I truly don't even have the words to express how much my experience working with Rachael meant to…read moreme. From the very beginning, it never felt like I was just another patient on a schedule. She truly cares about you... how you're feeling, what you're going through, and making sure you feel seen every step of the way. After having my first baby in a hospital and walking away with a less-than-pleasant experience, I knew for my second and lastI, wanted something different. I wanted to feel safe, supported, and genuinely cared for. And that's exactly what you get with Rachael. She checked in not just physically, but emotionally. She listened, she reassured me, and she created a space where I felt comfortable, confident, and understood. It felt less like appointments and more like being cared for by someone who truly had my best interest at heart. This wasn't just care..it was compassion, connection, and trust. And I will forever be grateful I made the decision to go this route. Truly five-star care from start to finish.

I met with Rachael when I was just a few weeks pregnant with my 2nd child. While I didn't have a…read morebad experience with my first provider I felt like I wanted something different. I fell in love with Rachael as soon as I met her. Her knowledge, her energy, her confidence, her smile, her ability to set me at ease... the list goes on. There's a certain comfort I can't fully explain when you're with the same provider throughout the entire prenatal, birth, and postpartum period. Being with one provider means you really get to know and trust each other. And Rachael really knows her stuff. She is an expert on all things pregnancy, birth and postpartum. She has a way of letting you know when something is important without instilling fear and anxiety in you which I feel is so common in a more clinical setting. There was one moment during my pregnancy when I got worried that my baby wasn't moving as much as I was used to. I texted Rachael and she immediately responded: "Meet me at my office and I'll check you, I can be there in 20 minutes." So she met us there, groceries in hand, and checked on the baby because that's the kind of provider she is. And the baby was fine which meant I was fine, and I felt so thankful so have a real relationship with my provider so that a meeting like this was even possible. My birth experience was picture perfect. I think about it every day. Rachael and her amazing birth assistant Cassandra work so well together and are perfectly in sync with each other. It was calm and comforting. They were supportive and encouraging right when I needed it. They quietly observed, checked the necessary vitals, and let labor naturally occur just as it was meant to. After my son was born they did his first exam right there on my bed while I rested and watched. Then they did the next few postpartum visits and baby checks at my home as well. It felt like such a luxury. We are so lucky to have Rachael providing this exceptional care in our community. She is a very special human and I am so thankful I was able to have this experience with her. It almost makes me consider having another baby... just kidding :)

They were super great before they dropped my care a week before my due date. My baby was measuring…read moresmall, but he was (and is) totally healthy. I did not have a back-up plan because I am a healthy person and my baby was healthy. Was not expecting to be dropped so abruptly so close to my due date. They weren't very helpful with finding other options; they suggested St. Pete's, which was terrible. But their prenatal care was great. I wish Constance could have helped me birth my baby. My advice is, if you want to birth here, have a back-up plan that you can act on and be happy with at any time, because you could get dropped over the smallest diversion from "normal".

If you've dealt with bouncing from doctor to doctor (or midwife to midwife, as it were), you KNOW…read morehow stressful it can be. All I can say is I'm beyond happy I've landed at Around the Circle. I'm 6 months pregnant with my first baby, so you can imagine I might be a little anxious about all things pregnancy. They are supportive, rational, personal, and beyond thorough at every visit. And Nikka, at the front desk, is like a dream come true. I'm serious. She's worth switching to Around the Circle, all in her own right. She's managed getting my records transferred, makes sure my lab appointments are scheduled on time and is essentially a pregnant gal's best friend. No stress for me, she's shouldered it all and been supportive the whole way through. And that's without even going into the fact that it feels like you're visiting your 2nd home, rather than a doctor's office, and that's a good thing considering how many times you'll be visiting during your pregnancy! Comfy, cozy and.....well, let's just end this with, if you're looking for a midwife, I highly recommend them! I'll update after the 9 month mark, but for this step of the process...they're fantastic, and I can't imagine that changing!

Dr Sorenson is a horrible person and a liar. She made up a bunch of lies in her notes about my wife…read morebecause they messed up her procedure and when my wife got angry they discharged her from the practice. Sorenson is an angry old lady. Very angry.

I went here for help with severe pain and got the typical dismissive and frankly abhorrent line-…read morejust take birth control! The doctor couldn't even be bothered to note in my chart what I was in for correctly, but was sure to mention me being neurodivergent. I was beyond anxious, among other things, because of low estrogen. That's it. I walked in there with all the signs and was told I should take BC when it has done nothing but make my PCOS worse. If they had bothered to do hormone testing, which, yes, they can do, especially when you are over 35, they could have prescribed estrogen cream. Instead, they let me go on in agony. And for those who don't know, joint pain is a sign of low estrogen.

A Matriarch of Midwives. Kara Neff helped bring forth our…read moresecond daughter into our family. We had a successful Water HBAC, on the 26th of January. Our first child's delivery was a planned home birth that resulted in a hospital emergency c-section back in 2014. Kara has done so much more then being just a midwife; A bond has been made and she become a part of our family. To those who are in search for a midwife, look no further. Kara Neff is superb.

Kara is intelligent, kind, experienced, wise and has a warm calming nature that puts you at ease…read more She is a treasure trove of knowledge and I couldn't speak more highly of her. Kara was my midwife for the birth of my first daughter, Ashlynn. I loved the prenatal appointments, I had alot of questions as a first time mom and by the time Ashlynn was ready to come into the world, I had more than a skilled midwife, but a friend, a confidant, someone I could ask questions, and an unbreakable bond with someone I couldn't trust or respect more. I am hoping to get pregnant again in the next few months and I'll be calling Kara again. I hope I am lucky enough to have her by my side as my midwife for as many babies as I have. Kara is a pregnant girls dream come true and if your lucky enough to know her she will forever hold a spot in your heart reserved for those rare gems of humanity. You couldnt be in better hands than Kara Neff's of Bright Beginnings Midwifery.

I was supposed to have our birthing class today. Stacey texted me the night before to confirm I was…read moregoing to be there, I told her I would be. She texted me the morning of asking again if I was going to be attending. I again told her yes we will be there. My husband and I live about an hour away from Olympia so we showed up at about 145 we got to the door, the door was locked we rang the door bell, we waited about five minutes and no one answered. We went and sat in the car thinking maybe no body was there yet, we sat there until about 200, which is when the class was suppose to start, we saw no one show up. I went up to the door one more time. Tried opening it and rang the door bell again, and still nobody answered. I texted Stacey and asked if she was there. She never texted me back. I totally understand if you have to cancel a class because not enough people sign up, but not only did we waste our day driving, we also made this huge dish she had asked everyone to make, and now I'm out of a class. Very unprofessional and disappointing. I'm just happy I didn't pay prior to the class.

I just attended the birth of my 4th grandchild at The Birth House. All have been wonderful…read moreexperiences. The birth rooms are comfortable and cozy, with large birthing tubs and queen sized beds. The staff is very competent and caring. We felt very welcomed when we arrived, and so cared for the entire stay! My daughter was listened to and supported as she labored. We had a moderate birth complication that was recognized quickly , handled competently still got baby right up on mama immediately. My daughter made some unconventional choices and refused a few recommended treatments for her newborn, she was given education in a non pushy way, and her choices were respected. We love the Birth House and have nothing but positive things to say. Highly recommended!

I had the absolute best birth experience at The Birth House. The Around The Circle midwife group…read morewas incredible. The rooms were clean, inviting and comfortable. I loved laboring and being able to deliver in the tub. They also have nitrous oxide to help with pain relief if you need it. My care was so great and I was so comfortable in the tub that I didn't even need it. They had all the equipment, medications and knowledge to make me feel safe like I was delivering in a hospital with all the comforts and freedom of a home birth. It was the perfect middle ground for my family. I would highly recommend The Birth House to anyone wanting an out of hospital birth. (See my wonderful review of the Around The Circle Midwife group on their page! They are the best!)

I'm one day shy of my son's first birthday and as I reflect on my pregnancy and birth and…read morepostpartum experience, the role that Lizz and Elliott played continues to be profoundly instrumental in my overwhelmingly positive perinatal journey. I'm a practicing birth doula who met Lizz and Elliott years ago in a professional setting, and knew after watching them first hand that they were the midwives I wanted when it was my turn. They held me through the great mystery of pregnancy and when we learned that my baby was breech and my plan for a homebirth was no longer in the cards, Lizz and Elliott offered me the support I deeply needed to feel confident and at peace moving forward with a sacred planned cesarean birth. I'll never forget our sweet third trimester visits looking at my son on ultrasound and marveling that he loved being head up. This tone of celebration and acceptance of how things were unfolding and my informed decision to belly birth absolutely led to me having an empowered birth experience, free of trauma and regret, full of the oxytocin that good midwifery care facilitates. I continued my follow-up support with them once I returned home from the hospital, something that was important to me when I decided to work with community midwives. I can confidently say that I achieved my goal for my birth which was that no matter how things might unfold I wanted to feel held and cared for medically, emotionally and spiritually by my team. Sharing some sweet film photos that my doula snapped during a prenatal visit with Lizz!

I received the best medical care in my life from Lizz and Elliott and their wonderful student…read moremidwives. They were incredibly knowledgeable, professional, accessible, and thoughtful about every aspect of their practice. I felt seen, heard, respected, informed and utterly well-cared for as someone with a non-traditional family structure and a particular medical background. I would recommend them for anyone, and especially for someone who like myself has had some history of less-than-affirming experiences with medical settings.

I am taking a moment to leave a positive comment (not to air some perceived grievance), because I…read morethink KP deserves applause! I want to express my deep appreciation for the high quality of medical care that Kaiser Permanente offers, and then expertly delivers. I have a ridiculous number of health problems. Virtually every system is a mess, which means that I also have raging depression and anxiety, as a bonus. But Kaiser Permanente takes excellent care of me. I see a group of doctors, and each specialist is well-versed on the various conditions I have. Due to the efficiency of having my constantly-updated medical charts and prescription lists easily accessible to every specialty, each doctor participates in coordinated care, geared to my needs. Each takes into consideration what the other doctors are doing, before recommending changes that could have an adverse ripple effect. At KP, I am treated as a whole person, not just as the sum of my broken-down parts. I'm so very grateful to be treated there with respect and kindness. Just walking from one area to another, you see smiles and hear words of encouragement throughout the building! If you'd like to have skillful and respectful care, I can't recommend Kaiser Permanente high enough. It's easier to trust doctors who listen intently and then will explain options, rather than those who always seem to be in a rush. MY experience with KP has been that I'm made a part of the discussion before treatment decisions are made. Kaiser P doctors understand that patients should be informed enough to be able to weigh in on their options. I'm confident that my care has been guided by intelligence, diligence, and a genuine desire to help me. The doctors and therapists of Kaiser Permanente have repeatedly gone the extra mile in the pursuit of the best possible solutions. Getting coordinated care is everything to me, since I'm considered "medically fascinating." At KP, I feel seen and heard, which has not always been the case in the past. I love the clear, concise, easy-to-use patient portal. I can check on my lab tests, get added medical information, change appointments, or send and receive messages quickly and easily. I use the portal to contact Kaiser's mail-order pharmacy, requesting refills when it's convenient to me. It allows me to research any prescription, or to pose a question for either a pharmacy tech or a friendly pharmacist. Everything is delivered right to my door, without shipping costs and I can pay my portion online, too. In addition, Kaiser's patient portal allows me access to medical care, 24 hours a day, just by using my phone. I can choose to talk to a nurse, or an on-call doctor, immediately. For less urgent matters, I can schedule a virtual visit appointment, or choose to see a doctor at one of the convenient locations. The portal is secure and gives me far more privacy than going into a doctor's office, and trying to give personal info to a receptionist (without the fear of informing everyone in the waiting room, as well.) I hope I never have to change my health insurance again, because Kaiser Permanente has been an answer to my prayers. They're the BEST, because the doctors, nurses, assistants, techs and office staff etc. are warm and eager to help. So I am very grateful for the first-rate, personalized care I've been given, since switching insurance providers nearly 3 years ago. Thank you, Kaiser Permanente!

My initial visits to KP-East starting in 2018 were really positive and I was really happy to find a…read moreplace where I felt like I was being treated like a person instead of a statistic. But IDK what happened: sometime after the pandemic, say 2023, things changed drastically. I started getting shuttled around with different physicians. At one point I ended up with the flu. During my visit for treatment, they took blood and the sample came back contaminated (possible sepsis). I reflected on the procedure and realized the tech didn't sterilize the site before they drew. So I'm sent off to the hospital down the street, and after an overnight I get cleared and released. Visits to other specialists, when you could get them, just didn't feel like before, so you have to think that the medical crisis hit them pretty hard. But still. Overall, disappointing, but I'm with another plan now.

Shannon provides such a personalized experience to her clients. She made the experience of my 4th…read moreand final homebirth and baby a positive experience despite a hard labor! My big 9lb baby really made me work for him! Thankful I had her calm presence.

a breath of fresh air, as a birth worker it's so hard to find a good midwife who listen, cares,…read moreprevious midwives never took the time to really respect my decisions and Shannon was like family instantly! my pregnancy was a dream and my birth as well. she was efficient, she was reliable and I recommend her to everyone and anyone!