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Michele "Misha" James-Parham

Pronouns: they/them/elle/él

Ìyá Pittsburgh is excited for you to meet its resident Reproductive & Perinatal Social Worker & peer support group facilitator!

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Ready to schedule an appointment? Book here!

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Michele has served their community as a traditional community midwife since 1998, beginning in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and now in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ever since their family relocated here in the Summer of 2005.
 
In addition to being a midwife, they also serve their community as a herbalist, chaplain, spiritual/life coach, lifecycle celebrant, inclusive sex educator, and as a perinatal social worker/case manager. While Misha has worked with all kinds of people from different backgrounds, their practice has always focused on providing full spectrum, affirming, and culturally appropriate care to queer and transgender people (LGBTQ+), people of the global majority (BIPOC), and financially-deprived people (low-income).

Misha está aprendiendo español y espera eventualmente ofrecer servicios a clientes hispanohablantes.
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Available Services

Some services are subsidised, while others are offered on a sliding scale, with 20% of fees going directly to the nonprofit to continue to fund programming and services.

Preconception - Parenting

Abortion

  • Pre/Post-abortion Education & Counselling

  • Pre/Post-abortion Spiritual Counselling

  • Closure/Memorial Ritual

  • Resource & Service Referrals

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Pregnancy

  • Preconception Education & Counselling

  • LGBTQ+ Pregnancy Support & Counselling

  • Nonmonogamous/Co-parenting Pregnancy Counselling

  • Preparing for Birth w/ History of Birth/Sexual Trauma

  • Birth Plan Writing Assistance

  • Social Services Eligibility & Application Navigation

  • Risk Assessments & Screenings

  • Resource & Service Referrals

Postpartum

  • Birth Experience Debriefing/Unpacking

  • Birth Trauma Counselling

  • Social Services Eligibility & Application Navigation

  • Risk Assessments & Screenings

  • Resource & Service Referrals

 

Parenting

  • LGBTQ+ Parenting Support & Counselling

  • Nonmonogamy & (Co-)Parenting Support & Counselling

  • Parents of LGBTQ+ Children Education & Counselling

  • Risk Assessments & Screenings

  • Resource & Service Referrals

Pricing: All appointments for BIPOC & LGBTQ+ clients receiving midwifery care or doula/support companion care through Iya Pittsburgh Project are subsidised (until end of postpartum care/discharged from care). Post-discharge of care appointments are $50/hr out of pocket.

All other appointments for people NOT receiving midwifery care or doula/support companion care are available out of pocket via a sliding scale. You will be emailed within 48hrs after booking with payment details; payment will be due BEFORE our session (unless other arrangements have been made). Sliding Scale: $50–$100 per 60-minute session. And 120-minute sessions are available upon request for $150.

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Booking: For any of the above services, please use the following link to book an appointment: https://calendar.app.google/6CaStV5TuDpVf3L87 

Birthworkers

Birthworker

  • Peer Review

  • Birth Debriefing

  • Birth Debriefing for Birth Teams

  • Birth Trauma Support & Counselling

  • Preparing to Work w/ Clients w/ a History of Birth/Sexual Trauma

  • Professional Consulting

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Pricing: You will be emailed within 48hrs after booking with payment information; payment will be due BEFORE our session (unless other arrangements have been made). Sliding scale: $75-$150 per 90-minute session. And 3 hour sessions, ideally for teams/groups, are available upon request for $225.

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Booking: For any of the above services, please use the following link to book an appointment: https://calendar.app.google/DSn5JtByToDjLBMx5

Other Services

Other

  • Life Coaching

  • Spiritual Counselling/Chaplaincy

  • Venting/Listening Sessions

  • Human Development & Sex Education (Age 12+)

  • Exploring Sexuality & Gender Feelings (Ages 14-19)

  • Exploring Sexuality & Gender Feelings as a Late Bloomer (Age 30+)

  • Homeschooling & Unschooling Support & Counselling

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Pricing: You will be emailed within 48hrs after booking with payment information; payment will be due BEFORE our session (unless other arrangements have been made). Sliding scale: $50-$100 per 60-minute session. And 120-minute sessions are available upon request for $150.

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Booking: For any of the above services, please use the following link to book an appointment: https://calendar.app.google/e6RwgPAzX1i97kA87

Quick Call/Meeting

Booking: If you are not exactly sure what kind of support you need, you need a quick, non-clinical question answered, have questions about services, or just need to chat for a minute, please use the following link to book a quick chat (15–30 minutes): https://calendar.app.google/fJFxzPDUnUakqDgaA

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Pricing: There is no fee associated with these quick chats, but donations made to Iya Pittsburgh or Michele in any amount are always appreciated.

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Michele’s academic background consists of formal and informal education programs, degrees, and trainings for:

  • Peer Counselling for Alcohol & Substance Use & Recovery (A.S.)

  • Peer Counselling for Sexual Assault Survivors (A.A.S.)

  • Psychological Anthropology (B.A.)

  • Midwifery (out of hospital/community & home-based)

  • Women's & Gender Studies (minor)

  • Reflexology & Reiki (cert; Shinpiden Level)

  • Folk & Clinical Herbalism (cert.)

  • Jewish & Secular Chaplaincy (D.Div., honoris causa)

  • Comparative Religious Studies (minor)

  • Social Work (BSW, MSW - Aug. 2025)

When appropriate, Misha also incorporates values & principles associated with ancestor veneration, Jewish Mysticism/Queer Neo-Hasidism, Sufism, and the Four Noble Truths & Eightfold Path of Buddhist Dharma.

In their work and goal setting with clients, Misha utilises the following strategies, tools, and perspectives:
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While Michele appreciates & celebrates the unique identities & needs of all their clients, they have lived experience with the following:

  • Queer & Transgender/Nonbinary Experience

  • Multiethnic/Multiracial Experience

  • Neurodivergence (Autism, ADHD, & PDA)

  • Non-monogamy & Relationship Anarchy

  • Alternative/Non-nuclear Family Structures

  • Kink & BDSM

  • Religious/Spiritual & Cultural Stigma & Trauma

  • Pregnancy Loss & Abortion​

  • Birth Trauma

  • Sexual Assault Trauma

  • Substance Use & Recovery

  • Disordered Eating

  • Homelessness

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