Eri Guajardo Johnson (She/Her, They/Them) is a bi-racial, trauma-informed birth doula, rape crisis peer counselor, wellness coach, community organizer, and host of the Birth Bruja Podcast.
For over 10 years, Eri has been dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual assault (with an emphasis on serving marginalized populations); has studied indigenous Mexican and Indian healing modalities to learn about mind, body, spirit, & communal wellness, herbalism, and food as medicine; and has taught and organized countless classes and community events centered around the healing and empowerment of women.
In response to more and more pregnant folk showing up to classes and reaching out for support, Eri completed a birth doula training in 2017 with Natural Resources in San Francisco. For two whirlwind years, Eri worked in the Bay Area with Stork and Sprout- first apprenticing then graduating to the birth team- and worked with a team of four doulas to provide birth services to an average of 6-8 clients a month. This team model of care (in addition to Eri's involvement with local volunteer doula organizations) provided an abundance of experience in and outside of the birthroom that included extensive research of evidence-based studies, weaving in of religious and spiritual traditions in the birthroom and postpartum period, hands on support surrounding optimal fetal positioning and pain management techniques, and experience with the following scenarios: Unmedicated Birthing, Vaginal Birth with Pain Management, IVF/IVI Pregnancies, High-Risk Pregnancies, "Geriatric" Pregnancies, Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC), Gestational Diabetes, Inductions, Planned C-Sections, Emergency C-Sections, Symphysis Pubic Dysfunction (SPD), Surrogacy, Birthing with Significant Anxiety and Depression, Birthing as a Survivor of Trauma, and more.
In response to the lack of focus of people of color and other marginalized groups in mainstream birthwork, Eri joined up with We Rise Cultural Production to create the Birth Bruja Podcast. The Birth Bruja Podcast is a manifestation of Eri’s passion for birthwork as a spiritual, liberational & decolonial practice and is geared toward widening and deepening the scope of modern birthwork. Listen now on Soundcloud, iTunes, YouTube & KPFA’s podcast site, Area 941. Join the conversation on Instagram and Facebook @BirthBruja.
In 2019, Eri (born and raised in Michigan) and her partner/husband decided to follow their dream of building a family and owning a home. They took their family of furbabies and moved from the Bay Area to Royal Oak, Michigan. Ever since, Eri has been dedicated to supporting birthing individuals throughout the Metro-Detroit area in cultivating empowering, courageous, and meaningful birth experiences.
Photo Credit: Sania Elahi
Certification & Training:
- Masters in Women, Gender, Spirituality & Social Justice- California Institute of Integral Studies | San Francisco, CA
- Ayurvedic Lifestyle and Wellness Coaching- Vedika Global | Emeryville, CA
- Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training (200hrs)- Pure Yoga | San Francisco, CA
- Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher Training (200hrs)- Niroga Institute | Oakland, CA
- Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training- Jane Austin | San Francisco, CA
- Birth Doula Training - Natural Resources | San Francisco, CA
- Optimal Fetal Positioning Training - Spinning Babies | Palo Alto, CA
- Certified Infant, Child and Adult CPR- Community Well | San Francisco, CA
- Rape Crisis Peer Counselor- San Francisco Women Against Rape | San Francisco, CA
- Intermediate & Advanced Training: When Survivors Give Birth- Selena Shelley | San Rafael, CA