A pregnant woman lying on a bed, holding her belly with her hands.

You deserve a beautiful birth!

Prepare your mind.

Trust your body.

Make informed decisions with

Kindling Birth Coaching

learn more

Birth is powerful. So are you.

If you’re feeling nervous about birth, you’re not alone.

Birth can be intense — physically, emotionally, and mentally — and it unfolds within a complex care system that can feel overwhelming.

This is where Kindling Birth Coaching can help.

Kindling teaches you how to work with your mind — your most powerful, but often overlooked coping resource in birth.

So you can stay calm when things feel intense,
work with sensations instead of fighting them,
and make clear decisions when it matters.

Because birth isn’t just one day - it stays with you a lifetime.

Learn more
Verena smiling brightly in a white dress on a sandy beach with a child touching her belly.

Who Kindling is for

Kindling is for those who want more than just getting through birth.

For people who care about how birth feels, not only how it ends.
It’s for those who want to prepare intentionally: to trust their body, understand their options, and build the mental and emotional skills that support birth — while staying flexible and calm if plans change.

It’s especially supportive if you’re hoping for a low-intervention or physiological birth. Because in today’s maternity care system, that takes more than luck — it takes intentional preparation.

But agency and emotional safety are central, no matter how your baby arrives. Kindling supports all kinds of births, including inductions, epidurals, assisted births, and cesareans.

You don’t need to aim for a “perfect” birth.
You just need the willingness to prepare, with intention and care.

Learn more about kindling

“What makes me feel proud of my childbirth experience is my ability to stay calm and focused throughout. Despite the initial pain and the fact that some of my preferences weren't fully honored, I was able to center myself, focus on what was within my control, and carry on with strength and determination.”

Joanna, first birth

Hi, I’m Verena

Verena sitting on a bed near a window, smiling, with a young child lying on the bed nearby, warm sunlight streams through the window.

I’m a mom of three, an MD, and a public health researcher with a PhD. Helping people prepare for a beautiful birth is my greatest passion.

I created Kindling because I’ve seen how profoundly birth can shape us — not just physically, but emotionally and psychologically. And yet, more often than not do we ask people to accept “a healthy parent and a healthy baby” as enough. It’s an important starting point, but it’s not the whole story. You deserve so much more!

My work is about helping you feel prepared and supported — so you can meet birth with confidence, even joy, and walk away with a a deep sense of pride, however it unfolds.

Learn more about me

“One of the most impactful aspects was how genuine Verena was. Both my partner and I felt her sincere willingness to support us. Her non-judgmental approach made me feel safe, supported, and always excited for our next session.”

Joanna, first birth

What you’ll walk away with

  • A sense of calm and readiness, even if birth unfolds differently than planned

  • Powerful tools to work with fear and intensity, and stay present in your body

  • Greater trust in your body and its capacity to give birth

  • Confidence navigating options and communicating with your care team

  • A shift from feeling like a patient to feeling actively involved in your birth

  • A partner who understands how to support you — and experiences the birth with less fear

  • A flexible approach to birth, without pressure to achieve the “perfect” way to birth your baby

  • A thoughtful and intentional birth “plan”

  • The feeling of entering postpartum joyfully and proud

Explore the Kindling Program

How Kindling works

Most people hope for a birth that unfolds with minimal intervention and feels calm and empowering. The most powerful tool to make that happen is your mind — an often untapped resource in birth preparation.

Kindling helps you uncover the strengths and skills that are already within you while also preparing you for flexibility and informed decision-making.

The program is grounded in four evidence-based pillars: Insight, Mindset, Deep Relaxation, and Breath — approaches shown to influence stress physiology, pain perception, and how safe and supported birth feels.

Kindling goes beyond information. It’s active preparation: guided practice, reflection between sessions, skills for working collaboratively within the maternity care system, and dedicated content for partners.

It asks more of you — and gives a lot back: more calm, more confidence, and a stronger sense of agency in birth.

Because birth is too important to leave to chance.

Learn more about the Kindling method
Verena resting on a couch with headphones on, listening to relaxation recordings with hand on her belly.

Ways to work with me

1:1 Coaching

Personalized, one-on-one support tailored to your pregnancy, values, and birth hopes — with partners highly encouraged to participate, so you feel supported as a team.

Currently accepting a limited number of new clients (virtual and in-person).

I offer a few different ways to work together, depending on the kind of support you are looking for. Each option is rooted in the same evidence-based and heart-led approach.

Group coaching

A small, supportive group experience that combines shared learning with guided practice. Partners will be welcome and included to help them feel confident in their role. You may even make a friend or two!

Currently enrolling for next in-person cohort in March  2026 in Vancouver, BC.

Online program

A flexible, self-paced option designed to be used together or on your own — with specific guidance for partners who want to feel like a meaningful part of the team. Includes monthly live Q&A sessions.

Launching soon.

Explore all coaching options

  • Maria, first birth:

    “I am so thankful that my husband and I were connected with Verena and had her support during my first pregnancy. She is incredibly knowledgeable and compassionate. It felt more like talking to a friend than a birth coach. She was able to be objective about our situation, provide us with excellent data and answers to our questions, and talk us through scenarios and options, even when we had to adjust our birth plan last minute. I can’t recommend her highly enough, especially if this is your first birth – she is amazing!”

  • Monika, second birth:

    “Verena conveys incredible calmness and positivity through her coaching. Because of my experiences during my first pregnancy and birth, my second pregnancy was associated with a lot of anxiety from the very beginning. Just knowing that I didn't have to go through it alone and that there was someone there to support and understand me really helped a lot. Even though I had to have another c-section due to high-risk medical issues, I was able to remain completely calm this time around and experience a beautiful birth – in no small part thanks to Verena’s help in preparing me for my baby’s birth. I highly recommend her program to anyone who is struggling with fears.”

  • Joanna, first birth:

    “As a first-time mom, Verena’s coaching was more helpful to me than my birth prep classes—her knowledge, patience, and practical advice made a real difference. I felt truly supported through her genuine, non-judgmental approach and appreciated the space to ask questions and build confidence. The techniques and empowering insights she shared helped me feel calm, prepared, and in control going into childbirth.”

  • Kelsey, first birth:

    “Verena's coaching focused on what healthcare practitioners often neglect: the profound impact that my psychological and emotional state would have on my birth experience and outcome. Working with Verena greatly reduced my anxiety going into my planned homebirth as a first time mom and she helped me feel confident and empowered. I would highly recommend her guidance to anyone preparing for birth.”

My promise to you

When you work with me, you’ll be met with empathy and real expertise. No pressure. No noise. Just thoughtful support as you prepare for birth.

My approach is evidence-based and heart-led. I’m a psychiatrist and public health researcher — and I’m also a mother. I know, in a very real way, what it means to give birth and to carry the weight of that moment. I’ve spent years studying how people cope with stress, uncertainty, and big life transitions. I also know that research and knowledge alone isn’t enough. How you feel while preparing matters just as much as what you learn.

I care deeply. I want you to feel heard. I want you to feel supported. And I want you to walk into birth feeling as prepared as possible — knowing that while not everything is in our control, preparation makes a real difference.

I don’t believe in fear-based messaging or pushy sales tactics. You’ll find clarity, honesty, and respect here.

My promise is simple:
I’ll take your hopes for birth seriously, and I’ll do everything I can to help you feel ready — whatever path your birth takes.

I would love to get to know you. Reach out when you are ready!

Get in touch
Verena on the beach with mountains in the background, holding her belly and looking contemplative.