Jharna’s first experience of homebirth was while attending a woman’s birth in Calcutta, India in the mid 1980’s. This awakened her deep desire to be a gatekeeper of childbirth. At that time, Copenhagen Denmark was her home base, and while there, Jharna experienced a culture where the majority of the births were attended by midwives at home. The more she opened and inquired, the more her belief that birth can be natural, beautiful and empowering, continued to solidify.
In 1989 Jharna sought the guidance of long time midwife and educator Elizabeth Maznec at her school in New Hampshire. Realizing that she wanted to go further in her training she traveled to El Paso, Texas where she trained at a high volume Birth Center, Maternidad La Luz, under the guidance of then director and midwifery mentor Deborah Kaley.
After returning back to Massachusetts a year later, Jharna practiced independently until joining River Valley Midwives in 1995, where she practiced along side senior midwife Penfield Chester. Over the years, she has partnered with several other skilled midwives including Terri Nash, Kristen Bernard, Kirsten Kowalski-Lane and Kristen Brennan. River Valley Midwives has a rich, wise-woman herstory.
Jharna is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) through the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) and has attended over 1000+ local homebirths since 1992. Over the approaching 30 years of actively practicing as a midwife and mentor, Jharna has trained numerous other women in the art of midwifery, and continues to believe in the power and sanctity of a woman’s choice in birth.
In 1999, Jharna completed her training as a registered nurse. She specializes in mental health, addictions and psychiatric nursing and works part time as an RN with duel diagnosis clients working through acute mental health and addiction issues.
Jharna has a strong background in natural and herbal healing, as well as alternative ways of approaching health.
Jharna is a member of the MMA (Massachusetts Midwives Alliance) and MANA (Midwives Alliance of North America).
Jharna makes her home along the Connecticut River in Montague, MA with her son Mosiayah and daughter Veda Ruth (both born at home), and multiple pets.
