractive. Being a smart woman is attractive.”
————-
Family Tree Doula Service is a postpartum doula agency located in Portland, Oregon. We provide postpartum, new parent, and newborn care to families locally, throughout the US and internationally. Our website is: familytreedoula.com
West Coast Baby Care is a nanny placement agency located in Portland, Oregon. We help families find their perfect nanny and nannies find their ideal family. Our specialty is placing infant nannies once new parents go back to work. Although based in Portland, we place nannies up and down the west coast. Our website is: westcoastbabycare.com
