OUR JOURNEY HERE

Prenatal and Birth Experience and Lifelong Influences

An Experiential Training for Practitioners

6 online seminars

Next Training Starting September 2024

Our Journey Here is a postgraduate training for practitioners wishing to extend their therapeutic practice or deepen their understanding of pre- and perinatal psychology and therapy approaches. The training will cover important developmental concepts including early pre- and perinatal memory, learning and intelligence, significant embryological events and their psychological correlates, and essential skills in identifying, being compassionately present with and resolving primal trauma.

The course is highly experiential, with somatic explorations grounded in relational, heart-centred, mindfulness and inspired by the work of pre- and perinatal pioneers Ray Castellino and William Emerson, as well as somatic practices like Body-Mind Centering (BMC) and Continuum. Participants are encouraged to investigate their own early life experience.

A major intention is to practice recognizing early trauma and being able to orient to the original potential the trauma may have occluded, both in oneself and in one’s clientele. This training is open to accredited psychotherapists, craniosacral therapists and other complementary and orthodox health professionals. The curriculum is covered in six three-day seminars offered online via Zoom.

A major premise for the curriculum is that we are most able to be present with our clients' early material when we have worked through our own. This training is designed to enhance awareness of and ability to be with pre- and perinatal issues and to support yourself and your clients in bringing mindful presence to your experience.

Cherionna is committed in her work & life to embodied presence.

 

Cherionna Menzam-Sills, PhD, ISMETA RSMT/E, RCST, BCST

  • somatic psychotherapist and prenatal and birth therapist for almost thirty years

  • biodynamic craniosacral therapist and teacher, often teaching with her husband, Biodynamics pioneer Franklyn Sills

  • PhD in Pre- and Perinatal Psychology

  • studied and worked extensively with leaders in the field, Dr. William Emerson and Ray Castellino

  •  taught graduate students in Somatic Psychology and Prenatal and Birth Psychology at Naropa University and the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute

  • senior tutor at Karuna Institue and Resourcing Your Life (www.resourcingyourlife.org)

  • informed by M.A. in Somatic Psychotherapy and additional training and experience in BodyMind Psychotherapy, Authentic Movement, Vipassana Meditation, many forms of bodywork and massage, and trauma therapies

  • authorised by founder Emilie Conrad in 2007 to teach Continuum, a mindful movement practice, which facilitates moving beyond conditioned form by accessing deeper embryological potential and fluidity

  • has taught embryology through movement since the early 90s

  • author of three books, The Breath of Life: An Introduction to Craniosacral Biodynamics,  Spirit into Form: Exploring Embryology and Prenatal Psychology, and the forthcoming Birth as Shadow: Shining Light on our Prenatal and Birth Experiences 

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Meet the Assistant Team

Federica Olivero

Federica came to the pre and perinatal work about 15 years ago as a client. Giving a voice to and understanding how her early experiences had shaped her life was what helped her to reconnect to her body and to life. She has been on this journey ever since and loves the potential of this work to deeply transform life at any age.

After graduating from Karuna as a biodynamic craniosacral therapist in 2012, she went on to specialise in working with prenatal and birth experiences, training with Cherionna Menzam-Sills and Franklyn Sills, as well as attending a number of workshops with Willam Emerson, Ray Castellino and other experts in the field. The depth of enquiry and verbal skills she brings to her work is also informed by her training in Relational Mindfulness and the Inner Child Journey Process.

She runs a practice in Bristol and online, with particular focus on pre and perinatal work for adults, parents and young children, and she has also been assisting Cherionna Menzam-Sills on various courses. She is originally from Italy but has lived in Bristol since 1998.

Tracy Burke

Tracy has always had a keen interest in health, the human body and process. Initially training as a registered nurse in 1988, going onto work in a wide variety of healthcare settings within the NHS and New Zealand. Returning to the UK in 1999 to train in massage, reflexology and various holistic therapies. With over 30 years of clinical experience she has been running a private practice since 2005. Tracy graduated from Karuna in craniosacral therapy in 2014 and has a practice in Glastonbury, where she sees a variety of clients, working with babies through to adults. Since graduating she has undertaken many CPD courses, assisted on CPD courses and the final training course at Karuna, ran a low cost baby clinic.

Tracy's interest in pre and perinatal work has steadily grown, working with babies, mums and early material with adults. She has regular supervision, pre and perinatal supervision, completed a pre and perinatal training and assisted on the 2022 pre and perinatal course. Tracy also has an interest in family constellation work, nature, tending her garden, singing, swimming, meditation and enjoys a light hearted approach to life.

Federica Gonzati

Federica (Fede) has worked as a body worker for more than 20 years, running a private practice in her own studio in Italy. She works with adults, children and future mother-to-be. 

She graduated as a Biodynamic Craniosacral therapist in 2012 in Italy. Since then she has attended several post-graduate seminars at Karuna Institute. She trained with Cherionna Menzam-Sills and Franklyn Sills on the “Prenatal Person” program at Karuna Institute in 2017/18.

This year she completed the Post-Qualification MA in Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapeutic Practice at Karuna Institute. She is accrediting with the UKCP as a Core Process Psychotherapy. 

Since 2014 she has been exploring her sense of embodiment and presence through Continuum having attending severals retreats with Cherionna Menzam-Sills and other authorised Continuum teachers. 

She has been practicing yoga and meditation since when she was 16 years old. She graduated as a yoga teacher about 10 years ago in India and offers courses to adults, pregnant women and children in Italy. 

Andrea Hallam Cohen

Around 2015 Andrea started to discover how core her pre and perinatal experiences were in shaping her.  She is so grateful to Cherionna for introducing her to the trio of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, Pre and Perinatal Psychology and Continuum.

Andrea has been practicing Feldenkrais for more than thirteen years and is training to be a biodynamic craniosacral practitioner. As a psychotherapist, Andrea has been influenced most by Hakomi, IFS, Our Journey Here and Formative Embodiment, and is currently training in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy.

Andrea has been a classical musician all her life, playing violin and viola.  She most loves the intimacy of chamber music. The question “what wants to happen?” is a guiding principle in both her music-making and clinical work. Originally from the UK, she moved to Israel in 2009.

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The Course Includes:

  • 6 live interactive 3-day seminars online via Zoom

  • Lifetime access to the video recordings of presentations and demonstrations from each class

  • Guided experiential explorations in triads supported by an assistant within Zoom break-out rooms

  • Somatic movement explorations within the group

  • PDFs of PowerPoint presentations from each class that you can print or download

  • Handouts and readings between each seminar

  • Additional videos, recommended reading and reference list for further study and exploration

  • Specific assignments between seminars including short writing assignments, meeting with peers, and a final essay on a relevant topic of your choice to be reviewed with feedback from Cherionna

  • Certificate of completion

Attendance:

Your attendance at each seminar is important both for your own learning and for the safety within the group supported by continuity. In case an emergency prevents you from attending, video recordings of the presentations and session demonstrations will be available to help you catch up but you would miss the supervised practical session work and somatic explorations we will engage in each seminar.

Cost: £1780

Deposit: £375 (non-transferable and non-refundable once you are accepted to the course)

Fees can be paid by PayPal or BACS

Payment Plans available (details on application form)

Program Schedule

The course has been adapted to an online format of six three-day seminars, Friday - Sunday, starting in September 2024.

We will meet 9:45 a.m. - 6:15 p.m. UK time each day with a 2-hour lunch break and shorter breaks as needed.

Between each seminar you will have assignments to complete as a way to further explore and integrate the material.

Course Overview

Seminar 1: Journey to the Womb 1 – Pre-Conception

Seminar 2: Journey to the Womb 2 - Conception and Implantation Journey

Seminar 3: Life in the Womb 1 – Implantation and Umbilical Affect

Seminar 4: Life in the Womb 2 - Discovery and Prenatal bonding

Seminar 5: Passing Through the Portal - Birth Dynamics

Seminar 6: Beyond the Portal – Birth, Bonding and Beyond

Dates:

Seminar 1: September  13th - 15th, 2024

Seminar 2: November 15th - 17th, 2024

Seminar 3: January 17th - 19th, 2025

Seminar 4: March 14th - 16th, 2025

Seminar 5: May 9th -11th, 2025

Seminar 6: July 11th - 13th, 2025

Are you ready to heal and learn more about your early beginnings

and how to support your clients with primal trauma?

Please Complete Application Form to Secure Your Place in This Special Training!

 

Please note that taking a womb surround process workshop is a pre-requisite for the training.

As preparation, you can arrange to take a womb surround process workshop, if you haven't already done so. To learn more, view available dates, and apply, please click here

These workshop fill up very quickly as they are limited to 4 participants.

A special workshop for applicants has been set up for August 8 - 11, 2024 but you must apply for the training first.

Pre-quisites:

  • have completed training in a form of therapy : Examples include psychotherapist, psychologist, counsellor, Craniosacral therapist, osteopath,  medical doctor, social worker, body therapist, massage therapist,  creative arts therapist, dance/movement psychotherapist, art therapist, drama therapist, holistic therapist, play therapist.

  • have clinical experience working with clients and/or groups since graduation

  • have taken at least one womb surround process workshop before applying for the training (This can be with Cherionna or another facilitator.)

Application Process Includes:

  • submit completed application form including recent photo, two professional references, a statement of your intention in taking the training, and an autobiographical statement

  • an interview with Cherionna via Zoom after your complete application has been submitted

  • payment of a deposit to reserve your space

PLEASE NOTE: The training is limited to 12 students on a first come first serve basis. Early application is recommended.

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"I see our ‘bodies’ formed by the liquid of our first cradle. Our early watery environment shapes and gives us its secret. This is our first home, our ‘primordial field.’ The fluid in our cells is our birthplace, our memory of the creative matrix in which all life is summoned."

– Emilie Conrad, Founder of Continuum

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Birthing Your Life
www.birthingyourlife.org
Resourcing Your Life
www.resourcingyourlife.org