Brenda L. Burke, MSW, CPM

Midwife

Ms. Brenda L. Burke is a Midwife in Decorah, IA with special training and skill in providing holistic, non-invasive care, education, and emotional support for pregnant women before, during, and after birthing. As a Midwife, Brenda L. Burke, MSW, CPM performs healthcare services for women throughout pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum adjustment to motherhood. Midwifery is the profession of assisting women in prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum transition, informed by the belief that pregnancy and childbirth are natural life processes, not medical conditions. Significant diseases and conditions treated by Midwives include vaginal yeast infections, post partum depression, unnecessary technological or pharmaceutical interventions. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Midwives include pelvic exams, pap smears, breast exams, birth plan creation, parenting education, monitoring and support during labor and childbirth, breastfeeding instruction, newborn care education, and postpartum emotional support.

A Midwife is a trained professional with special expertise in supporting women to maintain a healthy pregnancy birth, offering expert individualized care, education, counseling, and support to a woman and her newborn throughout the childbearing cycle. A Midwife is a skilled and independent practitioner who has undergone formalized training. Midwives are not required to be nurses and may be trained via multiple routes of education (apprenticeship, workshop, formal classes, or programs, etc., usually a combination). The educational background requirements and licensing requirements vary by state. The Midwife may or may not be certified by a state or national organization.

Clinical Social Worker

A social worker who holds a master's or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited school of social work in addition to at least two years of post-master's supervised experience in a clinical setting. The social worker must be licensed, certified, or registered at the clinical level in the jurisdiction of practice. A clinical social worker provides direct services, including interventions focused on interpersonal interactions, intrapsychic dynamics, and life management issues. Clinical social work services are based on bio-psychosocial perspectives. Services consist of assessment, diagnosis, treatment (including psychotherapy and counseling), client-centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, and prevention of mental illness, emotional, or behavioral disturbances.