December 1 - 5, 2008, Surrey

 - Are you passionate about bringing confidence and trust back to women?

 - Would you like to teach effective, easy to use techniques which will help women overcome fear, feel more in control and look forward to the birth?

- Would you like to increase your income by providing a service which will be truly useful and beneficial for couples?

The course is open to women who feel passionate about helping other women overcome fear, prepare positively and have a more positive birth experience.

To become a licensed Natal Hypnotherapy Practitioner, all attendees will be required to complete the following:-

- Attend the five day course

- Complete a home study birth physiology course (for non birth professionals)

- Complete a written assessment (3 essays) after the course covering their knowledge on birth physiology, hypnotherapy and the application of hypnosis for birth. 

- Run a section of a Natal Hypnotherapy course assessed by Maggie Howell

- Sign the Natal Practitioners Licensing agreement

Once you have completed the above, you will be invited to become a licensed practitioner and a member of the Natal Practitioners Association.

The course will qualify and enable you to run 2 day (or 4 sessions) Natal Hypnotherapy birth preparation courses for couples.  The recommended cost of courses is a maximum of £280 per couple.

In addition, the techniques you learn will enable you to support couples individually, as well as in groups, through out their pregnancy and birth experience.

You will receive everything you need to start running the courses straight away from the slides to the hand outs to the packing list!

Once you have completed the assessment, you will receive:-

• A certificate to practice as a Natal Hypnotherapy practitioner
• A practitioners training manual
• A Natal Hypnotherapy practitioners pack (your bible!)
• Natal Hypnotherapy course fliers
• Hard copy of the Natal Hypnotherapy course slides
• A hard copy of the parents Birth Preparation manual
• Range of hypnotherapy scripts
• A copy of the Natal Hypnotherapy CDs
• Hand outs for parents
• Guidelines on marketing yourself and the Natal Hypnotherapy courses
• Recommended reading list

Once you have received your certification and you have signed the licensing agreement you will be eligible to become an associate member of the Institute of Natal Practitioners.  This will give password access to the Natal Practitioners support network from which you can download all course / support material such as booking forms, pre course questionnaires, feedback forms, handouts etc.  You will also be able to buy all your Natal Hypnotherapy products (CDs, course manuals, birthing balls, yoga mats, books etc) for running courses at a discounted rate.

By becoming a licensed Natal Hypnotherapy practitioner, you are becoming part of a fast growing group of practitioners who are passionate about reducing fear in childbirth and making antenatal education truly "woman centred".

To maintain a high standard of courses, materials, marketing and promotion, all courses are booked and administered centrally.  This makes the life of our practitioners far easier so that they can concentrate on what they are good at - helping women and their partners to have a better birth experience.

In addition, the association will provide you with all the manuals, marketing materials, slides, handouts etc so you will receive a complete pack before each course - no admin, no printing, no hassle!

To ensure a high standard of teaching and continually updated information and research is maintained, and to help you develop in your path as a Natal Hypnotherapy Practitioner, the Association run study days and virtual meetings throughout the year.

Natal Hypnotherapy was developed in the UK by clinical Hypnotherapist Maggie Howell since 2000. The techniques, principles and approach of Natal Hypnotherapy has developed organically through the teachings of the worlds leading natural birth experts including Michel Odent, Ina may Gaskin and Shiela Kitzinger. Maggie Howell has created the programme following her own experiences of giving birth three times using natal hypnotherapy and from her work with thousands of women, midwives and antenatal teachers across the UK.

Natal Hypnotherapy teaches a woman to fully trust her body, to address, understand and overcome fears, to reframe her beliefs and how to work with her body in the way that is right for her.  It does not teach women that birth is “pain free”, instead it teaches women to accept, welcome and work with the sensations in her body and to understand the causes and reasons behind the sensations she is feeling.  The course does not imply that if a woman feels pain, then she is not following the techniques correctly or that she is doing something wrong. It does however teach her ways to work with the sensations and ways to “regroup” if she has a particularly strong sensation for example after waters breaking or a change of location or medical supporter.

Natal Hypnotherapy also focus equally on preparing a woman's birth partner to overcome fears, to fully understand the birth process from a physiological as well as hormonal level and to learn effective ways to help a woman work with her body and to flow with the direction of birthing rather than fight it.

Natal Hypnotherapy teaches a unique, tailored approach so that each couple is empowered to write their own scripts and to use their own personal imagery and post hypnotic suggestions.  This way the couple “own” their birth preparation helping them to have the birth experience that is right for them. In addition the couple learn to use the techniques, not just for the birth but for other times including, perennial massage, back pain during pregnancy and after the baby is born with breastfeeding,

The Natal Hypnotherapy course is a complete birth preparation course and teaches couples a wide range of comfort measures including massage, positions, visualisation, use of water and use of a birthing ball. The course teaches parents all they need to know to feel prepared and ready for birth.  Couples are then free to chose to attend other classes if they wish, however many feel confident and prepared enough with what they have learnt on the course and may choose to attend other courses for the social network.

At the end of the course, couples leave feeling confident, excited and truly prepared. They are no longer frightened about the experience and so find that as each day goes by, they enjoy practising the techniques, take time out to relax, and let go of all the old fears and concerns.

• To have a clear understanding of the physiology of birth
• Understanding the physical structure of the female body
• The impact of hormones before, during and after birth
• The importance of environmental factors on birth
• Understanding of how birth begins and the “normal progression” of birth
• How a woman’s body will birth her baby if it is unhindered by drugs 
• The difference when she has had artifical hormones / drugs 
• The emotional factors which influence birth
• Dispelling myths
• The impact of beliefs on birth
• Research supporting the above

• What is hypnosis? (and what it is not)
• How hypnosis can be used
• Understanding the power of the subconscious
• Taking a person into hypnosis
• Importance of language – both helpful and unhelpful
• Practising induction techniques
• Deepeners
• Using visualisation
• Assessing depth of hypnosis
• Dealing with abreactions
• Understanding the differences in how people perceive the world
• Using appropriate language patterns
• Using metaphor to help create change
• Noticing your clients labels and metaphors
• Use of post hypnotic triggers
• Using anchors and associations
• Applying hypnosis to therapeutic situations
• Running a hypnosis session
• Programme writing
• Letting go exercises
• Applying hypnosis to yourself
• The use of time distortion
• How to safely bring someone out of hypnosis
• Contra-indications
• Introduction to other techniques to support a woman eg EFT, NLP

 Natal Hypnotherapy

The theory

• The impact of fear on hormones
• Understanding other cultures approach to birth
• Hypnosis through out pregnancy
• The importance of preparation of the mind and body
• Using post hypnotic suggestions to turn fear into confidence
• How hypnosis reduces / eliminates fear and is replaced with confidence
• The impact of fear on the birth process
• Script writing for usual and un unusual situations eg breech, twins
• Creating conversational change
• Importance of antenatal care and not antenatal “scare”
• Natural pain relief strategies
• Body centric hypnosis
• Using hypnosis whilst moving around / eyes open
• Overcoming challenges

Running a course

• Administration for running courses
• Facilitation skills
• Pre course questionnaire
• Ice breaker introductions
• Hopes and fears exercises for couples
• Working with birth partners (especially cynical ones!)
• Managing a temperature chart (gauging couples beliefs and skills)
• Teaching self hypnosis to couples
• Naming, facing and reframing fears
• Letting go exercises
• Teaching the physiology of birth
• The emotional map of labour and how to work with each one
• Massage techniques
• Positions for birth
• Using water for the birth
• Working with the medical team
• Importance of environmental factors
• The impact of relaxation and hypnotherapy on the baby
• Using hypnosis to help bonding and communication with the baby
• Ways to use hypnosis after the baby is born
• Importance of avoiding induction
• Breathing techniques and exercises
• Understanding and using the comfort dial
• The role of the birth partner
• Building time distortion into the programme
• Using hypnosis during labour – birth partner and professional
• Teaching couples to write their own scripts
• Importance of finding out information in advance
• Recommended reading

The total cost is of becoming a licensed practitioner is £1095 (inc VAT).

This includes 5 full days training with Maggie Howell, 2 days assessment, all your materials, access to the Natal Practitioners network and 3 years licensed rights to run Natal Hypnotherapy services.

To apply for a place on the course please call Maggie Howell on 01428 712615.  You will have a short interview on the phone to assess your suitability to become a Natal Hypnotherapy Practitioner.

Payment is required in advance and can be made by cheque, credit / debit card or bank to bank transfer. Payment plans are available upon request.