Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Carvallo.
Hi Jennifer, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, my name is Jennifer Carvallo. I am a certified nurse-midwife/nurse practitioner (APRN) among other things such as a licensed massage therapist specializing in perinatal and women’s health issues, CFT, Arvigo technique abdominal massage and body balancing. I am also an IBCLC.
I have two bachelors in Cardiovascular health (exercise physiology) and nursing (both in the 90’s) and a masters in midwifery.
My start in women’s health/pregnancy began in 1990 in Togo, West Africa, while serving in the US Peace Corps. My role was health, nutrition, sanitization education and amelioration. There, it was only natural to work with the Sage femmes (midwives). I learned so much and became inspired to work more “grass roots”, with women to support them in supporting their families. From the Roots Up has had many iterations from mostly massage therapy register nursing support to now being a midwife and integrative nurse practitioner care. Throughout it all, I have always desired to approach it from a place of integration. Finding the root cause and healing from the inside to the outside. All chronic issues are a combination of genetics with environmental triggers. My passion is in offering women and families a place to be centered in their care. I continue to serve families through their pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey as well as in the wellness care. This includes the integration of allopathic, western medicine when applicable to other alternative modalities including body work, herbal therapies, vaginal steaming, IV therapy and lifestyle counselling.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Working in healthcare is often an “uphill journey”. I chose to work “outside the system” in all regards including, not working with major hospital-based healthcare systems, not taking insurance that will not reimburse me appropriately and will inevitably limit the resources of time and function that I promise to clients that are seeking help from me. Working outside the system is lovely in that the client (patient) population tends to be more “health literate” (understanding their needs and desires and asking for it). It demands that people take a large degree of self-responsibility in their care as well. This is not the patriarchal system, which “tells” people what is going to be done to them, rather than the holistic system of offering choices (even the non-gold-standard choices). Client (patient) education becomes a big part of the work, entailing longer appointment times and a big emphasis on clinician/client relationships.
Working outside the system can be lonely. All the facets of the business are done by me for the most part. Finding community is very important. Community looks like other midwives, other healthcare practitioners, and other community-based practitioners to refer the clients to for optimization of their health.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
During the bulk of my career, I worked for other midwife organizations in the community setting. Since starting my own practice, From the Roots Up, my gifts and talents are starting to organically come together. As a CNM and also a massage therapist, what sets me apart is the integration of both these modalities together. This includes helping with perinatal body balancing to help turn breech babies to head down prior to birth, infertility journeys resulting from a whole array of issues such as PCOS, endometriosis, HA, digestive disorders, chronic pain. I have a functional medicine approach to treating thyroid disorders, autoimmune disorders, women’s reproductive issues, finding balance in menopause, urinary incontinence and more. Together, the client and I, works hand in hand to work towards resolving issues and aliments to seek better health integration.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I have had many mentors throughout my journey. Some were in my life in Africa, my first degree in Cardiovascular health, others have recently come into my life. My clients are my why though. It is through the relationships that are built, that I can do what I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rootsupmidwifery.com
- Instagram: fromtherootsupbirthing
- Facebook: fromtherootsup
Image Credits
credits to Pamela Guldi of mother love massage, The Tamayo’s, The Palma’s, Tu’lex Arvigo technique training
