Welcome!
I’m Shannon McKenzie — mother of three incredible boys, birth advocate, educator, and founder of the original Joyful Journey Doula in Libertyville. I am passionate about supporting growing families through one of life’s most transformative experiences: pregnancy, birth, and parenthood.
I believe birth and babies are everyday miracles deserving of reverence, respect, and compassionate care. Every woman deserves to feel informed, empowered, and deeply supported throughout pregnancy and childbirth so she can confidently embrace and LOVE her journey into motherhood.
Since founding Joyful Journey Doula in 2009, I have supported more than 75 births and taught hundreds of childbirth students through both private instruction and the WeeHuman online childbirth program. I am passionate about helping others achieve their ideal births, regardless of location, method used, or provider chosen. My doula experience includes hospital births, home births, water births, VBACs, inductions, epidural births, twins, cesarean births, precipitous labors, long labors, and both midwife- and OB/GYN-attended births.
I am a certified CAPPA-trained Childbirth Educator and Doula, trained by Barbara Harper and Kym Dalton in 2009. I am also credentialed in waterbirth through Waterbirth International and certified as a “Hypno-Doula” through Hypnobabies, supporting families who use hypnosis and hypnobirthing techniques during labor and birth.
In addition to my birth work, I am Certified Meditation Teacher through The Open Heart Project and a trained yoga teacher. My background also includes a Doctorate degree in Higher Education Administration, counseling experience as a Certified Rape Crisis Counselor, and more than 20 years working in higher education.
My own three births were each beautiful, empowering, and completely unique — from a natural hospital birth, to a peaceful home waterbirth, to a fast and intense home birth supported by my older sons. Those experiences continue to shape the compassionate, flexible, and judgment-free support I offer every family I serve.
When I’m not attending births or teaching, I love spending time with my children and pets, practicing yoga and meditation, being outdoors, horseback riding, hiking, crafting, reading, and enjoying nature.
Please contact me at [email protected] or 847-400-7595 for more information!
Enjoy your journey!
