"You Gotta Do This ... This Is for You": The Role of Giving and Receiving Encouragement in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Persons' Efficacy Toward Doula Education and Career Participation.

This qualitative study explores how Black, Indigenous, and People of Color persons are making sense of their self-efficacy toward doula education and workforce participation. A total of 16 community-based doula trainees participated across four focus group interviews. Data analysis was an iterative process of coding and thematic generation. Participants identified efficacy sources like encouragement, purpose, service, and social justice orientation as motivators and financial insecurity and work–life balance as barriers. The three themes of connection making, doula identity development, and defining worthwhile sacrifice illuminated how participants used their perceptions of encouragement received and potential to give encouragement to negotiate the strength and direction of efficacy sources on their self-efficacy. Implications for policy and practice that leverage the power of encouragement are indicated.