Prenatal and Birth Therapy Workshop
Tutor: Brendan Pittwood RCST, RBT, PTB
The “Womb Surround” process workshop creates a safe, welcoming environment in which to explore early imprinting from preverbal life that is affecting your present life. Typically there is a maximum of 7 participants in a workshop.
Prenatal and birth therapy is a combination of different aspects of particular therapies that are utilised in the “Womb Surround process workshop, Personal Therapy and Family Therapy setting”. These therapies are Osteopathic philosophy, Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy, Polarity therapy, Somatic reflection and Pre and Peri-natal psychology. This combination has been shown to support a re-patterning of experience, and subsequent modifications in behaviour from the inside out, which means that all parts of your being can be supported in its changes of function and behaviour. Thus rather than needing to adopt strategies to create healthy behaviour or feelings, they can just be different.
If the change can occur from the inside, it will feel more natural and can be more readily held. We literally become different.
Our discovery, our birth experience, how we were met and loved, shapes brain development, self-confidence, and emotional relationships as well as how we perceive the world. It will affect us in early development up to and including adulthood.
Why is early trauma resolution important?
Ever wonder why you do what you do, react the way you do, or how you establish relationships? Do you get surprised by your own reactions?
Events experienced in the womb, during birth and throughout early childhood profoundly affect long term physical, emotional and mental health. Our early experiences are all influenced by the brain and nervous system development, immune system strength, learning capacity, stress coping strategies, emotional stability and physical coordination. The order of your development is set genetically, but your early environmental experiences are the major contributor to how well the systems work.
Optimal development occurs with the timely resolution of early trauma and the resulting secure attachment between parents and their children. Secure attachment provides the base for a healthy life with healthy relationships.
Workshop Format
This workshop format was developed by Dr Raymond Castellino, a visionary man at the forefront of Pre and Perinatal Psychology and a true pioneer. He is a man for whom we have the deepest respect. Ray’s ground rules and structure of the workshop make it possible for participants to share and receive at a deep level, and from a resourced place. Brendan’s experience of facilitating and participating in this workshop, and the utilised format, has revealed the most profound and effective method of supporting a participant’s growth journey. He also finds these workshops to be hugely beneficial for practitioners in developing the quality of presence and mindfulness required in our therapeutic setting.
Each step is taken with consciousness, with permission, and with a goal of supporting each participant's intention as this early material is individually explored. The whole group works together as a team in a very respectful gentle atmosphere. There is an opportunity for each person to share, a mini de-briefing after each turn, and a completion. The way the principles of safety are attended to take this workshop from a potentially scary proposition to one of anticipation of what might come next, often close to excitement. Participants and tutors have observed a greater sensitivity develops at many levels, particularly an internal felt sense and sense of palpation.
Many participants comment that they are more able to respond from a place of consciousness and compassion.
With the presence and support of Brendan and others in the group I was able to continue my personal healing journey on a number of different levels. I released long held anger in my legs, back and neck that caused contraction and stiffness. My legs have felt stronger and my body lighter and more flexible since the workshop four months ago.
In addition, the opportunity to really be present with others when they told their stories and to support them in whatever way was needed was an honour and a pleasure enabling me to further understand the complexity of our life experiences and to remind me to keep my heart open not only when I am with like-minded friends in workshops but in everyday experiences. M. C. (Canberra 2008)
Training Requirements
A pre-session form is to be completed and emailed to Brendan before the workshop. This form will be emailed to you once you have paid either the deposit or full fee. Please contact Stillness Trainings if you do not receive this form: admin@stillnesstrainings.com
The fee is $500, or $350 for current students of Stillness Trainings.
Deposit of $100 secures your place.