Center for Prenatal and Perinatal Music, Giselle Whitwell, DoulaImage - Biograph Header Graphic

Biographical   Information


     Giselle E. Whitwell is a Certified Music Therapist, a trained Childbirth Educator through Birth Works, a Birth Doula (now inactive) through DONA and a Prenatal Parenting Instructor.  For the last thirty five years she has been actively involved in the prenatal field, attending conferences and giving lectures and workshops on prenatal music in the United States, South America, Asia, Europe and Russia.  She is also  practiced in Therapeutic Healing through the Voice and teaching Werbeck exercises from The School of Uncovering the Voice.  She has published several articles on the importance of sound, music and movement during pregnancy.  Giselle is a former editor of the IMSPD Review (International Music Society for Prenatal Development), a publication dedicated to gathering pre- and perinatal information from around the world. 

     Before receiving her Certification in Music Therapy in 1997, Giselle had over twenty- five years experience teaching children and adults various aspects of music education and movement.  She is certified in Orff-Schulwerk and Dalcroze Eurhythmics.  The philosophies of music education by Carl Orff, Emile Jaques- Dalcroze and Zoltan Kodály have enriched her prenatal curriculum.  In addition, Giselle’s studies in Guided Imagery and Music (GIM), Mandala Assessment, Human Dynamics, Toning, and Tamado (Healing with Sound, Color and Movement) have further deepened the work with pregnant couples. 

     She is married to David Whitwell, a conductor, author, composer; and is the proud mother of two sons, Stefan and Floriano.  Becoming a grandmother has added a joyous dimension to her life.   In her free time she takes great pleasure in gardening, reading, folk-dancing and singing.