My Story

I have always loved talking about bodies. At 15, my older brother gifted me with a copy of Our Bodies, Ourselves and an Ani Difranco tape(!), and he inadvertently sent me down a mishmash course of study that included medical anthropology, anatomy and physiology, reproductive justice, body politics and human sexuality.

When I was pregnant with my oldest kid, I naively felt that because of my passions and my degree (from SUNY at Geneseo) combined with the fact that I worked in public health (at the National Association of Community Health Centers), that preparing for birth would come easy to me. 

Then I met with my (first) provider.

I got a lot of "we'll allow you to..." or "as long as that (desire I had) doesn't get in the way of my show.”  Pretty quickly we thanked him for his time and started to search for a model of care that made more sense for us.  (For me - this turned out to be hospital based midwifery care for my first kid, and a homebirth with a CNM with my second kid.  It may be something totally different for you).

I was having a baby, it didn't mean I wanted to be treated like a baby.  Not only is this treatment steeped in misogyny, it's a major pet peeve.  I might have been a clueless new pregnant person who didn't know what I didn't know - but last time I checked, pregnancy is not a condition that erased my ability to inform myself.  I wanted collaborative care because bottom line- people know their bodies.

So I went back to school.  And I was so blown away by the human body and all the many ways you could talk about birth - the biological, cultural, sexual, political - that I started to teach.  (This may have started with me telling every person with a uterus that they will probably poop when pushing out their baby. The curriculum has grown since then.  Honestly!)

Eventually, that teaching expanded to doula care, speaking, counseling, bodywork, yoga training, a whole lot of advocacy, and community building.  Rather than shaming people with a right or wrong way to live or birth in their body, they need support figuring out what works best for them. They need the evidence to make informed decisions that are supported implicitly by their care team. They need validation.  They need space to behave like the mammals they are.  Basically, it's your vagina - you decide what happens to it.  It's like an awesome Choose Your Own Adventure for your vagina! 

So my shift in life after my oldest kid was born was not just my shift into motherhood.  It was a shift in how I walked in this world.  It changed how I showed up for my family, my community, and myself.  Birth taught me this.  Physiology re-teaches me this every day. Watching individuals during this transition is one of the best reminders of how we are much more capable than we ever imagine. 

My work has been a guide to how I live:

embrace your powerful voice • trust in yourself and (especially) your body • there is always time for laughter (even at 9cm) • build a tight and supportive community • give and receive knowledge and wisdom regularly • ask for help • be kind • be in your integrity • live in service to others, but not at the expense of yourself • give your time, money, goods...it'll come back to you • learn about life all over again through the wisdom of your kids • PLAY • listen • share what you are good at • with love...SO MUCH LOVE

Other Fun Kate Facts:

• I live with my husband and two kids in the idyllic Ithaca, NY.

• I've been with my partner in crime, who is always called NickJ (all one word) for 24 years!

• We have two awesomely love-able kids who both make us laugh and drive us crazypants.

• I have two dogs, Michael Mitchel (or Michael Douglas, depending on who you ask), and Helen Destroy who also make us laugh and drive us crazypants.

• I enjoy laughing, hugs, sharp wit, tough love, big books, playing cards, swimming, using the back door of a house, chocolate, nicknames....and long walks on a beach.

• I come from a family of educators (parents, in-laws, brothers, husband, sister-in-law, and cousin).

• I love learning! Here are the trainings and certifications I have done that help inform my personal approach.

• I've completed a few triathlons, a half marathon and swims across Cayuga Lake and Mirror Lake in the ADKs. (They are good reminders of how strong and capable my body is).

• Listening to music while I'm swimming is next to nirvana.

• I am always actively reminding myself that sharks are awesome, help keep our oceans balanced, and don't live in lakes.

• If you have either an orangutan or basset hound, there is a REALLY good chance I'll try to take it from you.

• I consider my kids losing their shit in public a form of public service. #motheringoutloud

• I am learning, shifting and changing with the love and support of my friends, partner, and kids holding up a mirror to show me how.

What can I do for you?

I can help you feel validated, cared for, embodied, powerful and capable. I can show you a path for healing and self exploration. I can help you rediscover and remember yourself.

In the 17 years that I have worked intimately with the physical and emotional bodies people live in, I have noticed a few patterns.  Our life experiences (pain, stories, traumas, authorities) often leave us falsely believing that the whole world seems to know the "best way" for us to be in our body, solve our body’s aches and pains, on how to birth our babies, to parent, how to have the best sex, how to be in relationship, etc, etc.  People feel overwhelmed, vulnerable and disconnected from their own body’s brilliant intuition and instructions.  Our society has created such a disconnect from our bodies, that we view the body as a betrayer, both foreign and scary - especially when everyone keeps telling us what is best for us!  

I am here to help you cut through the noise.  Picture it: time to be safely in your body, cared for in a peaceful space, void of fear, worry and other people's judgements.  And what emerges:  Your powerful voice.  Your trust in yourself and your amazing body. 

What am I all about?

If I could teach every person in the whole world one thing it would be: You own your body and you get to decide what happens to it.  All of my work is built upon this sole concept.  (Your body is not out to get you!)

When accessing healthcare, we often inadvertently look to care providers to show us how to heal our bodies or birth our babies.  This is unfair to yourself and your provider!  It's your body - you decide!  How would you feel if you were in control of the decision making about your body?  How would you access information?  How would you interact with your care team?  How would you teach those around you to support you?  What tools would you reach for? How would it feel to be deeply safe and deeply embodied within yourself?  How would it feel if you trusted yourself?  

Professional Bio

Kate Dimpfl is a massage therapist, birth worker and educator.  As the owner and founder of Kate Dimpfl, Holistic Childbirth and founding member of the Ithaca Doula Collective, she helps people access the compassionate, empowered and evidence based care they deserve.  Kate received her training with the Childbirth Education Association of Metropolitan New York, DONA International, A Mother Is Born, her counseling accreditation is through Dr. Gayle Peterson, and most recently her LMT certification through Finger Lakes School of Massage with specialization in myofascial massage and pelvic balancing. Kate is a Spinning Babies Parent Educator and Aware Practitioner, and certified in the Institute for Birth Health Postpartum Treatment. She is a frequent presenter at Cornell University, is a TEDx presenter, was featured in VICE Magazine and The Katie Couric Show.  Her philosophy is that people have the inherent health, self-knowledge, and agency to make decisions for their body, baby and in birth.  Everyone deserves the support to find the tools they need to feel safe and at home in their body.  In addition to her business, she also co-founded the Ithaca Childbearing Loss Network, co-created the Ithaca Children's Garden Bulb Labyrinth Memorial Garden, and served on the board of the Ithaca Children’s Garden and BirthNet of the Finger Lakes.