About Heli
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My formal learning and qualifications, and life experiences as a daughter, mother, grandmother, doula, Calmbirth® educator, group facilitator and counsellor, are the foundations for my professional loving support, guidance and education in pregnancy, birth and motherhood.
My Journey As a mother of two gorgeous children (now adults), and now with the profound gift of being an engaged present grandmother as my son becomes a father , my experiences of pregnancy, birth, and the intense, challenging and joyous time that follows taught me much about the experiences and needs of new mothers. Losing my own mum when I was young intensified my motherhood joys and challenges, increasing my desire to understand my own and other women’s experiences. Before becoming a mother myself, I studied education, travelled, climbed cliffs and mountains, paddled rivers and oceans, worked as a wilderness adventure guide and in an organic food co-op. Pregnancy was amazing for me, though I found the physical limitations challenging. Giving birth was awesome, and mothering my babies beautifully simple and simply beautiful. When my children were young and I yearned for adult stimulation and learning, I completed my first Masters degree, in Social Ecology. |
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Birth and Motherhood as Pathways… Doula, Calmbirth® Educator, Group Facilitator...
After the birth of my second son, I found myself wanting to offer other women the same kind of loving support I had received and longed for. Fascinated by the emotional and psychological transformations of birth and mothering, I became a Doula. As a Doula, I’ve supported many women, couples and families in childbirth, working with an independent midwife for home births, and for hundreds of women and their partners in birth centres and hospitals. My experiences set me on a quest to gather valuable tools to help women and couples address fears and open to birth's potential for inner growth. This led me to discover Calmbirth®. I then trained as a Private Subconscious Mind Therapist to complement my Calmbirth® work and have enjoyed sharing Calmbirth® with hundreds of couples over the last decade. I love of sharing these gifts! For over fourteen years, I facilitated a weekly Pregnancy Support Group in Byron Bay. Sitting in circle with countless women, I have listened to unique and collective stories, taught the stages of labour, discussed the joys and challenges of the newborn period, played with the Robozo and discussed the amazing pelvis, supported, listened, hugged, affirmed and made so much tea and cake!My work in the group has been a significant act of service where I have received ten-fold what I have given. Witnessing women's transformations through the mothering journey is profoundly touching, connecting me to my clients and other women in deeply meaningful ways. I continue to learn from the women and couples I support. |
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Counsellor...
Becoming increasingly aware of the emotional, psychological and relational difficulties many women experience during their perinatal period, I completed my Graduate Diploma and Masters in Counselling. It is empowering to bring to light the stigma and silence surrounding the challenges and losses of motherhood, where experiences outside the happy-healthy-glowing-new-mother image are layered with pain and shame. I am committed to normalise these losses and to support women through these challenges. |
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Bringing it All Together - What I offer
My passion and desire is to help women and couples find their own way through pregnancy, birth, motherhood and parenthood transitions. I am deeply committed to supporting mothers, couples and families to maximise pleasure and connection, and minimise stress and isolation. I provide birth education, Calmbirth® courses, couples preparation, therapeutic groups and private counselling for women in the midst of pregnancy, birth and mothering transitions. Women and couples seeking empowering education around birth, clarity around their birth intentions, women processing birth trauma or attachment wounding, women and couples struggling with perinatal adjustment difficulties, or just mamas wanting to explore their experiences on a deeper level. My Loving Mamas pre and post natal groups help mums create and nurture their mama-village. I offer my gifts, knowledge, energy, my love, to help women, couples and families in pregnancy, motherhood and parenthood transitions develop their own strengths and create supportive communities in which they themselves, their babies, and their families, can flourish. Pregnancy, birth, motherhood and parenthood transitions offer an enormous potential for growth, healing, and development of new healthy secure attachments. My intention is to help women and couples utilise this potential and experience heightened wellbeing and connection. |
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Ongoing Learning...
My fascination with attachment and perinatal psychology has led me to additional training in Hakomi Body-Centred Psychotherapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Interpersonal Neuropsychology and Mental Health First Aid. I have participated in Doula workshops, Calmbirth® conferences, workshops on making space for babies and pelvic awareness. I have trained and participated in Mindful Motherhood and Healing the Inner Child process groups, and am currently undertaking the Becoming Us® Facilitator training.. My formal learning is ongoing and enriching, continually motivating me to bring more to my clients and groups. My most powerful learning comes from the women and couples I work with, and through my commitment to reflecting on my own life processes. I am passionate about women receiving support, acknowledgement, opportunities to heal, and a space to connect and be real. And I am so grateful to share my gifts, my learning, my wisdom, and my un-knowing and openness to learn, with you. |
My formal qualifications include:
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