By Tihut Tamrat
For nearly two decades, Dr. Carolle Jean-Murat stood as a singular force in San Diego County’s medical landscape—the only Black female OB/GYN in the region for 17 years. A native of Haiti and descendant of a long line of healers, shamans, herbalists, and midwives, Dr. Jean-Murat brought more than medical expertise to the exam room. “Healing is not just about medication or surgery,” she says. “It’s about connection—between doctor and patient, between mother and child, and most importantly, within yourself.”
Frustrated by the limitations of traditional Western medicine, Dr. Jean-Murat unfolds the truth about the medical system. “The protocols were rigid. It became more about procedures than people,” she says. One such protocol is the rules and regulations surrounding a cesarean (c-section), a surgical procedure where a baby is delivered through incisions made in the mother’s abdomen and uterus.
“If a patient is in the second stage of labor [ after the cervix is fully dilated and they have pushed with contractions] for over 2 hours then it is required by the hospital to do a cesarean,” continues Dr. Jean-Murat, “But some people [give labor] in 2 minutes or some might need 3 hours, every woman’s body is different and there was no leeway!” she exclaims. “I knew I had to step away in order to truly help women the way they deserved.”
Dr. Jean-Murat left conventional practice to pursue a more expansive vision of healing. One that she wholeheartedly believes in. “I’m an intuitive healer,” she explains, “ I connect with my patients in order to calm them.”
Embracing her intuitive and spiritual gifts as an energy and trauma release healer, her approach weaves together intuitive knowledge, energetic alignment, and active listening—elements often ignored in modern healthcare. A learned practice that was inspired by her late grandmother, Eugénie Jean, who influenced her to always listen to her intuition and her patient. “My grandmother was my spiritual back up. Whenever something would be off, I call my grandmother. Then she lights a candle and says, ‘You are going to listen. The Holy Spirit will guide you’, and it always got resolved.”
At the heart of her method is the belief that wellness is only possible when the mind, body, and spirit are in harmony.
The Mind-Body-Spirit Connection
Dr. Jean-Murat educates in her published books, (Strengthening Your Spiritual Foundation for Optimum Health: 18 Ways to unleash your innate powers and Mind, Body, Soul & Money: Putting Your Life in Balance) that the body is not just a vessel for medical intervention but a spiritual structure, which she likens to a “primitive house” model. In her model, the mind forms the windows, doors, and walls of the house; the body is the roof—but it all depends on a strong spiritual foundation. Without it, emotional wounds, especially unhealed trauma, can manifest physically.
Her insight is particularly significant when it comes to addressing the experiences of Black women. “Black women are more likely to be inappropriately touched, more likely to be raped, to be in intimate partner violence, and be therefore disconnected with their body—especially during childbirth,” she explains.
Dr. Jean-Murat says this systemic disregard and overexposure to trauma not only affects health outcomes but also the experience of motherhood itself. “Pregnancy is one of the most sensitive times,” she notes, “but too often, the mother is isolated and she finds herself by herself and vulnerable because she is going into a system where she doesn’t feel heard, instead of being in a beautiful moment.”
Rather than merely identifying these problems, Dr. Jean-Murat offers solutions—starting with a cultural and spiritual reclamation of birth. One of her proposed methods is Built Well for Birth, a pre and postnatal coaching program designed to empower women long before they arrive at the delivery room, founded by Andrew Martinez. The Built Well for Birth method helps women practice pushing, release fear and tension, and connect their minds to their baby’s movements—all with the aim of making birth a powerful, even transcendent, experience.
“It’s about building confidence,” she says. “By the time you’re in the hospital, it’s often too late to reclaim control. We have to prepare our women ahead of time—to remedy and empower themselves.”
Dr. Jean-Murat also strongly advocates for Black doulas, midwives, and birth advocates who provide culturally affirming support. These caregivers, she says, are key to creating safe spaces where expectant mothers can be seen, heard, and honored.
“Pregnancy is a natural thing,” she reminds us. “We need to leave the negative emotions behind. Birth is sacred.”
Though she no longer practices in a hospital setting in the U.S., Dr. Jean-Murat’s legacy reverberates throughout the lives she’s touched. Dr. Jean-Murat is currently a cancer remission specialist and emotional trauma release expert. She is also the co-administrator of a nonprofit organization called CODEVA-Coude-A-Coude pour le Développement de La Vallée (Elbow to Elbow to develop La Vallée) which built Hôspital St. Joseph in La Vallée de Jacmel in the southeastern region of Haiti of which she contributes regularly. Fluent in five languages, Dr. Jean-Murat also provides free medical care and preventive health education to women of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
“My work focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of trauma, offering sustainable, culturally responsive care that avoids unnecessary testing and treatment, reduces suffering, and enhances quality of life. I’ve learned that healing often begins when we stop fighting and start listening to our bodies, pain, and voice within,” says Dr. Jean Murat, “My mission is to help you reconnect with your inner power and allow your body to heal naturally, gently, and profoundly.”
Credit: PHOTO: Courtesy of Dr. Carolle Jean-Murat
