Dr. Britta Bushnell (she/her) is author of Transformed by Birth, host of the podcast Transformed, veteran childbirth educator, celebrated speaker, mythologist, wife and mother, and specialist in childbirth, relationship, and parenting. For over 20 years, Dr. Bushnell has worked with individuals and couples as they prepare for the life-changing experience of giving birth. Her work with parents has been enriched by her doctoral work in mythology and psychology, her years spent as a co-owner of Birthing From Within, as well as her dedicated study of solution-focused brief therapy, storytelling, and skills for supporting intimate relationships while parenting.
Britta is an engaging teacher, speaker, and presenter. Whether addressing a room of expectant parents, new mothers, or seasoned birth professionals, Britta has a way of captivating and inspiring them all. She has presented at conferences such as DONA International, MANA, ICEA, and Lamaze. Additionally, Britta has been featured on several popular podcasts including Informed Pregnancy, Birthful, and Atomic Moms. In 2016, in recognition of her transformative childbirth classes, Britta was awarded "Educator of the Year" by the Southern California Doula Association (DASC).
Becoming a parent is a process of profound maturation, one that requires expectant parents to grow into decision-makers for their growing families. Teachers and experts in the childbirth and parenting fields naturally want to share their hard-earned wisdom with expectant parents. However, doing so without awareness may be unwittingly reinforcing the idea for new parents, that experts “out there” hold the knowledge needed to be make decisions in the best interest of their growing family. This effectively keeps expectant parents in the energetic position of the child (the one who receives guidance) rather than supporting them to grow into the position of the parent (the one who makes decisions and acts).
If we want to help the expectant parents grow into autonomous and self-guided parents, educators must practice in such a way that inspires the growth needed in the parent rather than simply fill them with information. Flipping from the authority of teacher and expert to mentor or guide, reduces the hierarchical nature of the relationship and can help awaken the inner authority of the parent-to-be.
Understanding this dynamic along with a few basic tools can help you better support your clients as they stretch into parenthood.
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