Mikaela Johnson Vaal (she/they) is a Certified Facilitator of The Resilience Toolkit, Certified Massage Therapist, Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula, Lactation Educator, Yoga Instructor, and Reiki Master living and working in Los Angeles. She is trained in a wide range of modalities to support health and healing for people from all walks of life, with a special focus on reproductive health, pregnancy, and postpartum care. Mikaela has over twenty years of experience working with people in challenging situations and is fiercely passionate about improving healthcare equity for women and femmes – specifically Black, trans, and nonbinary folks.
As a Perinatal Care Specialist, Mikaela holds space for people as they navigate reproductive health and perinatal care by providing emotional support, physical comfort, practical assistance, and non-medical care. Mikaela pulls intuitively from her vast repository of knowledge and skills when working with clients – tailoring her approach to meet the individual needs of each client. She believes that awareness is power, and supports her clients to confidently navigate their own wellness journey so they can advocate for themselves, their bodies, and their families.
With an MFA in Acting from the New York School for Drama, Mikaela’s background in theatre gives her a warm, magnetic energy and commanding presence. She is able to confidently hold space for people of all types and audiences of all sizes. She is cool and calm under pressure with a wicked sense of humor, making her an engaging, authoritative mentor, speaker, and subject matter expert.
When not working, Mikaela is an artist through and through! From two advanced degrees in talking and playing pretend, to making jewelry, pottery, and websites. She spends most of her free time in play and creation.
Work with Mikaela:
Certifications:
- Certified Facilitator of The Resilience Toolkit
- Reiki Master
- Certified Meditation Instructor
- Essential Oils for the Birth Kit Certified
- Newborn Care Specialist
- New York State Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT)
- National Strength & Conditioning Association Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (NSCA CSCS)
- California Certified Massage Therapist (CMT)
- 500RYT Certified Yoga Teacher
- NextStep National COVID-Ready Caregiver Certification
Modalities:
- The Resilience Toolkit
- ICEA (Childbirth Education)
- Hypnobirthing (Alisha Tamburri)
- Rebozo (trained by traditional Mexican midwife Naoli Vinaver)
- Spinning Babies (Nicole Morales)
- Reiki I, II, III (Mitra Sessions)
- Psychological First Aid (NCTSN)
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Advocate (PAIL Advocate – Nneka Hall)
- Grandma’s Hands Pregnancy & Postpartum Herbs & Nutrition in the Southern Tradition (Divine Bailey-Nicholas)
Pricing:
- Individual Initial Session | 90 minutes | $175
- Individual Return Session | 60 minutes | $150
- Individual Brief Session | 30 minutes | $75