New women’s health center aims to fill in gaps in local OB-GYN care

SANDPOINT — Helping to fill the gap in local women’s healthcare resources after Bonner General Health shut down its OB-GYN wing earlier this year, Psalms of Women was opened in September.

“It’s our joy to be able to bring our services to the community,” said co-founder Leah Schroeder. “It’s also with some sorrow, as we have discovered some women have had to deal with improper healthcare and malpractice.”

Psalms of Women, located in downtown Sandpoint and started by Schroeder and Brenna Schwartzel, is not just a resource center, but also a team of birth keepers — also known as doulas — and women’s holistic health advocates and educators. 

"[To clarify], we are not a medical practice or medical doctors, and we don’t offer OB-GYN care," Schroeder said. "We are doulas/birth support and women’s health advocates/educators."

The center provides guidance, resources and support through all stages of a woman’s reproductive life.

“From tending to and understanding your hormonal wellbeing and menstrual cycle, to conception, pregnancy, birth, postpartum and beyond,” Schroeder said. “The old saying, ‘it takes a village,’ has seemed to take on no real meaning in our society, which values individualism and material success more than caring for your neighbor, sharing resources and generosity.”

A big part of Psalms of Woman’s mission is to bring back the “village,” especially when it comes to the health of mothers, birth, raising children and everything needed to support thriving, healthy families and communities, Schroeder said. The center is committed to serving all mothers and families in need who come to them, regardless of that family’s financial situation.

In addition to regular care at the center, weekly women’s and mothers’ gatherings will be starting in the new year, both in person and online so as many as possible can attend. These events will be free, Schroeder said, and women from all walks of life are welcome to attend."

“So far, [our gatherings] have been so deeply nourishing [and] sweet, and women who show up have expressed, ‘I had no idea how much I needed this,’” Schroeder said. “Especially as the colder months embrace us and the world seems to become increasingly chaotic and uncertain, we’ve found how vital it is to have a solid support system, like-minded community and regular gatherings with the people around you to hold each other and regain strength through challenging times.”

To learn more about Psalms of Women’s services as well as upcoming gatherings, email psalmsofwomen@gmail.com or call 925-640-6092.