The Archetypes of Birth
Welcome.
Hello and welcome, we're so glad you have chosen Birthing from Within to support your continued growth and learning!
Archetypes offer us a powerful lens for understanding the many ways in which people respond to pregnancy, birth, and the transition into parenthood. They help us look beneath behaviors and words to notice the needs, beliefs, fears, strengths, and protective patterns that may be shaping someone’s experience.
In this course, we’ll explore archetypes that often emerge along the journey of birth: Child, Orphan, Gatherer, Victim, Judge, Hunter/Huntress, and Love Warrior. We’ll also explore the archetypes we encounter within ourselves as birth workers, including the Caretaker/Savior.
Rather than using archetypes to label or categorize people, we’ll use them to deepen our listening, cultivate curiosity, and expand our capacity to meet each person where they are.
Through experiential practices, stories, and reflection, you’ll explore how archetypes show up in the families you serve, and in your own work as a mentor.
The invitation throughout this course is simple:
Notice. Become curious. Listen deeply. And make room for what is possible.
There are supplemental documents and videos for each lesson. You can move through each lesson on your own time throughout the week, but be sure to leave plenty of time for practice. The more often you engage in the process, the more dynamic your mentoring will be!
Logistics such as dates, times, information about the instructor, and link to join the virtual session have been sent to the email provided.
Urgent technical issue?
Call & leave a message, or text: (505) 585-1823
This workshop is presented in spoken English. Automated captions are available. We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Lauren at Lauren@BirthingfromWithin.com, or call (505) 585-1823. Please submit accommodation requests at least two weeks in advance of event for seamless access.
Before the course.
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-journal/notebook & writing utencils
-soft/chalk pastels (not oil) a set of 8 is adequate
-drawing paper (at least size 11” x 14”)
-collection of magazines and other items for collage
-glue or glue stick
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These guidelines are an enactment of the value that we place on relationality, self-reflection, inclusivity, and the dismantling of oppressive patterns, and they reflect our expectations of both ourselves and our course participants.
Please read through these guidelines carefully to help co-create a safer and more nurturing space where participants can learn, share, and grow fully.
This course consists of five weekly live sessions led by a trainer, with content and home practices for you to engage with in between. The content for lesson one will be available one week before the first call. Please dive in!
Suggested Reading for Continued Learning
Pam England, Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation
Pam England, Ancient Map for Modern Birth
Pam England, Labyrinth of Birth: Creating a Map, Meditations and Rituals for your Childbearing Year
Britta Bushnell, Transformed by Birth: Cultivating Openness, Resilience, and Strength for the Life Changing Journey from Pregnancy to Parenthood
Carol S. Pearson, Awakening the Heroes Within: Twelve Archetypes to Help Us Find Ourselves and Transform Our World
Maria Tatar, The Heroine with 1001 Faces
Disclosure: BfW is an affiliate of Bookshop.org where your purchases support local bookstores. BfW will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase on Bookshop.org using these links.
Accessing recordings of live sessions:
We know that practitioners join us from all over the world and understand the nature of birth work and an on-call lifestyle. Each live session will be recorded and the recording will be emailed to you within 48 hours.
Please keep an eye on your email for subject line “RECORDING: Archetypes of Birth Session X” from contact@birthingfromwithin.com.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
Understand what an archetype is - and what it is not.
Explore the difference between child and adult archetypal energy.
Understand why archetypes are particularly useful during the childbearing year.
Begin recognizing archetypal language in themselves and in parents.
Self-Motivated and Experiential Learning:
Who Is Here? — Embodied exploration of Child and Adult archetypal energy
Meet the Child — Creative exploration of the Innocent, Magical, and Wounded Child.
Reflection Prompts
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
Describe the qualities, needs, gifts, and shadows of the Orphan and Gatherer archetypes.
Recognize Orphan and Gatherer patterns and explore the underlying needs beneath feelings of isolation, uncertainty, overwhelm, or the desire for more information.
Use curiosity and reflective listening to support parents in identifying their own needs, resources, and sources of connection without rescuing or taking over.
Practice applying the archetypal lens to support greater resourcefulness, connection, and capacity in parents.
Self-Motivated and Experiential Learning:
The One Who Is Alone — Embodied exploration of Orphan energy and the difference between being alone, rescued, and accompanied.
The Birth Bag — Explore what we gather for birth and what we hope those resources will provide.
Reflection Prompts
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
Describe the qualities, needs, gifts, and shadows of the Victim and Judge archetypes, including the Good Patient archetype.
Recognize patterns of powerlessness, self-judgment, blame, perfectionism, and compliance that may emerge during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
Explore the difference between control and agency and identify opportunities to support a parent’s sense of choice and participation.
Practice responding to Victim, Judge, and Good Patient energy in ways that validate experience while supporting greater agency, discernment, and self-trust.
Self-Motivated and Experiential Learning:
Self-Choice Within the Choice — Experiential exploration of agency when circumstances cannot be controlled.
The Judge’s Courtroom — Examine judgment, blame, and the stories we create about ourselves and our experiences.
Good Patient Bingo — Recognize and explore cultural patterns of compliance and being a “good patient”.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
Describe the qualities, needs, gifts, and shadows of the Hunter/Huntress and Caretaker/Savior archetypes.
Recognize patterns of determination, protection, action, rescuing, fixing, and over-responsibility in parents and birth workers.
Explore how their own archetypal patterns may influence the way they respond to parents, particularly when they feel a strong desire to help or protect.
Practice accompanying parents with compassion and presence while maintaining healthy boundaries and trusting the parent’s capacity and journey.
Self-Motivated and Experiential Learning:
Hunter/Huntress in the Wild — Explore courage, action, protection, and the desire for control.
Ready / Not Ready — Embodied exploration of action, waiting, and uncertainty.
The Rescue Reflex — Notice and practice shifting from fixing and rescuing toward presence and accompaniment
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
Describe the qualities, gifts, and challenges of the Love Warrior archetype and its role in integrating seemingly opposing qualities such as courage and surrender, advocacy and humility, and strength and compassion.
Recognize how multiple archetypes may be present simultaneously and shift throughout pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and the transition into parenthood.
Use the archetypal lens to move beyond labeling and toward greater curiosity, compassion, flexibility, and choice.
Integrate the archetypal framework into their mentoring practice by noticing, wondering, validating, and expanding possibilities for the parents they serve.
Self-Motivated and Experiential Learning:
What Would Love Do? — Explore how different archetypes respond to challenging situations and discover the Love Warrior response.
The Archetypal Council — Bring the archetypes together to explore what each has to offer.
Integration & Reflection — Identify how the archetypal lens will influence your work as a mentor.
After the course.
Welcome to the community! We have many offerings for continued growth and learning, wherever you are in your journey. You can explore more upcoming Continuing Education opportunities browsing our Course Catalog or Calendar.
Become a member of Birthing from Within.
After completing this course, you are invited to become a member of Birthing from Within. Membership benefits include free monthly continuing education, a listing on our directory, discounts with our community partners, and on Birthing from Within courses, use of the BfW logo, and more.
If you’re interested in a deeper dive, join Birth as a Heroic Journey, our Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator training. This 8 module self-paced course offers the opportunity to certify as a birth doula, a childbirth educator, or both! It includes an online course with live interactive calls with an instructor, so that you are supported through each step of your learning process.
Evaluation & Certificate Request