It is official! MotherWit is hitting the East Coast of Canada this summer. Join the Doula Ceilidh from July 24th to July 29th as we get down to the nitty gritty, the earthy crunchy, and even the airy fairy of the science and art of being a doula.
This full six day/3 evening birth doula training intensive will take place at the beautiful WindHorse Farm in New Germany, Nova Scotia (windhorsefarm.org), which is about a 90 minute drive from Halifax and 30 minute drive from Lunenburg (home of the Bluenose). We are renting the Sunshine/Carriage House which will hold our hostess (Katrina of Cape Breton) and 15 live-in students (though our training will not be limited to 15 for those who wish not to stay in the house).
Our unique intensive approach is geared to eating, breathing, and sleeping birth. Our training last summer in Morin Heights, Quebec among the beautiful scenery of the Laurentian hills and living in close quarters for nearly a week created a life changing experience for many of the women who attended. In this tradition, we bring our training to you doula sisters and doula wanna be’s out east.
This course in holistic birth doula work is great for those who desire to serve their community as doulas, for those wanting to go on to study midwifery or nursing, for those wishing to expand their knowledge of tending to women in their childbearing year, or for more experienced doulas who wish to deepen their knowledge and wisdom. There are no prerequisites except a desire to nurture, educate, and support families during this special time in their lives. A doula has the potential to bring profound healing to a wounded birth culture with each family she serves. Evidence supports the fact that the presence of a doula in the birthing room reduces the risk of unnecessary interventions (as well as potentially mitigating the risks of those that could become necessary), and this training will show you how to do it.
We will talk about the tools women have used to help promote balance and healing since women have been birthing, as well as explore in detail how to create and hold the space conducive to normal, triumphant childbirth in different settings, as well learn how to support those having more challenging or even traumatic births. Learning how to deal with difficult situations and how to tend to ourselves as doulas is also emphasised in this course. Nestled within the shelter of Windhorse Farm and supported by the magical beauty of Nova Scotia, join us on this journey.
Women from Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland, it would be such an honour to have you. We realize doula training may be difficult to find in your areas, so this would be a perfect opportunity to learn to start generating crucial change to the birth culture in your town. It really doesn’t matter where you’re from. If you’ve always wanted to visit Nova Scotia, here’s a great reason to do it.
Join me and my teaching assistant Sesch Wren for a week you’ll never forget!
Details will be put up on http://www.motherwit.ca/ soon.
For you ladies farther out West, you are not forgotten! The amazing Tracey from Birth Source Inc. (http://www.birthsource.ca/) and I have been having some very interesting chats about bringing this new approach to doula training to Edmonton. We are also discussing bringing the MotherWit Doula Mentor Training to Edmonton as well, which is intended for experienced doulas (certification not necessary) who have a strong desire to reignite the ancient approach of taking apprentices, which is ultimately the very best way to learn how to be a doula: from other experienced doulas. No dates have been set yet and we’re still in the planning phase, but just so you know we’re thinking of you.
And for you ladies across the pond, the sweet Rebecca Wright (http://www.durhamdoulas.com/) and I have been doing some planning of a birth doula training intensive for UK doula sisters, as well as the mentorship workshop for experienced doulas. Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English doulas/doula wanna be’s, keep checking back for more information as our plans develop.
If you’re from anywhere else and are wishing so much you could join us but just can’t because of distance, consider hosting us. We LOVE to travel.