my mission is to

help usher birthing people of all identities across the threshold of new life beginnings with compassion, confidence, and deep-rooted trust in the birthing body's instincts and wisdom.

my work is rooted in

olá! i'm larissa

I am a queer birth and postpartum (and soon to be full-spectrum) doula based in Philadelphia, PA. I was first called to the work of supporting birthing people a decade ago, and after working as a social worker with survivors of domestic abuse, and later as a literary agent helping to publish authors, I chose to answer that call.

In other words, what fills my cup is the act of holding others as they cross the threshold into new, transformative periods of their lives.

Due in part to my identities and lived experiences---being queer, mixed-race, Brazilian, plus-size, the daughter of immigrants, a survivor---my practice is rooted in the beliefs that birth has the power to heal ancestral traumas, that birthing people hold innate wisdom in their bodies, that community care is self-care, and that we all deserve safe, affirming, size-inclusive healthcare. As a birthworker, I strive to offer an inclusive, informative space for birthing people to peacefully and confidently move through pregnancy and labor in ways that feel true to their needs.

Também falo português e adoraria trabalhar com famílias brasileiras. 🇧🇷

While navigating our first pregnancy, we weren’t sure how easy it would be to find a doula who truly understood our identities and the kind of care we wanted, but Larissa exceeded every hope we had. Her calm, grounding presence during labor helped both of us feel empowered and connected, even when things got intense. Postpartum, Larissa checked in with such genuine care, not just about the baby, but about us as people and new parents.

If you’re looking for a doula who holds space with empathy, intuition, and a fierce sense of love and justice, Larissa is the one.

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—S & J, first-time parents