I came to Kathy to help heal episodic urinary issues that my urologist determined were psychosomatic, not physical complications. My therapist recommended I find a Holistic Pelvic Care therapist to align with my current spiritual and mind/body connection journey. Kathy's approach and protocols were immediately helpful. I am permanently cured of my episodic urinary issues. Unexpectedly but gratefully, I am also now more intimately connected to my pelvic bowl and the Divine Feminine. I am a childfree woman and would recommend Holistic Pelvic Floor care for everyone (men and women), even if they feel they might not have a reason other than self-care, increasing mind/body connection, or general health & wellness. After four Pelvic Floor sessions, I continued with several hypnotherapy sessions to heal my inner child/children and protector parts; to find more flow and ease in everyday life. I found her hypnotherapy approach (Ancestral Soul Retrieval) to be nearly identical to Internal Family Systems (IFS) work, which I was very familiar with. My hypnotherapy sessions were astoundingly productive and healing. I did not expect so much information to come up in such a short amount of time and without plant medicines (though I found many similarities). I came to each session with a specific intention, which was essential for my quick progress. I was able to connect with, heal and integrate four specific young parts who were stuck in the past with much shame and guilt. I continue to work with them and they are still healed; I appreciate that this healing work seems permanent almost a year later. I plan to go back to Kathy in a few months to work through and heal ancestor or past-lives energy. I found Kathy to be kind, warm, welcoming, helpful, understanding, non-judgmental, and wise. She also has a good sense of humor! I am grateful to have found someone I can trust and open up to in new ways; different than the therapy I had been working with before Kathy. The care and attention I received from her through Pelvic Care and Hypnotherapy was an integral part of my healing. I would recommend Kathy to everyone; all of us would benefit from a supportive, wise, healing environment to work through stuck energy. read more

Similar to some of the positive reviews here, I've been working with Kathy off and on for some time. First in hypnotherapy for general mental health, then for doula classes ahead of our first baby, and most recently for acupuncture to address some joint and lower body pains. It's wonderful to see Kathy apply her different learnings and disciplines to her growing repertoire of offerings. She is so caring, and creates a safe environment to explore. Like someone else noted, I also agree, Kathy is an extraordinary healer and guide who has helped open up some energy both physically and emotionally. Most recently I started visiting Kathy for joint pains in my hands, but a little later my lower back went out and she helped me with cupping, healing touch, and acupuncture. (She made an urgent house call and with cupping, needles, and lots of care, helped me get through the pain so I could finish the day filled with some important investor presentations!) After months of calm, I recently went back because of some resurfacing lower back and primarily glut pain. We reviewed my supplements and herbal medicine plan, but then during practice she noted in addition to physical strains, I could be really holding something emotionally which was triggering the pain. Her observation led me to realize some things right there on the bed, and she helped guide me through some release - it was magical. I'm going back to continue the acupuncture, but also layer in some hypnotherapy to better help release some of the emotionally induced physical tension that's causing so much pain. read more

i have been seeing kathy for a few months now and she has helped me navigate some challenging times. the sessions have been so transformative for me and have been more beneficial to me than various other forms of therapy i have tried in the past. I would highly recommend her read more

Kathy's hypnobirthing class is must for first time parents. She seamlessly and efficiently includes many important topics about all types of birth experiences all while centering the education around the core concepts of hypnobirthing. She is also hilarious and brings such a light and warm presence to her students. Especially helpful to our experience were her practice stations in our final class. My partner and I really got a taste of different positions and breathing techniques, and really got into the whole vibe of birth in preparation for our big day. I've taken my birth classes but I felt that this experience really helped my partner feel prepared to be my rock in labor. Thank you Kathy! read more

I don't normally write Yelp reviews, but I thought it was important to write this one. When we were deciding to work with Kathy, I asked her advice about whether her two-part hypnobirthing class was right for me, given that I knew I had a condition that would probably lead to a c-section and which would make natural labor dangerous. She said it would be fine, and we could adapt her materials. We booked her for two shared sessions. Our first meeting was OK. She provided a somewhat confusing range of materials (book, audio, handouts that hadn't been correctly xeroxed--although she was very apologetic and to her credit mailed us replacements right afterwards). She also stayed for about ten minutes after the class and helped me improve my sleep situation with some very useful tips about pillow positions, which I really appreciated. I began listening to the audio tracks almost every night after the class, but soon realized that one of the audio tracks speaks very specifically about natural birth. During this time, it was confirmed that the condition was unlikely to change, and since a natural delivery would be dangerous for me, I stopped listening to the audio pending further instructions from Kathy. Kathy had to cancel the second part of the class because one of her clients went into labor (an understandable reason). Unfortunately, this meant that I had no idea how to correctly approach the materials. As a makeup, she offered a private session or attendance at one of her other classes. To clarify my options, I asked if a refund of half our money was possible (i.e. still paying her for the initial session, even though it hadn't proven useful to me) but she told me she would not offer that. I told her I was feeling overwhelmed, but still open to exploring working with her. I wanted to build trust with her so that I would feel safe letting her into my mind so that she could hypnotize me. She initially tried to be responsive, but also seemed very protective of the materials she had already given us, and struck me as unempathetic and unable to listen to my concerns beyond lip service. I was just trying to give her the feedback that, since she knew I had this condition going in, perhaps she could have customized the tools for me from the beginning, or at least told me not to listen to the track that was hypnotizing me to idealize a natural birth, even though that could be dangerous for me. I tried again to offer feedback on why the tools she had offered already had not worked for me, and asked for guidance re: how her private session could fit into my current mindfulness practices. Unfortunately, our interaction degenerated at this point. She got angry and defensive, raised her voice, accused us of being too busy to practice (when I told her we HAD been practicing until we deliberately stopped for a specific reason). She also said,"I'm not lying to you...I'm not responsible for the fact that you can't have a natural birth...I can't control how you feel...You knew when you signed up hypnobirthing focuses on natural birth. I don't understand why you're giving me this feedback." I gave you this feedback, Kathy, because if I was hypnotizing myself to have a natural birth, like the audio recording you gave me told me to, then there is a strong chance I would have endangered my life and my child's life. And when I requested guidance from you, in hopes of finding a productive way to benefit from your training and expertise, you got extremely upset. At this point, I am out several hundred dollars and one highly stressful and unfortunate interaction with a wellness professional. Kathy's services may well benefit those who have uncomplicated births (which is why I'm not giving her a one-star review), but although she claims to have helped people who have undergone c-sections, her lack of patience, understanding and empathy during our followup call burned through the trust and goodwill which seems to me to be a necessary part of her practice. If you have any chance of a pregnancy with "special circumstances" (to use a phrase from hypnobirthing that I like and have found useful), I recommend that you do not consider working with her. read more

Kathy is an extraordinary healer, empath and guide with whom I credit the unlocking of much of my personal growth over the past few years. First, Kathy saw me as a hypnotherapy client for over 5 years on and off. Sometimes I would see her every week for months on end and then take a break due to my work schedule or other commitments. We were always able to pick right back up from where we started. One of my issues was that I struggled with childhood trauma and felt trapped in a negative cycle at times. Kathy deployed her years of experience as a traditional western therapist and her hypnotherapy training, to dive deep into the issues I faced. I moved through the pain and the stuck feeling that traditional, western talk therapy only skimmed over. Second, I saw Kathy to help me work through infertility and later IVF. You should know that my tendency is to process my emotions through talking. Kathy was always patient with me and gave me the space to express myself in the way that felt best to me. Kathy's patience and grounded nature, helped keep me anchored and focused.She carefully navigated me through our many sessions with ease and professionalism. Most recently , I took her hypno-birthing classes! My husband and I were impressed by the amount of information we walked away with and the way she made the material so accessible. She is such a wellspring of information and wisdom and I we felt genuinely cared for and heard by her. Lastly, Kathy was always prompt and courteous with our appointments and scheduling and would go out of her way to ensure that I could find a time to see her. Kathy came highly recommended by a collective of women healers in San Francisco. When I mention her name to friends and acquaintances, her reputation as a gifted healer with an intuitive nature, precedes her. I am so thankful to have Kathy as a resource and will miss seeing her now that I've moved overseas. I plan on continuing our work via phone sessions which she graciously offered despite the time shift! read more

My daughter was born June 2 at St. Luke's hospital, totally healthy. Thanks to Kathy, it was a calm and informed experience. I am the father, so I cannot attest to what it is like to labor with her if you are a mother to be. But I can tell you that our meetings before the birth were informative, well set out to prepare me for the birth, and I got every chance I wanted to ask questions and be part of the process. Kathy was a calm and professional presence while laboring at home. She knew right when to move us to the hospital. She was great in making space for us with the hospital staff to make our decisions and stay within our birth plan. The mother really responded well to her her gentle persistence during labor. We both really liked how she advocated for us with the staff, getting a laboring tub, allowing me to catch my daughter, having olive oil to help the process along. Highly recommended. read more

We were blessed to be able to have Kathy as our doula. We chatted on the phone and I knew her positive, happy, compassionate energy would help us through a natural birth since I really did not want an epidural. During our prenatal visits, she gave us really great techniques to practice pain management and prepare for the birth of our little girl. Kathy accompanied us during our labor from 10 pm until after our birth the next day around noon. Wow, she was awake the whole time with us!! She was energizing yet calm and reassuring during the worse of my labor and helped us focus to get through each contraction one contraction at a time. She was definitely our advocate, encouraging us to rest and be hydrated in between contractions and gave us advice to help us make informed choices especially when the nurses were rushing us (a bunch of other folks went into labor the same night). Without Kathy's support, I would have screamed for an epidural early early on and would not have been able to make it through what I had thought to be a scary event. I highly recommend Kathy!!!!! read more

A long overdue review .. Sorry Kathy!!! Kathy is awesome. She's one of the few certified, knowledgeable hypno-birthing instructors. We took a semi-private class with two other couples and she creates an inviting and nurturing environment. Do not associate "hypno" with her waving a watch in you face to put you in magical pain-free birthing situation. Her program is nice mix of videos, hands on training, and just asking the pressing questions. If you're thinking of taking Lamaze, consider hypno-birthing with Kathy! read more

I have been helped by Kathy with a couple of different personal issues. I have felt movement and healing on all of them. She is incredibly insightful, kind, and non-judgemental. Kathy has the unique ability to guide you through an intense healing while making the experience feel calm and relaxing. I would highly recommend Kathy to anyone! read more

Kathy Woo was our doula for the birth of our first son. We first met Kathy because she was the instructor for our Hypnobirthing class at Birhtways in Berkeley. She was very supportive, calming, and knowledgeable about the birthing process. My husband was initially reluctant to work with a doula during our birth, but after meeting with Kathy, he was convinced that it would be the best support for our birth. Now he recommends working with a doula to everyone! We met with her several times before our birth and she helped us to prepare. When our birth process began at 1am, Kathy was calm and easy to contact. She labored with us for many hours at home before we went to the hospital to give birth. She stayed with us for the entire 34 hour birth and provided guidance, meditation, massage, and emotional support to us. We honestly don't know what we would have done without her. We highly recommend Kathy and will use her again when we give birth again. read more

I would highly recommend Kathy as a birth doula. Looking back, my husband and I can't imagine our labor experience without her presence. From the first meeting we both felt immediately comfortable with her, which was something that was important to us as we were inviting her into such an intimate and intense experience. She helped us prepare for the birth by asking insightful, thought-provoking questions, and she was always available to provide resources and information. We also participated in her hypnobirthing class, which gave us tools that we used during labor and gave us the opportunity to get to know her even better before the birth. She has extensive training and is well connected in the doula and midwife community, so she was able to provide a wealth of information whenever we had a concern or question. And then when it came time for labor Kathy was our rock. My labor was much longer and more difficult than many and Kathy was such a stable, calming influence throughout the process. A year later, I am still amazed by how she was able to stay centered, focused, and present with us for hours (and hours!). She was completely professional with us and with the hospital staff, providing information and always supporting us make the decisions that were right for us, never imposing her own opinions. She seemed to intuitively know when we needed more space and when we needed more hands on support. My husband was able to take a couple much needed breaks because she was there to support me. I strongly doubt that I would have been able to avoid a c-section without Kathy's support. I would hire Kathy again if I had another baby and recommend her without hesitation. read more

Kathy is as amazing in her practice as she is as a person. I have worked with her on a professional level, and the several clients we have shared have only wonderful things to say about their experience with Kathy as a hypno-doula. You are in great hands with Kathy! read more

Kathy was my wife's doula for the birth our first child. As a husband who really had no idea what delivery was going to be like, I feel really lucky that Kathy was there. She has a massive amount of knowledge and was able to answer just about any question I had. She has a really chill and reassuring vibe that helped me stay calm during the most intense parts of what turned out to be a pretty long labor. She also has insane stamina--she didn't sleep a wink during the whole process. Most importantly, she helped give me direction so that I could be useful to my wife during the delivery, instead of standing around like a tool. Any momma or partner-of-momma would be lucky to have her as a doula. read more

Kathy is a very grounded worker with the ability to bring calm to confusing and tumultuous situations. She is careful to support people so they may find their own way at their own pace, without bringing any preconceived notions of what someone else's process should look like. I am particularly resistant to "letting go" and to opening up for others to help me. It took a couple of tries with the trance work for me to actually get into a deeply relaxed state but when I got there I found profound insights. read more

For those looking for natural childbirth classes, I highly recommend Kathy Woo's Hypnobirthing classes: www.kathywoo.com. Hypnobirthing offers a comprehensive approach to natural childbirth and incorporates a variety of techniques, all aimed at managing pain without medication: specific breathing routines, relaxation methods, visualization, affirmations, labor positions, etc. Kathy presents the material in a very clear, well outlined, and easy to follow manner. Her delivery is calm and positive. Her classes include materials (a book, handouts, diagrams, cd, etc.), videos, demonstrations and practice sessions. After completing her class, I felt confident, empowered (armed with the knowledge and tools I needed), as well as relaxed and mentally prepared for labor. In order to get the full benefit of Kathy's classes, I recommend taking them the second trimester of pregnancy, as there is quite a bit of material to review and practice on your own after the classes are completed. The more you review and practice, the more the techniques will become second-nature for you. During my pregnancy, I used the relaxation and breathing techniques to relax. And, now that my baby is born, I use the relaxation techniques to calm myself in the middle of the day so that I can nap. I plan to use many of Kathy's Hynobirthing techniques throughout my life in order to maintain a more relaxed state of mind. I wasn't able to fully "Hypnobirth" my baby (i.e. get myself into such a state of relaxation that I felt no pain, as well as breathe my baby out rather than push). I did feel pain and I did push in labor. However, I was able to relax enough and use the breathing techniques to deliver vaginally without pain medication. This was all I wanted, and it was intensely meaningful and rewarding. Every labor is unique, and it is important to keep an open mind. I delivered at Kaiser Oakland which was a fantastic experience. I also took their free childbirth classes which educated me on the stages of labor, how to manage at home while in early labor, when to go to the hospital, possible pain medication and induction methods (if needed). As an older mom, I ended up being induced so as not to go beyond my due date (which can be dangerous for the baby as the placenta begins degrading quicker in older moms). I was very reluctant to be induced as it contradicted my desire for natural childbirth, but of course, my baby's health came first. Kaiser was great and they induced me slowly so that I was still able to deliver naturally. Stay calm and positive, take Kathy Woo Hypnobirthing classes, and keep an open mind. Motherhood is the most amazing experience of my life. It has far exceeded any joy I could possibly imagine! read more

My husband and I took Kathy's hypnobabies class in preparation for our upcoming birth. I have to say we both loved it! She did such a great job going through the stages of birth, sharing pertinent information to help us prepare for birth and teaching the partners to help support the birthing mamas physically and emotionally. Each class she came prepared with handouts that covered a range of information from proper nutrition to relaxation techniques and tips for an amazing birth experience. She also made sure to answer any and all questions the attendants had. The class lasted for 5 weeks and was once a week for 2 1/2 hours. It was short and to the point but also covered all the most important information for a calm and satisfying birth experience compared to many other birthing classes we looked at. The class also came with a hypnobirthing book and a series of meditation recordings to listen to daily before the birth. I am so glad we took her class because it really helped to educate my partner and help him feel very comfortable with our choice to have a home birth (even though the class can also be taken by people having hospital births). I would highly recommend this class to anyone who wants a calm and pleasurable birth, regardless of the setting they are birthing in. read more

If I could, I'd write a song about Kathy and how incredible she is. I decided to write a review instead (more people will read it). My partner and I met Kathy in a Hypno-Birthing course that she taught as part of Birth Ways. We immediately connected to her and were thrilled when she said she was also a doula. I had been sitting on the fence about having a doula at my birth (I was waiting to meet the right person I guess-and here she was). Fast forward to the birth of our daughter...I can say that without Kathy's support in my 40 hrs. of labor, I would have not been able to have an all natural childbirth without any complications or interventions. Kathy was at our house and with us as we went to the hospital on the first day, came home to labor in the comfort of our home that first night and back to the hospital the next day for what would be the last stage of labor. I was exhausted and scared, but her support (she held my hand the entire labor and worked with me as my Hypno Birthing coach too) allowed me to focus on the process in such a focused way that we avoided trauma for both mommy and baby. My daughter was born that night and continues to have the calmest demeanor of any baby on the block. Kathy, you ROCK. Thank you for being part of my birthing posse. Deep gratitude for your skill, your big heart and your humor. read more