Prenatal and Perinatal Dynamics Module 1

Preconception/Conception Dynamics

Description and Learning Objectives

Welcome to Module 1 of the Integrated Prenatal and Perinatal Dynamics Course

Integrated Prenatal and Perinatal Dynamics is a trauma-informed approach to help practitioners prevent and heal earliest trauma. Module 1 covers transgenerational and intergenerational aspects of the prenatal and perinatal period, including epigenetics, neuroscience and fetal medicine. Participants are taught the impact of their presence through recognition of 5 practitioners skills, and 5 levels of touch skills to support families preconception, during pregnancy, after birth and as adults with earliest trauma.

There was a developmental leap in our field of practice during the early part of this century that has included epigenetics, neuroscience and fetal medicine that has brought evidence-based tools and research into sharper focus. The Decade of the Brain laid the foundation in the 1990's, and then the field of epigenetics really took off and is still growing. Fetal medicine now tells us that the place to go to have the best impact on human development is preconception or work to help parents with their histories and health. We can see the impact of trauma, tragedy, stress and health conditions in the next generation because of research, which is now sophisticated and supports the work we are doing here. These fields include Fetal Origins of Adult Disease (FoHad), Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DoHad), the neuroscience of relationships, polyvagal theory, fetal medicine, attachment science, early childhood and the developing brain science, and more. There is a lot of data now, and what we need are practices for our professionals to help bridge the gap between policy and research.

We start with our Preconception and Conception Dynamics classes that Lois and I recorded as part of the preparation for our training. They have written materials and transcripts, and additions where necessary.

We describe patterns we want you to be aware of when tracking preconception, conception when working with people and families. There is a three part presentation on epigenetics and transgenerational/intergenerational trauma, with transcripts.

Themes of Preconception/Conception Dynamics include:

• Ancestral patterns that come into the present generation
• Understanding when implicit memory is present and what to do about it
• The importance of working with Intention, or the beginning of a sequence that unfolds in therapeutic process
• How to support embodiment, especially tracking shock around conception
• Introduction to Double Binds and Differentiation
• Introduction to Attachment Patterns and how they show up in private practice
• Trauma Sensitive Intake and the Needs of Traumatized Patients

Learning Objectives for the Online Webinars, three 6.5 hour days

• Participants will gain greater understanding of the basic health principles that support practitioner skills in prenatal and perinatal somatic therapy.
• Participants will be identify elements of a creating safety through elements in a therapeutic setting. The specific approach is entitled Gracious Space, and participants will know how to create welcome for prenatal and perinatal clients.
• Participants will be able to apply the Benevolent Childhood Experiences score to build positive sensory states in clients as part of a trauma sensitive intake.
• Participants will have the capacity to explain a preconception patterns.
• Participants will create a therapeutic relationship that is balanced and supportive with specific techniques based on resonance, sensation and nonverbal gesture.
• Participants will identify a conception patterns
• Participants will explain and elicit differentiation as a skill.
• Participants will gain greater understanding of boundaries.
• Participants will explain the concepts of Ghosts, Angels and Echoes in the therapeutic space.
• Participants will identify 6 types of relational needs of Trauma Impacted People
• Participants will practice shifting sensory states as a tool to create health in the body.
• Participants will identify Double Bind States, beginning level
• Participants will identify attachment patterns and describe Safe Haven as a concept
• Participants will practice reflective listening skills.

Learning Outcomes:

• Students will create a positive therapeutic relationship and space to support health during pregnancy, after birth and in nervous system healing of earliest trauma
• Students will demonstrate proficiency in tracking nervous system and bodily felt states through their skills of presence, listening and relationship.
• Students will have an intermediate measure of preconception and conception issues in human development.
• Students will be able to identify double binds in the experiences of clients and apply skills of naming and differentiation to help clients.
• Students will name and categorize positive and overwhelming historical experiences for clients to be able to create resiliency in their nervous system.
• Students will recognize patterns of relationships with trauma-impacted people, and be able to address the needs of these specific relationships.
• Students will show the capacity to listen and reflect with clients to create a felt sense of safety in the therapeutic relationship.
• Students will recognize health in the nervous system and be able to help clients feel health in their bodies when working with sensation and touch.

Lectures:

• Lecture One: Introductions, Principles, History of this approach, Welcome and Gracious Space. Activity: Guided meditation to create your own Gracious Space in your therapeutic context, inviting elements discussed that are meaningful to you.
• Lecture Two: Creating a relational field in your therapeutic context with the felt bodily sense in present time. Mirroring gestures to create safety and reflection, reading the body’s communication. Breakout: Using the Benevolent Experiences Score as a tool to create safety and recognize “angels” in the history of the client.
• Lecture Three: Preconception Dynamics. Presentation of a case study and understanding prenatal and perinatal somatic therapy preconception patterns in human development. Elements include: Intention, transgenerational, intergenerational patterns, embodiment, pacing, health, differentiation. Exercise: Preconception and welcoming.
• Lecture Four: Conception Dynamics. Conception case study. In partners: Conception inquiry.
• Lecture Five: Meditation with embodiment: Feeling all parts of the body. Social engagement with embodiment: Feeling head, heart, belly. Review of overwhelming early experiences for babies, and lecture on implicit memories. Introduction to Double Binds. Skills practices: Build coherent positive states in the body, feels like how the client most likes to feel, name uncomfortable historical pattern, differentiate (this, not this).
• Lecture Six: Angels, Ghosts and Echoes. Presentation of 2 case studies. Exploration of the Trauma Sensitive Intake Framework of 6 possible case scenarios with role play.
• Lecture Seven: Meditation, embodiment and the social engagement and listening with the heart with reflection. Examining the layers of health and overwhelming states in the body. Long breakout: Shifting states exercise.
• Lecture Eight: Exploration of attachment styles. Working with your own attachment style in small groups. Applying what we know about trauma-sensitive intake to attachment styles. Small group Listening Space.