Apprenticeship for Perinatal Professionals
Tending Your Heart, Head and Hands
with Britta Bushnell, PhD
Do you work with families during their transition into parenthood?
I bet you want to be the very best professional you can be. In order to be that, you need support. The problem is that most trainings only last a weekend, which can make you feel lonely, adrift, and uninspired. Burnout is high. Everyone should have support and community. But finding an aligned community and the right mentor can be difficult.
I created this Apprenticeship Program so that you get the mentorship you deserve and the community you long for.
Birth work is soul work.
For you to do your soul work, you deserve support that goes beyond a weekend workshop and delves deeper than instruction on how to do a double hip squeeze.
"This was such a high-value, high-impact experience. It was what I wanted and so much more. It's truly a masterpiece of a creation." ~Anna (apprentice 3rd cohort)
By the end of this six-month, group, online, level-one apprenticeship you will:
- Bring greater creativity and inspiration to your work with families
- Reduce burnout and overwhelm
- Have new skills in your repertoire
- See your clients, your role in their lives, and your own inner experience of birth work through the reflective lenses of transformation, rites of passage, metaphor, and story
During this apprenticeship you will receive:
- Find a community of special perinatal professionals to be part of your support network on-going
- Accountability for your personal development and growth as a birth professional
- Access to the Transformed by Birth framework to learn and apply new approaches that support your clients (and yourself) through periods of great transformation
- Feel held in a sacred space to integrate personal and professional growth
Heart, Head, and Hands
We center and ground each month around a specific theme and explore the month's theme from the perspectives of the heart (your personal growth), head (your business success), and hands (tactical, practical application of new skills).
Themes include: Transformation and rites of passage • values identification, alignment and inclusion • resilience-building • storytelling, myth, and metaphor • inspiring growth and change • ritual and ceremony
In addition to our live online gatherings, you will have access to:
• Specially created small group cohorts to support deeper exploration
• Opportunity to observe Britta in a live zoom class with parents January 21st & 22nd and/or in person classes in Los Angeles
• A private online group for apprentices only
• Direct access to Britta via online messaging app and three 1-1 private sessions
• A special discount for additional private mentoring sessions with Britta
• Surprise guests and bonus sessions
"I cannot recommend [this] apprenticeship enough!
One of the most deeply nourishing and transformative experiences I’ve had both personally and professionally. Being with Britta is a masterclass in space holding, myth and storytelling, ceremony, question asking… business development - so so much!" ~Nicky (apprentice 3rd cohort)
This course IS for you if:
- You work with parents as a doula, childbirth educator, midwife, OB, L&D nurse, chiropractor, acupuncturist, therapist, bodyworker, lactation specialist, or yoga teacher
- You recognize that birth work and personal growth are intertwined
- You're looking for skillful guidance to help take your business to the next level
- You love what you do but may feel some overwhelm, burnout, or doubt
- You want to hone your skills for guiding parents through the transformative journey of birth and new parenthood
- You crave a professional community of fellow growth-seekers
This course is NOT for you if:
- You believe birth work and personal life can be compartmentalized
- Your business is as impactful and successful as you desire
- You avoid situations that require you to stretch and grow
- You believe conversations and exploration about anti-racism, LGBTQIA inclusion, and intersectionality have no role in your work
- You think birth work is only knowing data and information
- Personal growth is not your thing
"Being a part of Britta's apprenticeship was an experience that will last a lifetime" ~Stephanie (apprentice 3rd cohort)
Here's how it works:
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
The next round is likely:
October 2024-March 2025
Thursdays, 10am-12pm PT/1pm-3pm ET
This is a six-month online apprenticeship.
- Anchor Sessions: The first three Thursdays of each month
- Resilience Building with Mikaela: the fourth Thursday 10-10:30am PT/1-1:30pm ET
- Smaller Cohort Session: fourth Thursday 10:30am-12pm PT/1:30-3pm ET
- Business Building sessions with Britta or Annique: the second Tuesday at 10am PT/1pm ET
- All group sessions will be recorded for those who cannot gather live and stored in our online classroom
- Monthly Office Hours in our online platform with Britta (dates TBD)
- Private Sessions w/ Britta: Three Sessions--Welcome, Check-in, & Closing (45 mins each)
Investment
The next cohort begins October 2024.
Registration now CLOSED
TWO PAYMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE
$3600
$3200
Pay-in-Full (Early Bird)
Or
$615/mo
$550/mo
For six months (early bird)
Some partial scholarships are available.
"I can confidently say it was the best investment I ever made in terms of my business and career. It was worth every penny." ~Olivia (apprentice 3rd cohort)
Wondering if the Apprentice program is right for you?
Join Britta for a free one-hour workshop where we will explore simple and actionable steps to better help your clients find their parenting style and truth, returning the center of power and agency to the parents.
You'll be able to start practicing with your clients right away.
WATCH THE FREE CLASS RECORDING
Centering Your Client:
The Expert in Their Own Life
Enter your name and email address below to register for free.
What past participants say about this apprenticeship:
If someone really wants to make birthwork SOUL work, this is where they should start.
Britta crafted something so unique in that there was value for seasoned veterans and baby doulas. Everyone can come to the table as they are and take what speaks to them; the value is just before you for the taking.
— Whitney
I have grown so much as a human, as a woman, as a partner, and as a birthworker throughout our time together.
I believe that this apprenticeship guided me toward the tools I have to harvest the lessons of transformative moments of my life in a way that I did not access or know before. I feel confident in the woman I am becoming and I know this journey contributed greatly to that.
— Stella
I've gained a new ability to personally and professionally find the strength to keep going with practical tools to support me along the way.
To the question, "is the investment worth it?" I would say this feels similar to explaining to someone before they've given birth why a doula is valuable. Everything Britta did throughout my time in the apprenticeship felt like a warm, welcoming invitation to go deeper.
— Bridget
The weekly anchoring sessions and they helped me establish a healthier rhythm in my personal/professional life.
I have gained some really insightful perspectives as a result of this experience and feel recharged and motivated to keep engaging in birth work with some really helpful tools to help when I feel overwhelmed by it!
— B.
This course helped me clarify my values and my mission in not just my professional, but in my personal life.
It was an amazing group of people who supported, challenged, and uplifted one another, which has continued even after the program. It helped me to better identify how I want to show up for myself, my family, my clients, and my work in the world. I am so grateful.
— Amanda
I’m not easily impressed, but Britta sinks her hooks deeply in the soul and helps give birth to different versions of yourself you never imagined.
She continuously breathes new life into new and old spaces. She speaks my native tongue communicating in this unique language of personal evolution of which my work deeply resides while connecting to the most obscure and obvious places of me that speak so loudly to my heart. She holds space that feels sacred within me to discover parts that are joyful, scary, and incomplete and softly encourages me to show up in the most authentic version of myself which helps balance the learning curves with the passion and love I have for birth work.
— Sherry
This program really benefited both my business and my personal life.
I am so grateful to have been able to participate. It has really helped me with my boundaries and how I show up with my clients. I feel I can part ways with clients at appropriate times now and without any hard feelings. I am much more clear on my role and my values.
— Sarah
Even as someone who has been in the business of childbirth support for many years, Britta’s teachings were filled with valuable insights.
My experience of Britta’s mentorship program was a journey of self-enrichment. She gave us unique concepts and exciting ways of engaging with expectant families.
— Wenonah
This apprenticeship has given me the skills and confidence to work with my clients in a much more profound and meaningful way.
As Britta is fond of saying, birth work is soul work, and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity for deep reflection and new learning that will guide my work for years to come.
— Mary
The experience was transformational and so supportive. It was a space to learn not only from you and ourselves but also to learn from each other.
AI feel like I am waking out of this apprenticeship with an accepting and invaluable support system.
— Natalia
About Britta
Dr. Britta Bushnell (she/her) is a wife and mother, author of Transformed by Birth, veteran childbirth educator, celebrated speaker, mythologist, and specialist in childbirth, relationship, and parenting. For over 20 years, Britta has worked with individuals and couples as they prepare for the life-changing experience of giving birth. Her work with parents and professionals has been enriched by her doctoral work in mythology and psychology, her years spent as a co-owner of and senior facilitator for Birthing From Within, as well as her dedicated study of the Solution-Focused approach to mentoring, storytelling, and workshop facilitation.
Britta's work focuses on the transformational journey of pregnancy, birth, and new parenthood. Using a grounded, honest, and profound as well as playful approach, she helps birth professionals navigate the intersections of birth work and personal transformation with strength, confidence, and depth.
Read more about Britta here.
FAQ
Who is this apprenticeship for? Is this just for newer doulas? Is this just for more experienced doulas? What about postpartum doulas, childbirth educators, midwives, chiropractors, massage therapist, and yoga teachers?
This is for anyone who works with families during the childbearing period. Intimate programs, like this, are uniquely set up to support folks from a variety of skill sets and experiences. The topics we will cover will support and enhance your professional and personal lives regardless of what your business card says about what you do for families. Everyone who participates in this program will come away personally enriched and professionally deepened.
Are there scholarships available?
Yes! Britta is committed to offering 10%-25% of spots to those in need of a scholarship. Apply for a scholarship here.
Are spaces limited?
Yes. Britta is limiting the size of this course to maintain intimacy and depth.
Can I pay slowly over time rather than all at once?
Yes. There is a payment plan option that allows you to pay in five monthly installments with the first payment due upon enrollment.
How much time should I plan to devote to this program?
There will be three live sessions a month that will be 90-120 minutes each. That's about six hours a month committed to group session time. Outside of those scheduled sessions, there will be recommended exploration, practice, and exercises to do at your own pace. The more you put into it, the more you will get out of it. There will also be opportunities to connect with other apprentices outside of our scheduled group time and special sessions that will be extra and optional. This program will give you a lot of support and accountability. And...it is an apprenticeship. As such it is not meant to be a class you attend and leave. It is designed to connect with and weave into many aspects of your life and work. To get the most out of this program, expect to spend between 10-20 hours a month. Only you can know if now is the time for you to commit to this program. It's a good idea to explore what will enrich and support you rather than add stress. It is the intention for this apprenticeship to enrich, enliven, and engage rather than drain you! Oftentimes, surface exploration can be draining whereas deep work brings energy. The time spent in this apprenticeship will be of the "deep work" variety.
What if I have more questions?
Schedule a free 15 minute call with Britta to talk more personally and explore together if this program is right for you.