Information Sessions
Whether you are planning to deliver at home or the birth center you are
welcome to attend our information sessions to learn more about the
services we offer, tour the Center and ask any questions you have.
Information sessions are held the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month at 6pm. Please call the office at 651.895.2520 to register!
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Midwifery Team
Dr. Amy Johnson-Grass, ND, LN, LM, CPM
Dr. Amy is the founder and owner of Health Foundations Family Health & Birth Center.
Dr. Amy is a Naturopathic Doctor, Minnesota State Licensed Nutritionist (N192), Minnesota State Licensed Midwife (TM1018), and Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) by the North American Registry of Midwives. Amy earned her BA in Biology and Environmental Studies from St. Olaf College and her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine, Master of Science in Nutrition and Certificate of Midwifery from Bastyr University. Dr. Amy sits on the Naturopathic and Midwifery Advisory Boards with the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice. In addition to her private practice she works at Children's Integrative Medicine Clinic in Minneapolis.
Naturopathic Doctor
Dr. Amy's philosophy is to treat the whole person, finding the root cause of symptoms. She sees her role as an educator, someone who empowers patients to promote their innate healing abilities in conjunction with natural therapies. She identifies her patients’ personal health goals and focuses on individualized treatments which may include dietary and lifestyle modifications, whole foods nutritional counseling, botanical medicine (herbs), homeopathy, nutritional supplementation and craniosacral therapy.
Midwife
Midwives are guardians and keepers of normal, healthy pregnancy and birth.
Dr. Amy believes that birth is a natural process, not a disease, and trusts in the natural ability of women's bodies to birth their babies.
Dr. Amy has been educated and has experience in providing individualized, hands-on support throughout the childbearing year (pregnancy, birth, postpartum). She has expertise in nutrition, natural childbirth, breastfeeding and early parenting, as well as in identifying situations and conditions that fall outside the norm (referring to other care providers when necessary). She follows the Midwives Model of Care that includes monitoring the mother's physical, psychological and social well-being; providing education and counseling; minimizing technological interventions; and offering continuous support through labor, birth and postpartum.
Dr. Amy is honored to be there to welcome new babies into the world, to serve birthing women and their families and to participate in this miraculous part of the life cycle.
Amy lives in Saint Paul with her husband Tim, son Liam and
daughter Isla.
Aszani Kunkler CNM, MSN, CLC 
Over the last 30 years, Aszani has worked with hundreds of birthing
women as a doula, labor and delivery nurse, lactation specialist and
nurse-midwife. She has been a childbirth educator since the 1980s and
a nurse-midwife since 2000. Aszani
attained her midwifery certificate from the Frontier School of
Midwifery & Family Nursing and her master’s degree in nursing from
Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. She is a
nurse-prescriber and a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC).
In
2003, Aszani founded The Madison Birth Center, Wisconsin’s first
nationally accredited birth center. She directed the center and has
been privileged to attend over 500 families seeking birth center and
home birth care during that time. Aszani has a strong interest in the
viability of birth centers and serves on the Board of Directors for the
American Association of Birth Centers (AABC).
Aszani is mother to two
young adults - Maureen, born in hospital, and Daniel, born at home. She
lives with her husband of 25+ years, Bill. Aszani
is so pleased to join the Health Foundations staff, and looks forward
to providing safe, woman-centered care to families in the greater Twin
Cities area.
Kate Saumweber, Midwifery Assistant
Kate is a graduate of Bastyr University's Department of
Midwifery, formerly Seattle Midwifery School, a rigorous academic
program coupled with lengthy practicum requirements. She is the 2010
recipient of the Jo Anne Myers-Ciecko Award for Outstanding Scholarship
and Leadership. She is also an experienced birth doula, postpartum
doula, and nanny. Graduating magna cum laude, Kate received a Bachelors
in Music from Ithaca College, Ithaca NY, with minors in women’s studies
and integrative health studies. During her midwifery training, she has
worked with three midwifery practices in the Twin Cities as an
apprentice, assisted several midwives as needed, and completed a 6 week
rotation at a birth site in Genova, Italy. As a doula, she has been
attending births since 2004.
Since March 2008, when Kate joined Health Foundations, she has been
watching couples grow into families, and children become siblings. She
has been honored to be a part of each family's experience and to witness
the precious moments of the first time a mother and father meet their
baby. Kate believes in the process of natural birth, the strength of
women, and the natural power of women’s bodies, especially when women
are supported with midwifery care. She also believes in the ability for
women and couples to make the best decision for their family, and feels
that part of her role is to help educate women and their partners about
their options and choices. Spending time with women and their families
during the childbearing year is a passion of Kate's. Her wish is that
every woman could know the power and wisdom of her body, and to know her
true options in birth and the times surrounding it. Native to St Paul,
Kate enjoys making meals with farmers market goods to share with friends
and family, rock climbing, exploring, and reading.
Yesenia Guzman, Midwifery Assistant
Yesenia is a second year student with the Seattle Midwifery
School and hopes to continue at Bastyr Univeristy and become a Naturopathic Doctor. She has studied at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison and Cañada College in Redwood City, California. She is excited and grateful for
the opportunity to work with Health Foundations and provide families with
compassionate and empowering care.
Yesenia is the proud parent of seven-year-old, Azucena Citlali, born at
home with a midwife! The amazing
experience of pregnancy and labor became a calling to become a midwife. Yesenia hopes that through midwifery
care she will positively affect the health and wellbeing of families in her
community. Peace on Earth begins
with Birth!
When
not studying midwifery, she loves to travel, read and learn about different
cultures. She also enjoys making
seed beadwork, gardening, camping, long walks (when it isn’t too cold) and
listening to music of all kinds.
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