Taming Fear

Supporting Parents in Pregnancy & Birth

Welcome.

We're so glad you have chosen Birthing from Within to support your continued growth and learning!

Research shows that those who examine their  fears and explore ways to take action (without attachment to outcome) are less likely to suffer trauma.

In this class you will learn ways to support parents in examining their worries, anxieties, and fears from a solution-focused  and trauma-informed perspective.

As birth workers, we often encounter clients who are overwhelmed by fears and anxieties: sometimes general, about the birth experience as a whole, and sometimes very specific, such as fear about cesarean birth or experiencing pain.

Whether an expecting parent buries such fears or focuses on them obsessively, it can prevent them from preparing mindfully and holistically for the intensity and the unknowns that the birth experience brings. Our first instinct is often to try to convince a parent to be less fearful, to somehow argue them out of their anxiety. But we all know that doesn’t really work.

This course will lead you to methods and approaches that do.

Information such as zoom link to join the sessions and information about your instructor will be sent to your email.

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.

This course is two sessions of two hours each, led by a certified BfW Facilitator on Zoom.

Course overview.

  • -a journal

    -writing utensils (pen/pencil)

    -blank paper (the larger the better)

    -art making materials (chalk pastels preferred, but colored pencils, crayons, or paint pens will also work)

  • 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.

Session one:

  • Why is it important to talk to parents about things they are hoping won't happen?

  • A framework for trauma-informed care.

  • Solution-Focused Mentoring. 

Session One Resources Here

Session two:

  • Five-Words Framework.

  • Listening with all five ears.

  • Process: Courageous and Compassionate Excavation of Fears.

Session Two Resources Here

Suggested Reading for Continued Learning

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.

Membership benefits include free monthly continuing education, a listing on our directory, monthly anti-racism education opportunities, discounts, use of the BfW logo, and more. In order to become a member, you must complete the course Foundations of Birthing from Within: Heart of Mentoring. The course fee ($200) includes one year of membership.

If you’re interested in a deeper dive, join Birth as a Heroic Journey, our Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator training. This 7 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