The Family Journey

The Family Journey is becoming increasingly connected with other Colorado grassroots birth organizations. We are excited to share some of their very important events here:

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Long gone are the days when a father paced back and forth in a smoky hospital waiting room while his wife gave birth elsewhere, in a room full of strangers. This was the stereotype during the mid-twentieth century. Today, nearly 90% of fathers are present at the birth of their children. A lot is known about the changes a woman goes through as she becomes a mother, but what about the changes of a man into a dad?

London-based author Patrick Houser has much to say about becoming a dad. Houser will visit Colorado April 29 – May 8, 2010 on a state-wide tour, stopping in Denver, Salida, Grand Junction and Durango. His workshops, presentations and classes are designed to educate parents, birth professionals and healthcare providers on the importance of the father’s role in pregnancy, birth and early parenting. Says Houser, “The transition to fatherhood is one of the most significant and challenging experiences a man will ever face. In order to have a satisfying and successful experience, fathers must feel safe, supported and confident. To optimize the possibilities for our families, we need to provide appropriate educational, physical and emotional support for ‘father love’.”

And supporting ‘father love’ is Houser’s mission. Houser’s workshops and presentations engage participants in both new and timeless information: the idea that fathers go through significant hormonal changes in much the same way as their wives, that they too need support during these transitions in order to best support their families, and that they must attend to how they themselves were fathered.

Patrick pioneered conscious birthing with his son’s waterbirth in 1980–the first in the US–and went on to work as a social architect in the world of birth advocacy for 25 years. In 2006, he co-founded Fathers-To-Be International and works internationally with expectant and new dads, birthcare professionals and educators. He is the author of Fathers-To-Be Handbook: A Roadmap for the Transition to Fatherhood.

Birth professionals, healthcare providers, mothers, fathers and parents-to-be are all invited to attend any workshop or speaking engagement. Continuing Education credits are available for birth professionals. (4 L-CERPs have been approved through IBLCE. 4 CEU reciprocity has been offered and verified through NARM, DONA, CAPPA and ACBE.)

2010 Colorado FatherLove Tour Dates

Denver:

Birth Professional Workshop

Topic: Supporting Fathers in Pregnancy, Birth, Breastfeeding and Early Parenting

Date: April 29, 2010, 1 – 5:15 PM (Registration opens at 12:30 PM)

Location: St. Anthony Central Hospital, 4231 W. 16th Avenue, Denver, CO

Registration: At the Door, $45 general admission or $85 admission with CERPs or CEUs.

Register online for a DISCOUNT of $5 general admission/$10 admission with CERPs or CEUs. Online registration is available at www.wisdomwithinyourbody.org/fatherlovedenver and ENDS April 28th.

Community Presentation

Topic: When Dads Have Babies: The Science of FatherLove

Date: April 29, 2010, 7 – 8 PM

Location: St. Anthony Central Hospital, 4231 W. 16th Avenue, Denver, CO

Registration: Free and Open to the public. Walk-Ins Welcome. Donations appreciated.

Salida:

Birth Professional Workshop

Topic: Including Fathers in our Perinatal and Breastfeeding Language

Date: April 30, 2010, 10:30 AM – Noon (Registration opens at 10 AM)

Location: 2010 Reproductive Wellness Symposium, Salida Café and Roastery Community Room, 300 W. Sackett Ave., Salida, CO

Registration: $10 general admission/$50 admission with CERPs or CEUs. Register early for the full symposium weekend, or at the door for this individual workshop.

Full Symposium Weekend registration costs are $65 general admission/$105 admission with CERPs or CEUs. Early registration ends April 27, 2010. Register online at www.wisdomwithinyourbody.org.

Community Class

Topic: Proud Papas – Creating Community-Supported Fathers’ Groups

Date: May 1, 2010, 3 – 4 PM

Location: 2010 Reproductive Wellness Symposium, Salida Café and Roastery Community Room, 300 W. Sackett Ave., Salida, CO

Registration: Free and Open to the Public. Walk-Ins Welcome. Donations appreciated.

Birth Professional Workshop

Topic: Supporting Fathers in Pregnancy, Birth, Breastfeeding and Early Parenting

Date: May 2, 2010, 1 – 5:15 PM (Registration opens at 12:30 PM)

Location: 2010 Reproductive Wellness Symposium, Salida Café and Roastery Community Room, 300 W. Sackett Ave., Salida, CO

Registration: $20 general admission/$60 admission with CERPs or CEUs. Register early for the full symposium weekend, or at the door for this individual workshop.

Full Symposium registration $65 general admission/$105 admission with CERPs or CEUs. Early registration ends April 27, 2010. Register online at www.wisdomwithinyourbody.org.

Grand Junction:

Community Presentation

Topic: When Dads Have Babies: The Science of FatherLove

Date: May 5, 2010, 7 – 8:30 PM

Location: Coffee Muggers, 644 Main St, Grand Junction, CO

Registration: Free and Open to the Public, Walk-Ins Welcome. Donations appreciated.

Birth Professional Workshop

Topic: Supporting Fathers in Pregnancy, Birth, Breastfeeding and Early Parenting

Date: May 6, 1 – 5:15 PM (Registration opens at 12:30 PM)

Location: Koinonia Church, 730 25 Road, Grand Junction, CO

Registration: At the Door, $45 general admission/$70 admission with CERPs or CEUs.

Register online for a DISCOUNT of $5 general admission/$10 admission with CERPs or CEUs. Online registration is available at www.wisdomwithinyourbody.org/fatherlovejunction and ENDS May 5th.

Durango, CO:

Birth Professional Workshop

Topic: Supporting Fathers in Pregnancy, Birth, Breastfeeding and Early Parenting

Date: May 7, 1 – 5:15 PM (Registration opens at 12:30 PM)

Location: Serving Life Chiropractic, 1040 Main Ave. upstairs, Durango, CO

Registration: At the Door, $45 general admission/$70 admission with CERPs or CEUs.

Register online for a DISCOUNT of $5 general admission/$10 admission with CERPs or CEUs. Online registration is available at www.wisdomwithinyourbody.org/fatherlovedurango and ENDS May 6th.

Community Presentation

Topic: When Dads Have Babies: The Science of Father Love

Date: May 8, 10:30 – Noon

Location: The Durango Pregnancy Expo, Serving Life Chiropractic, 1040 Main Ave. upstairs, Durango, CO

Registration: $10; Contact Serving Life Chiropractic to register over the phone: 970-422-2032

Houser’s visit is hosted by a cooperative effort of Wisdom Within, Fathers-To-Be International, A Bump in the Road, Mountain Midwifery Center and BirthSmart.

Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you at one of these events!

Here’s a write-up that Gina DeRosa published on examiner.com about the upcoming BirthChat, which features different styles of Childbirth Preparation. You can subscribe to her posts and stay informed on birth-related events happening in Colorado.

I know many of you are very eager to help with BOLD. Here’s your chance!

If you are interested in volunteering, we are having a short informational meeting at 10:00 a.m. this Friday, June 26th. We’ll meet in the same location as BirthChat – The Tap Room @ Catalyst, 3501 S. Shields, Fort Collins (if the Tap room is busy, see if we’re in the cozy corner on the Espresso Side).

The purpose of this meeting will be to gauge how much help we’ll have and what your interests are in helping.

Please feel free to bring your children. We are attempting to secure some childcare help so that you can focus on the meeting.

We invite you to be a part of a movement that is shaping Birth Culture by becoming a member of The Family Journey.

Members of The Family Journey Receive:
- Two electronic newsletters annually. You can share these with anyone you choose!
- A discounted rate on the purchase of BOLD tickets!
- The satisfaction of funding a change in local birth culture!

These benefits come with a new, lower rate of just $25 per year!

Since it’s inception in January of 2007, the average number of attendees at BirthChat has more than doubled! We are growing all the time!

Thanks to our members, we are able to offer monthly BirthChat discussions, participate in outreach events such as Birth On Labor Day, and provide a setting where people can find support, information, and community.

To become a member, contact Keri at (970) 556 1291 or
via email at birthadvocate (at) msn (dot) com. Let’s change birth culture together!

The Family Journey is a Colorado non-profit organization.

Due to scheduling conflicts with TreeTop Studio The Family Journey has chosen to move BirthChat to a new location, effective this month.

Please join us 10/20 at 6:00pm at Catalyst Espresso Bar and Tasting Lounge, located at 3501 S. Shields St, Fort Collins 80526.

October BirthChat will feature guest speaker Dian Sparling, a Fort Collins Certified Nurse Midwife.

As always, you are welcome to bring anyone who wants to share her story or learn more about birth culture.

If you have any questions, please contact Keri at 970 556 1291.

Supporting Women through Perinatal Loss – A Workshop for Childbirth Professionals 

with Miriam Maslin

Sponsored by   The Family Journey

The entire birthing process can be seen as a paradigm. Painful contractions
represent the challenges in our lives; and each challenge presents an
opportunity for growth and healing.  The greater the challenge – the greater
the potential for transformation.  Only from the deepest, darkest places can
we reach the loftiest heights.

Stillbirths and neonatal deaths are “contractions” that no one ever wishes
to encounter. Yet, working in this field, each of us will ultimately be
called upon to support through such an experience.

     How can we, as childbirth professionals, learn to be truly present with
     our  clients? 

     Do we know that while pain and loss are inevitable, trauma is not?

     What can we do to support in a way that will promote healing and
     growth?

     And finally, how can we support and elevate ourselves throughout this
     difficult process?

We will explore this challenge through stories, meditations, writing,
counseling exercises, sharing, and teachings.

Date: Monday, June 2, 2008
Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Place: 2900 Wagonwheel Court, Fort Collins, CO
Fee: $125 ($100 will be refunded if anyone is called to a birth) payable upon registration
Workshop participation is limited to 15 participants

DONA CEU’s: 5

For information, registration and directions:
Kim Lenderts
       Tel: 970-225-0828
        E-Mail: babycatcher@comcast.net

Wife, mother, grandmother, and retired interior designer, Miriam Maslin has
been a source of inspiration to many: young and old, secular and religious,
long-time searchers and those who are just beginning their own “Interior
Design”. Her inner journey has taken her across the spectrum from the
beginning to the end of the life cycle — she is a doula and has served as
both hospice volunteer and member of the Jewish Burial Society.  She
incorporates both Polarity Therapy (a system of energy/holistic healing) and
spiritual teachings into her work.  Miriam has lead workshops for women’s
groups and childbirth professionals all over the United States, Canada, and
Israel. You can read more about her work at  www.miriammaslin.com

 If you are interested in improving your communication skills for personal or professional benefit, please consider attending these workshops being offered through LLL of Colorado/Wyoming.  Be assured that the cost is well below the value for these life-enriching sessions.

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LLL of Colorado/Wyoming’s Communication Skills Department is pleased to announce that a full Communication Skills series will be offered in Longmont! CS 1 will be held on Saturday, February 16, CS 2 on a Saturday TBD in March, and CS 3 on a Saturday TBD in April. All sessions will begin at 9:15 AM and end at 12:15 PM. We will have a “soft landing” available at 9 AM for those desiring it.  Please bring snack to share and/or an item to add to our Stone Soup.

CS Course Descriptions

Communication Skills 1: Listening from the Heart will be offered on February 16, 2008. This session focuses on the skills of attending behavior, reading body language, and identifying feelings and the meanings behind them. It also offers practice in making empathetic responses conversational. Attending CS 1 is recommended before taking CS 2 and CS 3, since CS 2 and CS 3 build on the skills practiced in CS 1.

Communication Skills 2: Offering Information for Change will be offered in March. In this session, we use effective summarizing to help move a conversation along. After practicing this skill, participants learn to impart and obtain information in ways that are responsive to the speaker’s needs. Participants learn to evaluate the effectiveness of various kinds of responses. CS 2 is no longer a prerequisite for CS 3, although CS 3 does build upon CS 2 skills.

Communication Skills 3: Developing Skills for Harmony will be offered in April. This session focuses on giving the helper the tools to respond empathetically during conflict, determine who owns the problem, state one’s own needs, set limits, and problem solve.

Communication Skills Session Fees

First time participants:*
    Leaders                    $10
    Leader Applicants  $10
    Members                 $10
    Non-members        $12
Repeated sessions:
    Leaders                    $5
    Leader Applicants  $5
    Members                 $5
    Non-members         $6

*Discounts are available for first time participants when sessions are paid for as a complete series (CS 1, 2 & 3 for $27 for LLL Leaders, Leader Applicants and Members or $33 for non-members).

Don’t miss this chance to take Communication Skills sessions in Longmont! These sessions are open to anyone, including LLL Leaders, Leader Applicants, members and non-members. Please note that attending CS 1 is recommended (but not required) before taking CS 2 and CS 3.

For more information, please contact Kim    babycatcher@comcast.net