Honoring the mystery at the beginning of our lives: Pregnancy and Birth with Ursula Knoki-Wilson

From creation stories to clinical spaces, Ursula Knoki-Wilson walks us through celebrating the mystery and wonder of new life. Ursula speaks to the importance of sacred birthing spaces and support during pregnancy and childbirth. Ursula’s own journey of Navajo traditional and clinical midwifery practices offers a way to think about strengths-based community health that ensures our generations to come.

Ursula Knoki-Wilson (she/her) is a Navajo CNM, MSN, MPH. She serves as Community Relations Liaison Officer for the Office of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Chinle Service Unit, NAIHS, Chinle, AZ. She has also served as Chief of Nurse-Midwifery Service within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility from March 1996 to March 2013. From 2000 to 2013, she served as the IHS Chief Clinical Consultant for Advance Practice Nurses. Ursula has worked many years in promoting the integration of Navajo cultural concepts into health care practice for health professionals. She serves as Chairperson on the Traditional Navajo Medicine Committee at Chinle Service Unit. 

Changing Woman Initiative:

• http://www.changingwomaninitiative.com/

Publications

Jennie R Joe, Robert S Young, Jill Moses, Ursula Knoki-Wilson, Johnson Dennison; A collaborative case study: The Office of Native Medicine PMID: 27115132, American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 2016