Cultivating Presence in the Birthing Space

This four-part experiential workshop series explores how trauma-informed awareness, nervous system understanding, therapeutic presence, and compassionate communication can support safer and more attuned birth experiences for everyone involved.

Drawing on contemporary trauma theory, Polyvagal Theory, Compassionate Inquiry®, somatic awareness, and years of clinical birth experience, participants will develop practical skills that can be immediately applied in their work with families.

What We Will Explore

* Understanding birth trauma and its impact on mothers, babies, partners, and birth professionals

* The autonomic nervous system, trauma responses, and regulation

* Safety, attunement, and co-regulation in the birthing environment

* Recognising signs of overwhelm, fear, dissociation, and trauma activation

* Therapeutic presence: the art of being rather than doing

* Compassionate communication and active listening

* The power of inquiry and curiosity

* Decision-making, consent, and preserving agency

* Professional boundaries and self-awareness

* Self-regulation, self-care, and self-compassion for birth professionals

* Supporting physiological birth while maintaining emotional safety

* Practical tools for cultivating calm, connection, and resilience in the birthing room

Workshop Format

Each session will include:

* Teaching and reflection

* Somatic and regulation practices

* Small-group discussions

* Experiential exercises

* Practical tools for clinical and community settings

* Q&A

Participants will receive resources and suggested practices to support integration between sessions.

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Session 1 – Understanding Trauma & Creating Safety

October 1

* Welcome and introductions

* Why presence matters in birth

* What is birth trauma?

* Trauma, triggers and the autonomic nervous system

* How fear and stress affect labour, birth and attachment

* Safety and attunement: foundations of trauma-informed care

* Experiential practice and reflection

Between Sessions

Suggested videos and resources on trauma, regulation and Polyvagal Theory.

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Session 2 – Presence, Regulation & the Nervous System

October 8

* Understanding co-regulation in the birthing space

* Self-awareness as a professional

* Recognising your own activation patterns

* Somatic practices for grounding and regulation

* Supporting women and families during moments of distress

* Developing a compassionate relationship with yourself

* Experiential exercises and discussion

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Session 3 – Listening Beyond the Story

October 15

* Therapeutic presence and deep listening

* Communication that fosters trust and safety

* Validation, mirroring and open questions

* Introduction to principles from Compassionate Inquiry®

* Listening to what is beneath the words

* Boundaries and relational awareness

* Partner and small-group practice

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Session 4 – Bringing Presence into Practice

October 22

* Signs of trauma activation in the birthing room

* Decision-making, agency and informed consent

* Practical tools for challenging situations

* Moving from blame and control toward compassion and collaboration

* Being versus doing in birth work

* Integrating learning into daily practice

* Resources, next steps and closing reflections

Who Is This For?

Midwives, student midwives, doulas, birth educators, maternity support workers, obstetric professionals, perinatal therapists, and anyone supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and the early postnatal period.

Facilitators

Laura Latina

Independent Midwife, International Speaker and Certified Compassionate Inquiry Practitioner.

With more than 17 years of experience supporting women and families across Europe, Africa and Asia, Laura has worked as a community midwife, consultant midwife, maternity manager and Women’s Health Advisor with Médecins Sans Frontières. She is passionate about respectful maternity care, trauma-informed practice, and supporting birth as a sacred rite of passage.

Beth Sanderson

Integrated Baby Therapist, Cranio-Sacral Therapist and Compassionate Inquiry Practitioner.

Beth specialises in birth integration work with babies and families, exploring how prenatal and birth experiences are held within the body and nervous system. Alongside her private practice, she has spent over eight years teaching at the College of Cranio-Sacral Therapy and is deeply committed to helping professionals cultivate presence, attunement and compassionate care.

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Follow-Up

Participants will be invited to an optional online integration and reflection session approximately one month after completion of the series.

Participants will be invited to a 2027 residential retreat that invites them to go deeper in their practice