Robin South

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Location: Florida
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Hello! I am Robin South- Owner and Trainer at Doulagivers® South Florida!  I feel I have been training my whole life to become a Doula- and now a Doulagiver Trainer.  I was very close to my babysitter as a child – I thought of her as a grandmother – up until the day she died on my eighth birthday. At that time her death was mentioned as a side note. Not to be talked about very much thereafter.

I began working in an eldercare facility at 18 and I noticed how the elderly were “hidden away to die”. No family visits.  No one to share the pain, loneliness or concerns with- -no quality of life it appeared to me.

A few years later, I had a family of my own and my husband was diagnosed with Chronic Hepatitis C. Here I was in my 30’s much like the elderly in the home, with no one to share my concerns, the loneliness or the pain of watching a loved one in pain and not being able to help.   After he died suddenly in an accident, those feelings multiplied.

I decided to go to college and earn a bachelor’s degree- but ended up continuing my Master’s Degree. As a requirement for graduation, I went through an internship. I was chosen as an intern at a Georgia hospital as an intern chaplain to help the patients, their families and anyone else I met. During this time, I had many opportunities to interact and sit vigil with families of elderly and not so elderly going through the dying process or grieving a loss in many other ways.  It was during this time that I noticed the healing that takes place when you hold space for the client and their family. I noticed the effects of encouraging conversations between the dying individual and the family members for both to have closure.

As a Professional Counselor in the British system, I took on a 27-year-old male client that had a TBI (traumatic brain injury). I worked with his family every week for at least 2 years. My client was totally dependent on his aging mother and 80+-year-old grandmother for 100% of his care -24 hours a day.  Here I was able to be the support person so that the family could share concerns, his progress, and their hopes and dreams for a better future for him.   Out of this experience, I brought my passion and conviction that everyone over 18 should have a living will filled out and that people should know where it is.

After I moved back to the US, I was deciding what next and I came across Doulagivers and began my training.  It was such a perfect fit for me.  I am happy that I get to be there for others at a time when I know it is truly needed.

For all inquiries and to reach Robin South:

Address:
1606 Comfy Court, Sun City Center Fl, 33573

Email:
doulagiversofsouthflorida@gmail.com

Phone:
(813) 260-6065