Community Highlights: Meet Kimberly Coleman of Services By Kim LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Coleman

Hi Kimberly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am Nashville born and Raised. I was lead and draw to the healing arts as a child giving massages to my mom who struggles with fibromyalgia. I graduated high school and attended MTSU for a Bachelors in Exercise Science and begin working at a Meharry Medical College where I ran a Obesity clinic for Adolescence and Children, I developed a campus wide wellness program for the employees, and I worked with HBCU Wellness Project that developed research for health disparities that effects minority communities. From there, I finally went to massage therapy school were I found my love for working with pregnant woman. My passion for serving underserved communities and pregnant clientele heightened. while in school I came across a doula training course that was specifically for massage therapist. I had no clue what a doula was not did I know anything about childbirth. People around me advised that I would be a great doula because of my mothering energy and the calm atmosphere I bring to the room, so I took the class not knowing to would ultimately bring my 2 passions together to create the perfect career for me.

I completed the course awhile have 3 close friend all pregnant and due in the same month. I agreed to be their doula and God took my life on a whirlwind of birthwork. I finished massage school, got licensed, and quit my salaried job for a independent contractor position as a massage therapist at a spa in Smyrna, TN. I learned all I could about the business knowing that one day I wanted to start my own private practice. I soon found the opportunity to start that private practice in Mount Juliet by owning a suite out of MySalonSuites in Providence. I worked at both the spa and my private practice for 3 years until I built up enough clientele to quit the spa.

COVID hit and I was out of work at a massage therapist but my “hidden gem” was my work as a doula. Many pregnant women giving birth could not have family in the hospital as they had planned but doulas were allowed to accompany and assist in births as long as they didn’t test positive. Looking back, I know it couldn’t have been anyone but God that brought me through such hard time while still managing to make ends meet, dealing with death of loved ones, and still being present to support the mothers in need.

Fast forward to 2024, I have assisted a total of 55 births all while sustaining my massage therapy clientele. My massage practice focused on women’s self-care as well as pain management. I recently took over the doula training course for massage therapist that got me started at a massage doula at Cumberland Institute of Holistic Therapies, I also instruct a prenatal massage class for massage therapist as well as offer online childbirth courses for expecting mothers. I am still well connected with the underserved and minority community with Homeland Heart Birth Collective as a partner, volunteer doula, and the doula who caught their first baby as a non profit doula organization that offers free doula services to mothers in the zip codes that have the highest infant mortality rates across TN. I work and network with various other doula organizations, local hospitals, birth centers, and midwives (homebirth and hospital based). My mission is to educate expecting mothers about their choices in childbirth ass well as empower themselves to make the best decisions for their journey. My dual mission with women in general is to make their health (mind, body, and soul) priority.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
COVID – Death of close family, friends, and loved ones no job/income

Building a private practice from the ground up with you being the sole operator (promotions, financial management, building clientele, identifying my niche and marketing my business as such

Learning how to be a doula with no childbirth experience, building confidence that I can do my job even tho I don’t have kids and no experience

Dealing with the reality that minorities are treated differently in the medical system, being in the birth world and witnessing the death of pregnant black women from preventable illnesses due to patients not being taken seriously when they speak up about their symptoms. Also it hard to hear that the number #1 fear with childbirth is death among black women and it shouldn’t be that way.

Through all of it, God made a way!

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?
I am a Licensed Massage Therapist and Doula

Offer therapeutic massage services for women of all kinds. We offer relaxation massage, prenatal massage and integrative, customized massage to address your problem areas. We specialize in prenatal massage and pain management more specifically chronic pain. We incorporate modalities such as swedish, hot stone, scraping, cupping, neuromuscular, craniosacral, and passive Range of Motion stretching.

For our doula services we offer everything support from the day you find out you are pregnant and on. WE support you throughout the entire process. (Labor prep, Birth, postpartum, lactation, and included massage). We assist birth in hospitals, birth centers, or homebirth. No matter if you choose to go natural, medicated, or scheduled c-section, we are there to support, advocate, and empower you whatever turns your birth journey brings.

Most doulas aren’t massage therapist and not all massage therapist can confidently be your doula. We build that trust and knowledge of your need and your body and we support you throughout what can be the most traumatic experience of your life (mind, body, and spirit).

Services By Kim also trains those who aspire to be birthworkers at Cumberland Holistic Therapies (massage school). We also offer prenatal massage for LMTS who want to specialized in prenatal massage.

I want your readers to know that there is no need to suffer in silence, speak up, know your options, BE EMPOWERED!..HIRE A DOULA & GET A MASSAGE!!

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love Nashville because we are so resourceful, small business friendly and there is always someone (individual or organization) will to help when in need. You just have to know where to look. Although things seem out of reach, there is always a way.

What I like least is gentrification, housing market becoming unaffordable to locals, and quick turnover of businesses

Pricing:

• Massage start at $127/hr (membership and discount rates available)
• Doula Services Start is $650 (payment plans availble)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.servicesbykim.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/servicesbykimllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ServicesByKimLLC
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ8hS7GMIY1Zf4uviHRinsg
• Other: https://www.hopp.bio/services-by-kim-llc