There is only so much you can learn and absorb in your first packed-with-information workshop! Our doula workshop provides an overview of holistic doula work and your map to certification; it builds a strong foundation for basic doula skills and sparks a critical paradigm shift in the way you see birth and the holistic role of the doula.

When you get home and begin talking with prospective parents, you will apply the new principles of communication and solution-focused interviewing techniques you learned, but naturally new questions will arise. You can bring these to the conference calls and deepen your new interviewing and teaching skills.

After going to your first labors and births, you will have lots of questions and insights you will want to share with others who are on this journey with you. The first half of every conference call is dedicated to a deep and respectful sharing of our experiences. Not only what happened in the labor, but more importantly, what happened within you. With the guidance of an experienced Advisor, you will gain valuable experience in learning how to process your experience of each birth. Our intention is to help you to avoid birth trauma and burnout, as doulas who give so much of yourselves to the families you support.

About half of each conference call is reserved to discuss advanced material. There’s not enough time for a lecture; instead, you will come prepared to discuss the material. You will receive (by email) learning objectives and assignments in advance of each call to guide your preparation. Before each call, you will complete the reading or homework assignment for the scheduled topic.

You may attend every call, or you may choose topics of interest. You are required to participate in at least three Doula conference calls in order to complete certification. Calls are scheduled at a variety of times and days of the week, to ensure ample opportunity for participation.

Sample Topics: 

•  Giving an effective professional presentation to help build your local business
•  Getting down to business: building your doula business
•  Drugs & epidurals: what a doula needs to know and do
•  Teen pregnancy & birth
•  Mourning the birth and/or baby; what to do if the baby is born sick or premature, or dies
•  Postpartum home visits: etiquette and guidelines
•  Induction and Augmentation
•  Cesarean Birth: how to help parents before, during, and after
•  Postpartum mood disorders
•  What to do during difficult labors
•  Breastfeeding basics, diet & trouble-shooting
•  Doula scope of practice
•  Blessing of the Doulas

Please note: BIRTHING FROM WITHIN^® does not charge for these calls, but participants are responsible for any long-distance charges. Calling cards, VOIP, and cell-phones help reduce the cost. All calls are recorded into MP3 files, for our records.

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