The Nurse’s Office was founded in May 2005 by Anne Hughes and soon
blossomed to lift up the dream of several women. Three women combined
their vision and talents to bring the philosophy and techniques of
HypnoBirthing® to Northwest Michigan. A well known story about a small
child rescuing starfish stranded on the beach provided inspiration. Like
the many who tell pregnant mothers they can never birth without peril or
pain, a grownup interrupted a child who was throwing a starfish back to the
safety of the ocean, saying "There are too many, you can never make a
difference.” The child, gently tossing another starfish into the water,
replied “I made a difference to this one.”
Here are our stories…
Anne Hughes became a registered nurse in 1978. After two decades of
nursing the sick, she attended Michigan State University, graduated with
a Masters in Nursing and began working as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
She treated minor illnesses and injuries, helped patients manage chronic
diseases and provided regular checkups for children and adults. Though
deeply rewarding, these years also taught her that the path to health
does not lie wholly within our western medical system. A growing
awareness that each of us possesses healing power beyond our imagination
led her to study hypnosis through the Hypnotherapy Training Institute of
Corte Madera in Northern California. Anne’s health consultations at The
Nurse’s Office integrate her knowledge of the western medical framework
with her intuitive therapeutic presence and gently guide you on your own
best path to health. You will find her hypnotherapy sessions are an
empowering method of activating your own inner healing abilities.
Peg Dunn CNM MSN has been observing and participating in birth since 1978. Through the years, she has seen many changes in the care of pregnant and laboring women and their families. Peg’s epiphany came when she moved to Traverse City and worked side by side with a nurse-midwife. Her approach to birth changed as she watched families embrace the journey of childbirth.
Peg has been a Registered Nurse in Obstetrics since 1978. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ferris State University in 1993. Peg earned her Midwifery Certificate from Frontier School of Midwifery in 1996 and her Master of Nursing from Case Western Reserve University in 1999. She recently attended a HypnoBirthing® seminar with the founder, Marie Mongan, M.Ed. M. Hy.
Peg currently has her own nurse-midwifery practice in Traverse City. Her commitment is to families birthing in the hospital; offering and supporting their choices, being at their side, and celebrating birth.
Karla Blackmer - With a steady drive to help others, Karla Blackmer has spent the last decade learning different modalities to improve health. Beginning with her education in Medical Assisting, her love for helping others was realized. This force has since taken her through multiple classes with health concentrations. A mother of two, she is drawn toward the amazing, awe inspiring changes that are created through pregnancy and birth. In 2005 Karla was introduced to HypnoBirthing®. Through HypnoBirthing® she found the true meaning of a beautiful birth. In addition to becoming a Certified HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Educator, Karla discovered she had a talent for creating works of art inspired by the beautiful form of pregnant women and established Art Capturing Creation. Using plaster and gauze, Karla uses the art of BellyCasting to create an artistic tribute to the pregnant mother and her baby.
