Kate Woods - Founder and Facilitator
I’ve been deeply connected with the process of pregnancy and birth since 1994, when I gave birth to my first child. The experience was so utterly life changing, that I found myself arriving into motherhood at the same time as being initiated into what was going to be my life’s vocational path.
During the birth, I saw and felt myself holding hands with every woman who was bearing down, across the globe, in one great circle. This vision energised me to ride the powerful sensations with grace and ease, and also to birth a new passion-which was to support, empower and be a witness for others during this immense unfolding. I knew right then that being part of the great circle of women holding one another’s hands at this threshold moment was on my path.
I supported many births in our local Glastonbury community, but it wasn’t until 1998 that I trained as a Doula, with Michel Odent. It turned out that I had an unwitting 10 year apprenticeship into the role, as I didn’t start to do it ‘for a living’ until after the first 10 years of practice. Some time after that, I went on to train with Janet Balaskas at the Active Birth Centre, in Shiatsu for labour with Suzanne Yates and many more. I trained as a Holistic Childbirth Educator with Amanda Rayment, years later and more recently completed training as a Mental Health First Aider. I have been honoured to work alongside Ina May Gaskin, Robin Lim, Binnie Dansby, Michel Odent and many other elders in this field.
Recognising the cycles of trauma between healthcare practitioners and for birthing women and people, I went on to study Trauma Therapy and Mental Health first aid, so that I could offer training and support for all those working with birthing people. My workshop created from this was accredited with the RCM.
From there, I went on to create Doulas Without Borders in 2019, which is a UK wide voluntary doula organisation.
In recent years, I have been working on opening the Avalon Birth House, which is now open as a wonderful space for the education, support and community of those who want to dive deep into undisturbed birth. From this beautiful space in Glastonbury, I offer:
• Bespoke childbirth preparation sessions
• Birth preparation workshops
• Reiki sessions for mums and mums-to-be
• A space to give birth and to recover, postpartum
• Birthkeeper trainings and retreats
• Free bi-weekly circle for pregnant women and new mums
• Free monthly gathering for Birthkeepers
I also offer a ‘Doula in your pocket’ digital support service and the occasional in-person attendance, outside of the Avalon Birth House. Please contact me directly for further information on all of the offerings above.
Contact Kate: info@consciousbirthing.co.uk
Samsara Tanner, Course Facilitator
Since I was a small child I have been drawn to the mystery of birth. My first birth was a powerful entrance into womanhood. I was not only amazed at my bodies ability to grow a baby, but also with the realisation that my body also knew how to birth him, nourish and comfort him with a sense of deep remembered knowledge. But a sense of aloneness was also present during my labour. My partner was everything and more, but he was having his "own" birth experience.
At one point during the labour I felt desperately alone, physically as well as emotionally. All I wanted was my mother, my sister, a friend, anyone who knew me. A woman who I could trustingly sink into, take strength from their belief in birth, who would whisper me words of love and encouragement and hold me as I travelled this journey. I promised to myself in that moment that I would never be along again in birth without a supporting sister with me, or that I would never leave a woman to labour alone if she asked me to accompany her. I had unknowingly become a Doula.
Two years later in the softness of the early morning light, I welcomed my precious daughter into my arms, gently surrounded by my partner and held by the strong female presence of my chosen Birthing companion. I felt that I somehow had returned home.
Now 29 years later I can be mostly found enjoying my wonderful and inspiring children, sitting in the magical woods where I live or by the side of a birthing woman as she journeys to becoming a new Mother.
I am a childbirth educator, facilitator of the Mumababy Tribe circle for pregnant and new Muma, a Birth and Postnatal Doula, a Doula UK mentor and I make placenta remedies.
Contact Samsara at: samsaratanner@hotmail.co.uk
