Alison Hazelbaker PhD IBCLC CST RCST

Dr. Hazelbaker has been a therapist for nearly 27 years. She specializes in cross-disciplinary treatment and to that end has taken training in several modalities to best assist her clients. She is a certified Craniosacral Therapist, a Lymph Drainage Therapy practitioner, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

Along with CranioSacral Therapy and Lymphatic Drainage Therapy, Dr. Hazelbaker utilizes botanicals and homeopathy in her lactation practice. Her willingness to address breastfeeding problems from a variety of perspectives, meeting mothers where they are philosophically, has earned her the respect of her peers and her client population.

She earned her undergraduate degree from New York University, her master’s Degree from Pacific Oaks College (Human Development specializing in Human Lactation) and her doctorate from The Union Institute and University (Psychology, specializing in Energetic and Transformational Healing.)

Her original research on tongue-tie, done in 1993, has changed clinical practice both in the USA and abroad. She authored the Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function (ATLFF) during her Master’s Degree program. The ATLFF remains the only research-based tongue-tie screening process for infants under 6 months. People recognize her as an expert on infant sucking issues and the treatment of same. As an innovator, she invented the Hazelbaker™ FingerFeeder to address these sucking problems.

Dr. Hazelbaker authored multiple monographs and articles on lactation theory and management, served on the JHL Editorial Review board for more than a decade and reviews monographs, books and DVDs for the JHL and the ILCA Globe.
She recently revised her Master’s thesis on tongue-tie into a comprehensive book on the condition: Tongue-tie: Morphogenesis, Impact, Assessment and Treatment available through Aidan and Eva Press. Her doctoral dissertation “Toward a Unified Theory of Healing: a Grounded Theory Study” was nominated for the Marvin B. Sussman Award for Academic Excellence. She is currently revising it into a book. She co-authored Coming Back from the Border: Adult Children Reclaim their Authentic Selves from The Borderline Personality Disorder Dynamic with Dr. Laura Hausman.

Dr. Hazelbaker, a long-time La Léchè League Leader, mothered five children through breastfeeding and has two wonderful breastfed grandchildren, Aidan and Éva. She speaks on a variety of human development, lactation management and lactation theory topics. These include the use of finger feeding as a therapeutic and clinical strategy and the assessment and treatment of tongue-tie. She is available for speaking engagements and can be contacted through LactSpeak (www.Lactspeak.com).