ONLINE CERTIFICATION IN THE PETERSON METHOD OF

   PRENATAL AND BIRTH EDUCATIONAL COUNSELING

AND

BODY-CENTERED HYPNOSIS FOR CHILDBIRTH

A three module online  training seminar

Required texts: An Easier Childbirth, Making Healthy Families, Birthing Normally, and Body Centered Hypnosis for Childbirth (this last title is supplied upon enrolling along with a course reader)

Recommended reading:  bibliography list to be supplied

(Additional and/or revised readings may be assigned and supplied upon enrollment.)

note: certification requires all assignments and readings to be completed satisfactorily.

Module 1

SEMINAR # 1:  THE BIRTH COUNSELOR INTERVIEW AND OVERVIEW OF THE PETERSON METHOD FOR A PREVENTATIVE MODEL OF PRENATAL AND BIRTH COUNSELING

During the first seminar we will identify vertical and horizontal stressors, which impact birth stress in the family life cycle.  This is your foundation for creating a body-centered hypnosis for your client.  You will learn to understand the experience of giving birth for the individual woman.  No two women are the same!  Gathering information in the three areas of assessment is necessary in order to address the woman's individual fears and anxieties through this transition to motherhood.  Through visual presentation, lecture and hands-on practice, the following will be addressed:

A. The three areas of assessment for childbirth: motherhood, birth and childbirth history, and     present experience in the individual and family  life cycles of the woman.    

B. Interviewing techniques: the meta model and basic interviewing skills practice.

C. Reframing past childbirth experience.

D. Practice learning how to gather information in the initial interview.   

REQUIRED READING: chapters 1-4, appendix 2 in An Easier Childbirth , chapter 3 of Making Healthy Families and in reader: The Family Life Cycle (Carter and McGoldrick), Trusting Ourselves (Johnson), Emotional Aspects of Holistic Prenatal Care (Peterson),

Viewing: DVD's of Birth Counselor interviews work as assigned.
 

ASSIGNMENT #1:  Interview a pregnant woman, using the questions listed, and any others you feel are pertinent to obtain information about the assessment areas.  Use the meta model! Tape the interview.  Write an assessment from the birth counselor interview, which describes the woman's birth and childbirth history, expectations for motherhood, including her own childhood experience of being mothered, and her present life experience. (In other words, use the assessment sheet)  Identify any vertical stressors that might impact this birth.   Relate these assessment areas to her present fears, concerns and expectations for her upcoming childbirth.  Identify specific issues you want to address in the birth visualization for this particular woman.

You may also ask the woman to fill out the birth inventory for additional information.  Pay attention to the place in the life cycle that she is currently experiencing (horizontal stressors) and any vertical stressors that might pertain to this period in her life.  It is advised that you find a pregnant woman to work with during the training.  If this is not possible, interviewing someone who has been pregnant and is willing to role play their past experience may be acceptable.

SEMINAR #2: BASIC VISUALIZATION AND BODY-CENTERED HYPNOSIS FOR CHILDBIRTH

During this seminar you will learn the basic techniques and outline for birth visualization.  Videotaped cases, practice and discussion of body-centered hypnosis for childbirth will be the focus.  The following topics will be addressed:

A) Identifying factors to be addressed, from the birth counselor interview.

B) Identifying visualization and hypnosis technique.

C) Practice and discussion of visualization and body-centered hypnosis.

D. Ongoing discussion of the initial assessment interview.

Required reading and viewing: library DVD's on the birth counselor interview and body-centered hypnosis according to your choice and availability, chapter 8 in An Easier Childbirth, chapter 4 in Birthing Normally, chapters one and two of Body Centered Hypnosis for Childbirth and in reader: chapters 6 and 7 of Pregnancy As Healing, and An Overview of Mindbody Healing (Rossi).

Viewing: DVD's of body-centered hypnosis sessions as assigned.

 ASSIGNMENT # 2:  Interview a second woman, or you may use same person as assignment #1. (You may also use a friend or family member, as a first trial, if you wish)  Identify and establish agreement on points that need healing in a body-centered hypnosis session.  Record the hypnosis session, which should be approximately 40-60 minutes. Listen to yourself afterwards, and take notes on the suggestions you utilized during the session. Write a summary of the points identified in the initial interview and how you addressed them in the body-centered hypnosis session.

OR:

ASSIGNMENT # 3:  Pick DVD from the DVD library on body-centered hypnosis.  Write a summary of the techniques, and what specific issues you could hear being addressed in the session.  What issues do you imagine were raised in her birth counselor interview?  How did you hear them addressed in the birth hypnosis?

Module 2

SEMINAR # 3:  ADEQUATE PREPARATION FOR CHILDBIRTH: ADDRESSING PAIN AND ISSUES OF CONTROL

This seminar will focus on body-centered techniques for helping woman cope with labor.  Realistic preparation for the woman and her partner will be addressed.  The following topics will be included:

A. Identifying an individual woman's coping style(s) and augmenting this for labor.

B. Understanding and teaching the concept of "healthy pain" in childbirth.

C. Understanding normal delivery: addressing 3 factors for normal birth.

D. Practice session for identifying coping styles.

E. Ongoing discussion of the initial interview and birth visualization.

Required reading and viewing:

Chapters 5 and 6 in An Easier Childbirth, chapters 5 and 6 in Birthing Normally, DVD's of simulated contraction work and listening to a videotaped-case of Sharon, Deirdre, Terri, and\or others as needed. In reader: Maps of the Mind (Hampton-Turner), Unlocking the Door to Healing (Peterson), Childhood Sexual Abuse and it’s effects on Childbearing (Simkin) and Childhood Sexual Abuse and Birthing Women (Lowe).

Viewing: DVD's of simulated contraction work sessions as assigned.

ASSIGNMENT # 4:  Do a session with simulated contraction work with a pregnant woman, or friend if necessary first, and record the session.  Write a brief summary of your observations about her coping styles and what seems to help her most.

SEMINAR # 4: DEALING WITH CONTROL AND FEAR: ADDRESSING ISSUES OF LOSS THROUGH BODY-CENTERED HYPNOSIS

This session will conclude discussion of adequate preparation in the context of the couple relationship, and move into special concerns of loss and the use of body-centered hypnosis to release fear and tension when loss has been an issue.  The following will be addressed:

A. Using an audiotape of a woman's labor to stimulate discussion between her and her partner.

B. Early labor projects and identifying coping styles in the context of the couple relationship.

C. Identifying issues of loss in a woman's history: primary vs. second generational post  traumatic loss syndrome.

D. Using body-centered hypnosis in cases of previous stillbirth, miscarriage, etc.

E. Ongoing discussion of initial interview, birth visualization, and realistic preparation.

REQUIRED READING: Reader:  I Grow Old (DiVorst), and Chains of Grief (Peterson) Continue to view  DVD cases of interviews, hypnosis, and simulated contraction work.

Viewing: DVD's of body-centered hypnosis and loss sessions as assigned.

ASSIGNMENT # 5: re-view DVD's that deal with clearing past birth and/or childbirth experience:  such as the case of Sharon for VBAC, Deirdre for her mother's past history of neonatal deaths in childbirth, Alicia, etc.  Write a summary of how this past childbirth or birth was reframed. 

OR:

ASSIGNMENT # 6: Choose a client, or friend if you wish for the first time, that has a past traumatic childbirth or birth that needs reframing.  Record the hypnosis, listen to it, and write a summary of how you addressed the past birth or childbirth. 

Module 3

SEMINAR # 5: THE USE OF BODY-CENTERED HYPNOSIS TO ADDRESS SPECIAL ISSUES :

This seminar will focus on special concerns in birth and how to address them.  The following topics will be included: 

A. Addressing and preventing prematurity: the case of Laura.

B. Addressing loss: the case of Barbara and Nora.

C. Addressing VBAC: the case of Deirdre, and others.

D. Addressing breech: the case of Gail.

READING AND ASSIGNMENTS: in reader, Prenatal Communication and Prevention of Prematurity (Peterson), Hypnosis and Conversion of breech to vertex position (Mehl) and What Makes Ericksonian Therapy so Effective (Rosen).  

Viewing: DVD's of body-centered hypnosis for prematurity, breech and VBAC sessions as assigned.

SEMINAR # 6:  POSTPARTUM INTERVIEW AND THE FAMILY SYSTEM:

This seminar will address the family system as it changes following the birth of a baby.  Common pitfalls and assessing postpartum depression will be discussed, as well as understanding the characteristics of healthy family structure and communication.  The woman's experience of her childbirth however will be the main focus of the postpartum interview.  The following topics will be addressed:

A. Making sense of the birth-positive reframing.

B. Assess postpartum adjustment, blues, serious depression or psychosis.

C. Highlight self-esteem and integrate learning for postpartum adjustment and future childbirth.

D. Practice in identifying characteristics of healthy family structure.

E. Practice in postpartum interviewing

Required reading and viewing:  chapters 8 and 9 in An Easier Childbirth and in reader: Emotional Illness in the Postpartum Period (Watzleky),Fatherhood (Tonti), Stepfamilies (Vischer and Florentine), and Healthy, Midrange and Dysfunctional Families (Beavers).  Making Healthy Families: read chapters 1,2,4,7 and 11.

ASSIGNMENT # 7:  Do a postpartum interview with a postpartum mother. Write an assessment.

Viewing: DVD's of postpartum interviews as assigned.
 

To apply for a space in the training program, click here