Awakening Traditions, LLC
Professional Indigenous Midwifery Care
"She honors what is tough, smart, and untamed in women. She venerates the female soul." - Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.
_edited.jpg)
_edited.jpg)
Meet Lauríel
Lauríel Rivera-Stone (Keys), MEAC Trained DEM Midwife | MCU Preceptor | Certified Yoga & Meditation Instructor | Feminine Rites of Passage Coach
Lauríel Rivera Stone is an experienced midwife, womb healer, and intuitive guide who has passionately provided culturally competent, inclusive, and transformative care since 2014. A dedicated advocate for safe and equitable care in the birthing world, Lauríel bridges the wisdom of her ancestors with evidence-based practices to support families on their sacred journey of growth. She honors her lineage as an Indigenous Black Latina woman, deeply rooted in the traditions and ceremonies passed down through generations of midwives, healers, and medicine women.
Formally trained at Birthwise Midwifery School, a MEAC-accredited institution, Lauríel built her foundation in midwifery during her preceptorship under two naturopathic doctors in Topsham, Maine. Their guidance helped her understand the delicate balance between clinical care and natural, holistic birth practices. Upon moving to Connecticut, Lauríel further honed her skills while studying under several experienced midwives in the area, whose mentorship allowed her to grow into her role as a full-time practicing midwife. These formative experiences gave Lauríel the confidence and wisdom to develop her wings as a trusted and compassionate care provider.
Practicing as a traditional community midwife, Lauríel keeps her care grounded in the natural and physiological processes of birth. Her exposure to hospitals, birth centers, and home births has given her a profound understanding of managing birth in diverse settings while upholding clinical safety, ethical practices, and the sacredness of birth. Lauríel’s work centers on informed consent, parent-led decision-making, and empowering families to trust their inner wisdom.
As a Midwives College of Utah preceptor, Lauríel is committed to mentoring the next generation of midwives with integrity and passion. Her work is deeply tied to her role as a womb shaman priestess and ancestral wisdom keeper, reminding women of the power they hold in their wombs. She carries forward the traditions of her ancestors—those who saw birth not only as a physical event but as a rite of passage, a spiritual awakening, and a profound connection to the divine feminine.
Lauríel’s offerings extend far beyond midwifery. She is the founder of empowering educational programs that invite women and families into deeper connection with their bodies, cycles, and ancestral wisdom. Her childbirth education courses provide practical, holistic knowledge for families preparing for birth, while her community workshops offer opportunities for women to reconnect with their sacred feminine essence.
One of her signature programs, Echoes of the Divine Feminine, is a six-week journey designed to awaken the wild, powerful essence of the sacred feminine within all women. This program creates a nurturing, sacred space where participants can explore the intuitive, creative, and compassionate qualities of the feminine, while honoring the profound teachings of their ancestors. Through guided practices, heartfelt discussions, and shared experiences, women are invited to journey through pathways of remembrance, release, reconnection, and renewal. Echoes of the Divine Feminine is more than a course—it’s a transformative container for collective healing, empowerment, and deep connection to self and others.
Lauríel also offers Cycles of Empowerment, a two-part program dedicated to helping women understand their menstrual cycles and align their lives with the natural rhythms of the Earth. Each level is a three-month deep dive into cycle awareness, offering participants the tools to heal, reclaim their power, and live in harmony with their divine feminine essence. This program is designed for women who have felt disconnected from their bodies, overwhelmed by their cycles, or simply curious to deepen their understanding of cycle syncing. Whether through Level 1 or advancing into Level 2, participants leave with a richer understanding of their bodies and the wisdom to live in alignment with the sacred rhythms of womanhood.
In addition to her educational programs, Lauríel is a certified yoga and meditation instructor, offering monthly wellness gatherings and workshops for women to prioritize self-care and holistic healing. She believes that healing and empowerment begin with community, ceremony, and honoring life’s transitions.
When she isn’t on call, Lauríel enjoys traveling with her husband, hiking in nature, savoring delicious meals, and embracing the beauty of the outdoors. A lifelong learner and student of the Earth, she continues to weave the wisdom of her ancestors with modern practices, ensuring that every woman and family she serves feels empowered, held, and connected to their sacred truths.
Meet Unique
Unique Medina, Doula & Trained Birth Assistant
Unique Medina is an indigenous birth worker, spiritual practitioner, and keeper of ancestral wisdom with extensive training and experience in nurturing life’s sacred transitions. Rooted in a lineage of healers, her journey began with a deep connection to spirituality and caregiving. Years of tending to children and caring for infants laid the foundation for her calling to birthwork, where she found a higher purpose in supporting mothers and families during life’s most transformative moments.
Her training includes certifications in Basic Life Support (BLS), First Aid, and Neonatal Resuscitation, ensuring that she brings both skill and confidence to every birthing environment. She is also a certified herbalist since 2022, bringing her expertise in plant medicine to support mothers with natural remedies and holistic care. Combined with her years of hands-on experience caring for newborns, infants, and young children, she provides families with comprehensive support that is both nurturing and informed.
Her birthwork journey began in Florida in 2020, where she supported diverse birthing scenarios, and has since expanded to include work across Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. She now works alongside Lauríel as her birth assistant, an experience that has deepened her appreciation for the craft of birth and refined her expertise. Under Lauríel’s mentorship, she has gained a greater understanding of the art, science, and sacred nature of birthing.
She approaches birth as a spiritual and ancestral rite of passage, intertwining modern practices with traditional wisdom. Her work incorporates sound healing, herbal remedies, and sacred ceremonies, creating spaces where mothers feel supported, empowered, and deeply connected to their intuition and the wisdom of their ancestors.
With a philosophy grounded in the belief that birth is both sacred and transformative, Unique holds space for families to embrace the power and beauty of the birthing process. Through her practice, she weaves her training, experience, and spirituality to provide a holistic approach that honors the profound connection between body, spirit, and community.
We are deeply honored to serve out community and to carry forward the legacy of the women who walked this path before us with pride & reverence!
Our Philosophy
"Birth is a ceremony, not a procedure."
Becoming a parent is one of the most powerful and moving experiences a person can go through. At Awakening Traditions, we strive to provide families with evidence-based practices, tradition, as well as informed decision-making, to ensure a positive and empowered pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey. We are focused on meeting the individual needs of each family and providing them with the education and support they need to make the best decisions for themselves and their babies. We believe that birth is a natural, normal physiological process that should be left undisturbed, and that minimal intervention and trusting the body are the keys in experiencing a successful spontaneous birth. We deeply believe that little ones deserved to be welcomed into this world with love and respect in the way in which their parents see fit. We work to provide a safe, intentional, and empowering space for all families, but especially those from black and brown communities, so that our children and mothers can make it through the journey safely. We offer a range of services, from preconception care to postpartum care and lactation support, in order to provide families with highly individualized & culturally competent holistic care. Our goal is always to ensure a safe home birth, but we understand that there are times when a higher level of care is needed, and we prioritize a safe vaginal delivery over a homebirth, when necessary.
"We must remember that birth is not a medical procedure, but a sacred ceremony. It is a powerful event that has been taking place since the beginning of time, manifested through the strength and wisdom of women like myself. Unfortunately, in the U.S., we lack a deep connection and understanding of birth, often taking it for granted. With the introduction of European-led obstetrics and gynecological care, our numbers of successful birth outcomes have drastically declined, particularly in communities of color. This is why I am here—to undo the trauma, to remind my community of our power and innate physiological wisdom, and to ensure that the women of my community, and the babies they bring into the world, are treated with love, respect, and intention. Our statistics demand that we take charge and change the way we do things, and I believe that it is no longer safe to take the implicit bias of the modern hospital system at face value. Hope and faith should no longer be our only strategies. We must be educated and intentional if we are to ensure successful birth outcomes for all."
Lauriel Keys, Midwife
Culturally competent care
We prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion at Awakening Traditions. We extend a warm invitation to individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, including Black, Indigenous, Latino.A.X, Asian communities, and other marginalized identities, to participate in our services.
Upcoming Events
No events at the moment
Your Journey Starts Here
Contact Info
Phone
Address
860-222-0998
12 Charter Oak Place, Hartford CT 06106
I found Lauriel towards the end of my pregnancy with my daughter. I knew I wanted a home birth and decided to begin interviewing midwives after my anatomy scan. I had a rough go with previous pregnancies that resulted in loss and so I wanted someone who would make me feel comfortable discussing this with and would also be able to fully support me as I navigate the final weeks of my first healthy pregnancy. I literally knew I wanted her to be my midwife within the first few moments of meeting her. She has such a nurturing and warm energy to her. I felt like I was talking to an old friend. Throughout those final weeks of my pregnancy she really helped me understand what to expect, helped me mentally prepare, and was very thorough in her home visit with my husband and I. I never felt rushed in any visit with her, not during my pregnancy and not during her postpartum visits. During my birth there were a few moments that I could have felt worried/scared/stressed because of what was happening, but the way she handled it all put me at such ease. She was the perfect person for it and I thank God for putting her in my path. I am eternally grateful for her and I cannot wait for her to be alongside me in my next pregnancy. Lauriel could not have been a more supportive, loving, uplifting, reassuring, professional, and just all around amazing midwife. 🙏🏻
I highly recommend a birth supported by Awakening Traditions!
After a less than satisfactory hospital birth experience with my son, I chose to have a home birth for my second child and was lucky to work with Lauríel. Even though it wasn’t my first pregnancy, she taught me so much and I saw how you can truly have a continuum of care that centers around you and your baby.
Lauríel has been an incredible source of comfort, knowledge, and support. Whether it was suggesting supplements to help me during pregnancy, her calm and encouraging energy during the birth, or providing natural solutions to help both me and my daughter postpartum, I cannot thank her enough for making sure we were safe, healthy, and cared for!
Lauriel provided care for me for my third baby, first home birth. She is such a pleasure to work with. Very respectful of individual choices and preferences, easy to talk to, and responsive. She has such a calming energy and was so good with my older kids who just wanted to share every story of their life with her. I felt both autonomous and supported. If it helps, I’ll say I am pretty familiar with a number of midwives as well since I am one too. I respected her as a provider and as a colleague. I highly recommend!
I can’t say enough great things. After having my first daughter in a hospital, being induced, and eventually having an epidural I was nervous to attempt a homebirth. Lauriel was caring and attentive for every appointment. When interacting she was really listening; and not just listening to respond. A provider that really listens and offers constructive feedback instead of medical jargon is so rare these days. Lauriel has the most beautiful heart and connected with me on a level beyond patient/provider. When it was time for baby to come, I felt so empowered through everything. She was calm, supportive and accommodating. I really felt like I was having a baby with my husband and friends. It was the single coolest moment of my life. The aftercare was nothing short of spectacular as well. My baby’s now 8 months old and I’m still singing her praises to anybody who will listen. Will definitely be having another babe with you Lauriel. Love you girl! 🤟🏼