Pamela Gregg, Yoga teacher, Artist

     Thank you, Giselle. You were such an important figure in my transition. You helped me immensely to keep my heart and mind open, at a time when I was quite unsure and afraid. Thank you very much. I know that you will help others who are fortunate enough to cross your path.

Jenny Langlois Fitzpatrick, Birth and Postpartum Doula, Pregnancy Massage

     I am a birth and post-partum doula, as well as a new mother. My daughter's birth was a natural, joyous occasion done at home with a caring midwife. The two prenatal music sessions I had with Giselle during my pregnancy contributed immensely to this positive outcome. As our time together was short, Giselle adeptly honed in on what she felt would be the most beneficial tools for my baby and I.  The unique visualizations and guided meditations we did in our sessions proved invaluable during my labor. I was able to call upon many of the tools she gave me and effectively remained focused and strong throughout the entire birthing process. (And my daughter loves the lullabies Giselle taught me!) Giselle's wisdom, compassion, talent and generosity of spirit run from a very deep well and I am looking forward to working with her again during the entirety of my next pregnancy.


Haya Sakadjian, B-C Music Therapist, GIM practitioner

     Giselle used music improvisation, toning, guided imagery, movement, relaxation and mandala artwork to assist me in connecting with my baby in utero.  She used deep listening before each session in order to address my changing needs and concerns as pregnancy progressed.
     The high-light of my experiences were sessions where my husband joined, and Giselle used music and couple's guided imagery to facilitate bonding and intimacy.  This was a special gift of time just for "us", a welcome space set apart from the busy and hectic rhythms of our fast paced lives, in order to share meaningful moments together in the music.  We came away totally refreshed and with a sense of great peace.
     Pregnancy is an internal, creative experience.  Pregnancy reaches into both personal and archetypal mythos.  Giselle's prenatal sessions provided deep opportunity to explore feelings and birth issues in a safe and gentle environment.  I recommend her work highly to any woman or couple seeking a conscious birth experience.

Anjalika Sharma, first time mother and Independent Film Producer

     When I met Giselle the first time what struck me was her eyes, how deep and kind they looked and how peaceful her persona was.
     She brought things to create an ambience for the birth … essential oils and some small instruments that I had responded to during our sessions. But most important of all was Giselle's complete energy and heart, it was her kindness and her love that were her best tools.  With the music and smells in the room Giselle created a zone in which I felt no time ... time collapsed and I was in a zone, a zone where I was laboring for the love of my baby.  Not only was she there at the birth but the strength she gave me before the birth with her spiritual energy helped me build my courage and helped me have a birth experience that I can always be thankful for.
     Giselle did musical and breathing exercises with us as a couple that brought us closer. She never came between us, I feel like with her help we had an amazing journey together. I can think of nothing else I could have needed from a doula. 


Dhaval Sejpa, first time father, Computer Engineer

     Giselle enabled an amazing sense of calm, love, beauty and joy to our experience. I am not sure if it was her energy, or the music, or the wonderful aromatic oils she had brought. But it all blended so naturally that the discomfort and the hours just didn't seem to matter. The only desire I had expressed to her at one of our pre-birth meetings was that I would like Anjalika to have the most positive experience possible. I think Giselle made that so much more than a reality by her love, sincerity, care and dedication for providing the best care she possibly could. 


Stacie Fox, first time mommy and Business Woman

     I spent many years perfecting my career. And no time spent on the wonders of motherhood... My work with Giselle started around the end of my sixth month of pregnancy. We spent the first several sessions on having my emotions play catch-up with my physical body. Her soft and nurturing ways, through music therapy and relaxation helped me create a place emotionally where I could embrace my past and celebrate my future. Her work then continued as a doula with myself and my husband, in order to prepare us for the day of arrival of our beautiful son. Our birth experience was one of great joy and peace. I wish all mommies-to-be to have a delivery with the same sense of peace and safety that I had with a birthing team like my husband and Giselle E. Whitwell.


Jenna Barba, first time mother and Business Woman

     Giselle’s sessions were full of emotion, connection, peace, and exploration.  Through her work with music, art, meditation, and affirmations, I became more and more connected to my unborn daughter, as well as feel my strength grow to deal with my labor.
     On the evening of my active labor, Giselle arrived to our house at 10:00pm, full of her true tranquil and supportive self.  Her voice immediately calmed me, and I felt so grateful that she had arrived.  She brought not only her soothing music, candles, aromatherapy, but also her being of “all is well, and all will be well.” 
     I know that I was able to move through my difficult contractions because of her suggestions of different positions, and I felt her true presence the entire time I was pushing… 


Erica Young, first time mother, nurse.
Mike Young, first time father, history professor.

     We were blessed to meet Giselle in the most difficult time of our life. My husband and I have been grieving for our unborn son since we found out at six months that he had severe birth defects and was not going to survive.  I met Giselle a day before I gave birth, and I was not in the best state of mind at that time.  I was experiencing some complications and my doctor moved up the date for the induction, so suddenly I had one day to prepare for the birth.  I think I was in a state of shock.  But when I met Giselle, she instantly made me feel so relaxed physically and emotionally at ease.  She is so gentle and kind.  I left her house feeling that I could handle the situation. 
     Her music selections really calmed me down and took away my anxiety.  She taught me how to do deep breathing and relaxation exercises which helped me a lot during my labor and delivery.  She not only cared for me but also for my husband for which I am very thankful.  Losing our first born son is like losing a part of us and a part of our future, but because of Giselle's presence, support and kind words, she made us feel somewhat better and at peace.


Zara Phillips, mother and singer,
Jonathan Phillips

     Working with Giselle and her music was extremely helpful to me during my pregnancy. The guided meditations along with different pieces of music helped me focus and gave me the confidence that I could deliver my baby naturally. My husband and I felt it helped us both connect to each other and of course the baby. To include our 4 year-old son for some of the sessions was a wonderful gift to our family. When it came time for the birth playing the pieces of music were tremendously helpful. I was able to go back to that relaxed state and use the music and the images I received from the meditations to help me through the most painful part of labor. The birth was all I had hoped for. We often play the music in our house for all of us because it relaxes us.
     Giselle’s work as a doula was extremely supportive for both my husband and myself. She has a calming and confident presence; she reassured me and always made me feel I was strong enough to have the “Birth” I wanted. She was readily available for us in whatever capacity we needed her.

J.Berghofer, musician, therapist, teacher, and mother.

     Ms. Whitwell's sensitive integration of music, relaxation, visualization and information, enabled me to prepare for birth with a positive, informed and excited attitude. Her practical resources, chosen and developed with my individual needs and background in mind, were carefully introduced, discussed and supported by current research. She enabled me to access a very clear visual image which remained central not only in the birthing process, but as a valuable resource today. Ms. Whitwell contributed much to my process and outcome - a natural musically supported birth and a precious healthy daughter.

Sara Weber, mother and business woman

     The work with Giselle was to repair, heal, make whole my tree of life by letting my roots sink deeper into the earth and anchor me into motherhood to find all that I needed to bloom, birth myself and prepare to birth my daughter. This was a huge transforming process that required me to find ways to nurture myself and be nurtured by others, as well as to receive healing in a sacred space that Giselle created and held honoring my pregnancy. Like tending a garden, I watched and found many beautiful aspects of my life that were neglected and forgotten brought back to life again.
     I believe that the work we did together prepared me to come into motherhood by being able to honor and acknowledge my own inner voice and connect with the pulse of life. This work was very regenerative, where there was loss, there was healing, where there were wounds there was repair. The classical music, chants, songs, lullabies, and working with movement, color, drawing and dreams were very powerful, profound and enjoyable experiences. These made me feel that the pieces of my own puzzle were falling into place. Music and dance helped me reconnect to the missing pieces in me and also opened windows and doors to my inner self.