Hi, I’m Leonie
I am a doula and filmmaker (a collector of images), fascinated by the threshold moment of birth. Birth into a new reality, a new body, a new responsibility and into the deepest, bittersweetest love that exists: the love for a child. During this time we need to be held and supported and this is what I want to do for you as your doula.
I come from a background in film and cultural studies, with a focus on feminist documentary filmmaking.
In my research and creative practice, I explore how pregnancy, birth, motherhood, care work, and bodies are represented in media, and how these narratives shape the inner images we carry about birth.
The birth of my child, personal experiences with loss, and a desire for inclusive, trauma-informed support ultimately led me to become a doula.
Now I combine filmmaking and my work as a doula.
I see pregnancy and birth as deeply transformative life experiences that deserve to be witnessed, held, and remembered. Creativity can offer a gentle way of meeting the profound physical and emotional changes of this time with curiosity and playfulness.
You always decide if, when, and how you want to be filmed, and what—if anything—you would like to contribute to your film. Whether poetic, playful, messy, humorous, wild, raw, or tender, you choose the frame for your experience.
Together, we can use the camera as a tool to slow down, witness this extraordinary time more consciously, and create a document of love, remembrance and reflection for you, your family, and your child.
Of course, I am equally happy to support you without the camera. My work is always grounded in an inclusive ethos: queer- and trans*-inclusive, welcoming all bodies and all family constellations. I hold space for trust, intimacy, transformation, grief, and new beginnings, inviting you to meet birth in all its complexity. Without idealisation and without the pressure of expecting a particular outcome.
HOW I WORK
Whether I support you with or without the camera, the foundation of my work is nervous system regulation.
Pregnancy, birth, postpartum, loss, and other physical or identity transitions can bring uncertainty, overwhelm, and stress alongside many other emotions. Becoming a parent may be one of the most ambivalent experiences we have as human beings. You may feel at the mercy of medical systems, external expectations, or simply the speed of this profound transformation – all while carrying, birthing, or caring for a new life.
You may also be trans*, non-binary, and/or queer and looking for support in navigating healthcare, lactation, hormones, or other aspects of your experience. I offer an affirming space where you can reconnect with your body, cultivate a sense of safety, and prepare for birth through evidence-based information.
Through deep listening, presence, creativity, and shared reflection, we explore what helps you feel safe, confident, and supported. In reproductive contexts, these experiences are profoundly empowering and even radical.
I offer support in both German and English.
My approaches to nervous system regulation
Touch
Gentle, mindful massage (I am a certified Mama* Masseuse) during pregnancy, postpartum, after surgery involving reproductive organs, following pregnancy or infant loss, or in the context of gender dysphoria.
Meditation & Breath
Guided meditations, breathwork, and affirmations, rooted in a meditation practice I have maintained for nearly twenty years.
Creative practices
Audiovisual experiments that invite creativity, help process emotions, and create space for reflection.
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In the long term, I dream of creating a physical space where care work, filmmaking, and research come together, a place where people can give birth, reflect, and grieve.
If this vision resonates with you, or if you'd like to support it, I'd love to tell you more.
ERFAHRUNGSBERICHTE
Questions?
OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO HAVE A CHAT? BOOK A FREE CONNECTION CALL WITH ME.
