BIRTH STORY MEDICINE

an uplifting one day workshop introducing a fresh perspective on how to tell, and how to listen to birth and postpartum stories

 presented by

Pam England 

Women tell their birth stories to be social, to instruct, to brag, and in search of healing. When pregnancy, birth or postpartum are the source of grief, anger, confusion or emotional trauma, then the parent or professional tells their story in search of "medicine," healing words, a new insight, forgiveness of themselves or another.

 There is an urban myth that just telling a birth story over and over heals it. On the contrary, telling a birth story can reinforce emotional trauma for both the teller and the listener.

This workshop revives the nearly forgotten role of the story-listener who listens in such a way she helps the teller heal her own story. Learn how to listen deeply to hear the buried "seed" of the trauma.

Learn how Great Stories, hero's journeys and myths are Medicine. Stories are the oldest form of teaching; they are every child's first teacher. Stories make us laugh, cry, think, act, revere, realize and remember. They shape the minds and hearts of individuals and entire cultures.

It is through the telling and hearing of stories that we construct the meaning we give our ordinary lives and tragic ordeals.

Birth stories are compelling. Typically we focus on the story and the story-teller, giving little thought to the potential healing power of the story-listener. This workshop will validate the importance of the story-listener. You will learn how to listen deeply, and how to heal emotional birth trauma with Medicines like myth, art making and other processes.

The unaware Story-Listener inadvertently morphs the storyteller's Story, and the meaning she is giving her Story, while she is telling it! In contrast, the Story-Listener who listens deeply is Medicine.  Few people know how to listen deeply to a Story. In this workshop you will learn to identify which part of you is listening, how to listen with five ears, and how to listen deeply. 

What You Will Learn from Birth Story Medicine

• How to create a conducive space that facilitates change and healing.
• To hear Who is telling the story, and why she is telling it?
• Eleven categories of birth stories and what Medicine is needed for each.
• How a story-listener morphs the storyteller's birth story.
• How to listen deeply to a birth story.
• How to lead Birth Story Circles and support groups.

Pam England is currently finishing a book by the same title, Birth Story Medicine; it will be available in 2009.