For the past 13 years, as a doula, childbirth educator and body worker, I have used DreamBirth® Imagery. Although I have worked primarily with pregnant women, more and more women have been sent to me with help in getting pregnant, as well as working with previous clients who have suffered miscarriages and want to get pregnant again. DreamBirth® is such an incredible tool, that if I were to put it into percentage, 95% of the women I have worked with have been able to conceive, and the ones who didn’t discovered that they did not want to get pregnant, at least at that moment, as they had older children and careers that were taking off.

Many of the women came to me out of desperation. They had tried multiple iVF’s and still had not been able to conceive, or if they had, had not been able to keep the pregnancy. My success rate is not so much a testament about my abilities, but about DreamBirth® itself.

If you are one of the women who feel you have tried everything , and are now feeling sad, discouraged, and perhaps envious, as Catherine Shainberg says in her groundbreaking book, DreamBirth®, “Do not lose hope!”. Both she and I, as well as other DreamBirth® practioners have witnessed miracles. And if you are someone who wants to conceive consciously, welcome!

Class 1

The journey begins!
In this class you learn about imagery, and how it affects your body, your emotions, your mind and your spirit, and how DreamBirth® imagery is the perfect tool for conception. You learn about the particular tradition that DreamBirth® exercises come from, and how quick, easy to do, fun and effective they are. They can be revelatory. Your will hear conception success stories and of course start to experience DreamBirth® yourself, as this work is experiential. You will learn about the importance of night dreams and the role of the subconscious in conception, and how through the exercises you can both harness the strength and knowledge that resides there, and clear and transform all that gets in the way of conceiving.

Class 2

Pre -Conception, Clearing the Way
In this class we begin to clear resentments of the past and fears of the future. Through DreamBirth® you can change your past, as it were, or you can change your relationship to a memory, which then changes the effects of the memory . First we look at old relationships that still cling to you. We also resolve and repair any miscarriages or abortions you may have had. As I have discovered in my practice, sometimes, that same soul that miscarried or was aborted is planning to come back to you, and often has a life-affirming message for you. We will do exercises to create a sense of safety and well-being

Class 3

Clearing Blocked Emotions
In this class we deal with clearing any blocked (or not so blocked) emotions that may get in the way; fear, resentment, guilt, anger, lack of self-worth. And of course, the antidote: many exercises that make you feel good, put you in a good place, reveal your inner strength and beauty.

Classes 4 & 5

Clearing Belief Systems
Belief systems are so familiar, like the air we breathe, we simply think that is the way it is, that it is reality. Great or small beliefs can get in the way, women in my family have difficulty conceiving, you have small hips, birth will be difficult, if I have a child, I can’t have a career, and on and on. In these two classes we deal with personal and ancestral belief systems that may get in the way, and any other life experiences that affect your beliefs about conception.

Class 6

Preparing for Conception
Parenting begins before conception, so the relationship with your partner or support person, if you are doing it as a single parent, is of paramount importance. We do many exercises that help with relationships and problems that arise, and in finding harmony. We also do exercises for internal preparation, preparing the ground, as it were.

Classes 7 & 8

Conception
And now we are ready for conception, for conscious conception. We do many exercises for conception and exercises that encourage the flow of hormones that will allow the embryo to implant and flourish. We do exercises that promote the ‘loving attention’ that encourages all life to thrive. We do many exercises to put you ‘in a good place’, and a few words and true stories about the importance of timing, and respecting when the soul needs and intends to come in, sometimes earlier, often later than your desire. In my experience, the intention of the soul coming in, when it needs to be born, what energies it wants made available to it, seems to trump all other factors. And so often, great faith and patience are needed!

DreamBirth® is such an incredible tool, that if I were to put it into percentage, 95% of the women I have worked with have been able to conceive, and the ones who didn’t , discovered that they did not want to get pregnant, at least at that moment, as they had older children and careers that were taking off. Many of the women came to me out of desperation. They had tried multiple IVF’s and still had not been able to conceive, or if they had, had not been able to keep the pregnancy. My success rate is not so much a testament about my abilities, but about DreamBirth® itself. If you are one of the women who feel you have tried everything, and are now feeling sad, discouraged, and perhaps envious, as Catherine Shainberg says in her groundbreaking book, DreamBirth®, “Do not lose hope!”. Both she and I, as well as other DreamBirth® practitioners have witnessed miracles. And if you are about to begin your journey and want to conceive consciously, welcome!

Content 1: 8-9:30am EST

The journey begins!
In this class you learn about imagery, and how it affects your body, your emotions, your mind and your spirit, and how DreamBirth® imagery is the perfect tool for conception. You learn about the particular tradition that DreamBirth® exercises come from, and how quick, easy to do, fun and effective they are. They can be revelatory. Your will hear conception success stories and of course start to experience DreamBirth yourself, as this work is experiential. You will learn about the importance of night dreams and the role of the subconscious in conception, and how through the exercises you can both harness the strength and knowledge that resides there, and clear and transform all that gets in the way of conceiving.

Content 2: Sat 10-11:30am EST

Pre -Conception, Clearing the Way
In this class we begin to clear resentments of the past and fears of the future. Through DreamBirth® you can change your past, as it were, or you can change your relationship to a memory, which then changes the effects of the memory. First we look at old relationships that still cling to you. We also resolve and repair any miscarriages or abortions you may have had. As I have discovered in my practice, sometimes, the same soul that miscarried or was aborted is planning to come back to you, and often has a life-affirming message for you. We will do exercises to create a sense of safety and well-being

Content 3: Sat 12:30-2pm EST

Clearing Blocked Emotions
In this class we deal with clearing any blocked (or not so blocked) emotions that may get in the way; fear, resentment, guilt, anger, lack of self-worth. And of course, the antidote: many exercises that make you feel good, put you in a good place, reveal your inner strength and beauty.

Classes 4: Sat 2:30-2pm EST

Clearing Belief Systems
Belief systems are so familiar, like the air we breathe, we simply think that is the way it is, that it is reality. Great or small beliefs can get in the way, women in my family have difficulty conceiving, you have small hips, birth will be difficult, if I have a child, I can’t have a career, and on and on. In these two classes we deal with personal and ancestral belief systems that may get in the way, and any other life experiences that affect your beliefs about conception.

Content 5: Sun 8-9:30am EST

Clearing Belief Systems , continued
Belief systems are so familiar, like the air we breathe, we simply think that is the way it is, that it is reality. Great or small beliefs can get in the way, women in my family have difficulty conceiving, you have small hips, birth will be difficult, if I have a child, I can’t have a career, and on and on. In these two classes we deal with personal and ancestral belief systems that may get in the way, and any other life experiences that affect your beliefs about conception.

Content 6: Sun 10-11:30am EST

Preparing for Conception
Parenting begins before conception, so the relationship with your partner or support person, if you are doing it as a single parent, is of paramount importance. We do many exercises that help with relationships and problems that arise, and in finding harmony. We also do exercises for internal preparation, preparing the ground, as it were.

Content 7: Sun 12:30-2pm EST

Conception
And now we are ready for conception, for conscious conception. We do many exercises for conception and exercises that encourage the flow of hormones that will allow the embryo to implant and flourish. We do exercises that promote the ‘loving attention’ that encourages all life to thrive. We do many exercises to put you ‘in a good place’.

Content 8: Sun 2:30-4pm EST

Conception, continued
We continue with exercises for conception and a few words and true stories about the importance of timing, and respecting when the soul needs and intends to come in, sometimes earlier, often later than your desire. In my experience, the intention of the soul coming in, when it needs to be born, what energies it wants made available to it, seems to trump all other factors. And so often, great faith and patience are needed!

Schedule of all Weekends

Saturday (all times given are EST)
8-9:30am Content 1
9:30-10am Break
10-11:30am Content 2
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch
12:30-2pm Content 3
2-2:30pm Break
2:30-4pm Content 4

Sunday (all times given are EST)
8-9:30am Content 5
9:30-10am Break
10-11:30am Content 6
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch
12:30-2pm Content 7
2-2:30pm Break
2:30-4pm Content 8

As a doula who has assisted in over 270 births and as a childbirth educator who has prepared many women to navigate their pregnancies and labors beautifully, I can unequivocally assert that there is no greater tool for both pregnancy and childbirth than DreamBirth® Imagery.

Imagery is the language of the body, of experiencing. It is the first language the body understands. As Catherine Shainberg, the creator of DreamBirth explains, “The body doesn’t understand words as well as it does pictures. You can’t tell your heart to beat less quickly, but by imagery you can learn to quiet heart beats, to lower high blood pressure, to stop premature contractions…”, to get the baby in the right position, to open easily, to diffuse and lessen pain –the list is endless.

With DreamBirth® you can:

• -Learn to see, connect and communicate with your baby throughout your Pregnancy
• -Create an easeful and beneficial birth environment for you and your baby
• -Promote optimal fetal positioning
• -Diminish fears
• -Help reduce pain during labor
• -Accelerate the post- partum healing process
• -Minimize side effects of medication
• -Create deeper intimacy between you and your partner

Module One: Pregnancy and Communicating with Baby

In this module you will learn how to communicate with your baby and give the focused attention your baby needs to flourish and develop. Birth is a natural process, your body already knows how to birth, but fears, anxieties, lack of belief in the body’s abilities, and incorrect ideas about birth and your abilities get in the way. So, as well as giving your body, your baby and yourself the correct ‘pictures’ of a good birth, you will also learn how to address and change all that gets in the way.

Class 1

Communicating with baby, body wisdom, first and second trimester issues.
You will learn how to communicate with the baby, your body and your inner wisdom. You will learn exercises that help your body to enter that unique state of relaxation and safety needed for birth, as the more open and relaxed your body is during labor, the less pain it will experience and the easier labor will progress. We will do exercises to address particular issues that come up in the first two trimesters: nausea, fatigue, emotional swings, body image, sibling rivalry, choices, premature contractions and mothering issues. What DreamBirth® exercises we do depends on needs of class.

Classes 2 & 3

Relaxation and safety, clearing worries and incorrect ideas, creating optimism.
We continue to address the state of relaxation and safety needed during the birth process, but now we go deeper. We will look at how our thoughts, beliefs and fears can impact our state of relaxation. The exercises chosen in these classes will help you create a safe space and a feeling of support, no matter the external circumstances. We will practice exercises which serve to clear or diffuse worries, anxieties and fears, and exercises that will clear incorrect ideas and belief systems passed on to us from our ancestry or previous experience. You will learn ways to create protection and optimism for you and your baby. We will also take a look at how your relationships might be affecting you, with partners, parents, children, doctors. You will experience the use of imagery to improve communication if needed, to deepen relationships and in some cases to transform them.

Class 4

Flexibility of body and mind
In this class you will learn to develop flexibility of body and mind, as that is what birth and mothering require. DreamBirth® exercises allows us to direct the cells of our body, nature itself, into its most optimal, easeful functioning. You will learn the importance of alignment for comfort and for an easier birth. We will do exercises that expand and lengthen. and learn to turn a breech or misaligned baby. Light, air and water images expand; you will experience the connection between jaw and pelvis, mouth and cervix.

Module 2: Preparing for Labor and After

In this module, you will learn coping strategies for every stage of labor. We will address practical matters such as common hospital routines and show you ways to transform potentially distracting or problematic situations that may be encountered in a hospital setting. We will address as well any remaining emotions that may get in the way; fear, guilt, anger, lack of self-worth. In the final classes we address post-partum concerns including milk production, sleep exhaustion and feelings of overwhelm. And finally, you will learn exercises to repair the body postpartum and to connect with baby long distance.

Class 1

Coping strategies for every stage of labor
In this class, you will learn coping strategies for every stage of labor. You will learn exercises that make your body flexible, pliant and supple. You will learn ways to encourage dilation, and how to help your baby to descend and move easefully into the birth canal. We will do exercises to diminish or eliminate tearing during the pushing stage.

Class 2

Transforming the birth place, common hospital routines.
In this class, we will address practical matters such as common hospital routines and show you ways to transform potentially distracting or problematic situations that may be encountered in a hospital setting. You will learn the major exercise to prepare for the oncoming birth whether it is completely natural, medicated or cesarian; whether it is a home birth, a birthing center birth, or a hospital birth. If partners attend additional exercises for them will be given. (Partners and doulas are encouraged to attend this class.)

Class 3

Emotions that get in the way, immediate Post-partum issues.
In this class, you will learn exercises for immediately after the birth: to connect with the baby, to clear the body and the baby if any medications were taken, to heal any tears and incisions. We will address as well any remaining emotions that may get in the way; fear, guilt, anger, lack of self-worth.

Class 4

Encouraging milk supply, calming overwhelm, sleep exhaustion, body repair.
In this class, you will learn exercises to encourage milk supply, to calm overwhelm, for sleep exhaustion, and exercises for quietening oneself. And finally, you will learn exercises to repair the body postpartum and to connect with your baby long distance, when needed.

As a doula who has assisted in over 300 births and as a childbirth educator who has prepared many women to navigate their pregnancies and labors beautifully, I can unequivocally assert that there is no greater tool for both pregnancy and childbirth than DreamBirth® Imagery.
Imagery is the language of the body, of experiencing. You can’t tell your heart to beat less quickly, but by imagery you can learn to quiet heart beats, to lower high blood pressure, to stop premature contractions…”, to get the baby in the right position, to open easily, to diffuse and lessen pain –the list is endless.

Content 1: 8-9:30am EST

Communicating with baby, body wisdom, first and second trimester issues. You will learn how to communicate with the baby, your body and your inner wisdom. You will learn exercises that help your body to enter that unique state of relaxation and safety needed for birth, as the more open and relaxed your body is during labor, the less pain it will experience and the easier labor will progress. We will do exercises to address particular issues that come up in the first two trimesters: nausea, fatigue, emotional swings, body image, sibling rivalry, choices, premature contractions and mothering issues. What DreamBirth® exercises we do depends on needs of class.

Content 2: Sat 10-11:30am EST

Relaxation and safety, clearing worries and incorrect ideas, creating optimism. We continue to address the state of relaxation and safety needed during the birth process, but now we go deeper. We will look at how our thoughts, beliefs and fears can impact our state of relaxation. The exercises chosen in these classes will help you create a safe space and a feeling of support, no matter the external circumstances.

Content 3: Sat 12:30-2pm EST

We will practice exercises which serve to clear or diffuse worries, anxieties and fears, and exercises that will clear incorrect ideas and belief systems passed on to us from our ancestry or previous experience. You will learn ways to create protection and optimism for you and your baby. We will also take a look at how your relationships might be affecting you, with partners, parents, children, doctors. You will experience the use of imagery to improve communication if needed, to deepen relationships and in some cases to transform them.

Classes 4: Sat 2:30-2pm EST

Flexibility of body and mind In this class you will learn to develop flexibility of body and mind, as that is what birth and mothering require. DreamBirth® exercises allows us to direct the cells of our body, nature itself, into its most optimal, easeful functioning. You will learn the importance of alignment for comfort and for an easier birth. We will do exercises that expand and lengthen. and learn to turn a breech or misaligned baby. Light, air and water images expand; you will experience the connection between jaw and pelvis, mouth and cervix.

Content 5: Sun 8-9:30am EST

Coping strategies for every stage of labor In this class, you will learn coping strategies for every stage of labor. You will learn exercises that make your body flexible, pliant and supple. You will learn ways to encourage dilation, and how to help your baby to descend and move easefully into the birth canal. We will do exercises to diminish or eliminate tearing during the pushing stage.

Content 6: Sun 10-11:30am EST

Transforming the birth place, common hospital routines. In this class, we will address practical matters such as common hospital routines and show you ways to transform potentially distracting or problematic situations that may be encountered in a hospital setting. You will learn the major exercise to prepare for the oncoming birth whether it is completely natural, medicated or cesarian; whether it is a home birth, a birthing center birth, or a hospital birth. If partners attend additional exercises for them will be given. (Partners and doulas are encouraged to attend this class.)

Content 7: Sun 12:30-2pm EST

Emotions that get in the way, immediate Post-partum issues. In this class, you will learn exercises for immediately after the birth: to connect with the baby, to clear the body and the baby if any medications were taken, to heal any tears and incisions. We will address as well any remaining emotions that may get in the way; fear, guilt, anger, lack of self-worth.

Content 8: Sun 2:30-4pm EST

Encouraging milk supply, calming overwhelm, sleep exhaustion, body repair. In this class, you will learn exercises to encourage milk supply, to calm overwhelm, for sleep exhaustion, and exercises for quietening oneself. And finally, you will learn exercises to repair the body postpartum and to connect with your baby long distance, when needed.

Schedule of all Weekends

Saturday (all times given are EST)
8-9:30am Content 1
9:30-10am Break
10-11:30am Content 2
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch
12:30-2pm Content 3
2-2:30pm Break
2:30-4pm Content 4

Sunday (all times given are EST)
8-9:30am Content 5
9:30-10am Break
10-11:30am Content 6
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch
12:30-2pm Content 7
2-2:30pm Break
2:30-4pm Content 8

Overview of the Certification Training for DreamBirth for Professionals Training:

1. DreamBirth® for Pregnancy and Childbirth
Consists of 3 courses, a total of 21 classes.

2. DreamBirth® for Conception
Consists of 2 courses, a total of 14 classes.

3. DreamBirth® for Bonding and Early Mothering
Consists of 1 course, a total of 7 classes.

4. Integration and Practice of DreamBirth®
Consists of 1 course, a total of 7 classes.

If you are interested in Certification:

For Level I Certification

• Attend all classes in DreamBirth for Pregnancy and Childbirth (21 classes), DreamBirth for Conception (14 classes), DreamBirth for Mothering (7 classes), Integration and Practice of DreamBirth (7 classes).
  *If you cannot attend the class, you must listen to recording. Recordings, because of storage issues, are normally kept live for only 2 weeks. If you will not be able to listen to the recording within those 2 weeks, let us know.
• Receive 3 private sessions
• Take a written exam based on Class Notes. Class notes are emailed at end of each class. Written exam is at end of Integration Module.

If you are interested in further certification contact The School of Images (theschoolofimages.org) , or write to Claudia Raiken, the head of the DreamBirth Training and Certification program at cr@theschoolofimages.org.

(Clearing exercises are woven into every section of the training, as they are necessary in conception, pregnancy, childbirth and mothering. The clearing exercises includes exercises to deal with stuck patterns and ancestral issues, as every part of the process often needs to be cleared of any unwanted ‘gifts’ or beliefs you may have received from your ancestry, and of patterns that are getting in the way of a successful conception, or in the way of a happier pregnancy, birth or early mothering experience.)

• Course 1 (7 classes)
  About Imagery, First and Second Trimesters, relationships, ancestral issues, stuck patterns.
• Course 2 (7 classes)
  Flexibility of body and mind, preparing for birth, asking permission of the body. Continue with emotions that get in the way.
• Course 3 (7 classes)
  Later post-partum issues, family integration, exercises for partner, problems of pregnancy and labor.

• Course 1 (7 classes)
  Pre-conception exercises, clearing emotions that get in the way. clearing belief systems, repairing relationships, miscarriages and abortions.
• Course 2 (7 classes)
  Conscious conception! Exercises for IVF and Donor Eggs, exercises to invite the baby-to-be. Exercises that encourage the flow of hormones that allow the embryo to implant and flourish.

• Course 1 (7 classes)
  Exercises for mothering and bonding, and self-care. Growing one’s inner child. Seeing and feeling from the baby’s eyes and skin, how to deal with crying and emotional outbursts. Sibling rivalry, family integration.

• Course 1 (7 classes)
  Integrates all you have learned in the classes for pregnancy and birth, conception, and mothering and bonding. Examine cases and possible routes to take. Classes have a lot of flexibility built in, depending on the needs of the class. It is a preparation for final certifying exam.

DreamBirth® is a tool par excellence to address both the inner fears, worries, beliefs, and ancestral patterns that get in the way of a good pregnancy and birth, as well the external demands of partners, parents, other children, and hospital procedures and attitudes of birthing personnel that can also impede the natural flow of events. And it is an excellent tool to create the conditions for a positive birth experience.

• Course 1 (7 classes)
  About Imagery, First and Second Trimesters, relationships, ancestral issues, stuck patterns.
  Find out how imagery works, how it is learned, how to respond to the necessity of an image, and the importance of practicing the imagery oneself. Learn exercises to connect with the baby and exercises that create a sense of safety and support, as well as exercises for the practitioner. Exercises to deal with problems and issues that arise during the first and second trimesters: nausea, fatigue, emotional swings and fears, body image and premature contractions. Exercises to prepare for procedures, and most importantly, exercises to deal with fears of mothering. Exercises to deal with relationships (to partner, mother, one’s other children, friends, work colleagues, doctors or midwives). We deal with ancestral issues, stuck patterns, incorrect thinking and growing up inner child. We work with emotions that get in the way; guilt, anger, fear, lack of self-worth, as well as exercises that build optimism and well-being. Learn exercises to deal with previous miscarriages and abortions.
• Course 2 (7 classes)
  Flexibility of body and mind, preparing for birth, asking permission of the body. Continue with emotions that get in the way.
  Focus of these classes is to develop flexibility of body and mind, as both birth and mothering require it. Importance of alignment for comfort and an easier birth-with correct alignment there is more room for baby, and allows baby to descend. Exercises that expand and lengthen. Exercises to turn breech or misaligned baby. Light, air and water images expand; connection between jaw and pelvis, mouth and cervix. We introduce exercises for the husband or partner. Learn exercises to prepare for the birth, for both doula and birthing parents, and exercises for postpartum issues. Exercises to deal with contractions, hospital procedures and with problems that can arise during labor, including placenta not releasing. Exercises for cesarean, or any other intervention, wanted or not wanted; importance of getting body’s (and baby’s) permission. Exercises for immediately after the birth: to connect with baby, to clear the body if any medications were taken, to heal any tears or incisions, to talk to doctors and nurses and to encourage milk supply.
• Course 3 (7 classes)
  Later post-partum issues, family integration, exercises for partner; problems of pregnancy and labor.
  Exercises to repair the body postpartum, and long term, so it can return to its former glory! Exercises to help the family achieve a new integration, with the arrival of new baby. Exercises for the siblings, and exercises for the partner. Many exercises to help the partner not feel left out. Exercises for post-partum depression, and many that put woman in a good place. Exercises for: pre-eclampsia, to restore fetal heartrate, torn muscles, tendons, clearing infection, lowering blood pressure, endometriosis and pelvic pain, and gestational diabetes.

DreamBirth is an incredible tool and many of the women I have worked with have been able to conceive. Many had tried multiple IVF’s and had still not been able to conceive. The success rate is not so much a testament about my abilities, but about DreamBirth itself. DreamBirth is a beautiful adjunct to any other modality that is being used for conception; it will enhance the use of acupuncture, herbs, and IVF.

• Course 1 (7 classes)
  Pre-conception exercises, clearing emotions that get in the way, clearing belief systems, repairing relationships, miscarriages and abortions
  We review how imagery is learned and your role as a practitioner. Learn many pre-conception exercises, and more exercises to clear anxiety, anger and frustration, guilt and resentment, pain and grief and any feelings of stuckness and depression. We focus as well on exercises that create optimism and a sense of well-being. Great or small beliefs can get in the way of conception: for example,” all the women in my family that have narrow hips have trouble conceiving,” or, “If I have a baby I can’t have a career,” or “if I have a baby my relationship with my husband will be ruined”, and on and on. Exercises to clear belief systems that get in the way, as well clearing resentments of the past and fears of the future. Learn exercises to move past old relationships, miscarriages and abortions, and how to repair and make vibrant present relationships.
• Course 2 (7 classes)
  Conscious conception! Exercises for IVF and Donor Eggs
  We enter the terrain of conscious conception! “And when your terrain is at its optimum, then you are ready to invite the soul.” (from DreamBirth book by Catherine Shainberg) Learn many exercises for conception, including IVF, and the benefits of conscious conception. There are exercises that encourage the flow of hormones that will allow the embryo to implant and flourish. Exercises that promote the ‘loving attention’ that encourages all life to thrive, and we discuss the subject of timing, including the timing that is determined by when the soul wishes to be born.

• Course 1 (7 classes)
  Mothers are consumed by feelings of great responsibility. And they get so much ADVICE. So many questions. So many answers. So many experts. Even if mothers were close to their parents, even if they feel that their parents may have done things the right way, they still may not want to do exactly what their parents did.
  Exercises for mothering and bonding. DreamBirth helps the mother go inside to get advice from her wise self, her truly knowing self. Exercises to learn how to quieten and how to calm. It is difficult to mother when mother is in need of mothering, and so, many exercises for self-care, support and growing up one’s inner child. Exercises on seeing and feeling from the baby’s eyes and skin, and of course exercises for dealing with baby’s crying, fear, anger and emotional outbursts. We end with exercises for sibling rivalry, family integration and exercises for older children. Learn how to talk to anyone you wish ‘through the ethers’, mind to mind, heart to heart, often a more effective way to communicate than talking! You can ‘show’ your child how much he or she is loved and appreciated in images. Your child will sense it immediately.

• Course 1 (7 classes)
  These 7 classes are designed to integrate all you have learned in the classes for pregnancy and birth, conception, and mothering and bonding. You will organize all the exercises in a way that is useful to your practice, create a first- time meeting plan, and create and practice your ‘elevator talk’. There will be a review of all the major concepts presented in the class notes, especially those that deal with how to use and present imagery, focusing on how to repair and respond to the necessity of the image. It is what you have learned and observed all along in the classes, but this final review is an opportunity to put it all together. We will focus on particular cases and we discuss the possible routes we could take. Cases will be brought in by the students and many presented by the teacher. These classes have a lot of flexibility built in, depending on the needs of the class. It is a preparation for final certifying exam.

For Level I Certification

• Attend all classes in DreamBirth for Pregnancy and Childbirth (21 classes), DreamBirth for Conception (14 classes), DreamBirth for Mothering (7 classes), Integration and Practice of DreamBirth (7 classes).
  *If you cannot attend the class, you must listen to recording. Recordings, because of storage issues, are normally kept live for only 2 weeks. If you will not be able to listen to the recording within those 2 weeks, let us know.
• Receive 3 private sessions
• Take a written exam based on Class Notes. Class notes are emailed at end of each class. Written exam is at end of Integration Module.

If you are interested in further certification contact The School of Images (theschoolofimages.org), or write to Claudia Raiken, the head of the DreamBirth Training and Certification program at cr@theschoolofimages.org.

From Ksenija, a Doula in Slovenia:

"I love working with DreamBirth®, it has been showing such great results. I have been using it with all my couples and pregnant women and am planning to start offering the classes to small groups in 2018. 

Before our last class, I had a DreamBirth® session with a young woman who lost her baby (miscarriage). She had chosen me as her doula - and instead of having our first pregnancy session, she focused on her loss. I am so grateful for all the exercises and the tools - and the capability of being able to develop or adjust exercises. I am looking forward to the monthly supervision group!"

From Danila, who works with mothers of young children:

"The amount of material you gave us in the course was amazing. Looking, searching and deciding what exercise to use will give us a very broad experience and knowledge. Last week my husband had a little problem with a colleague at work and asked me to help, I researched the exercises and found what I felt it was the right one and we did it. The day after my husband received the apologies that were due from his colleagues. So all the exercise that we have are covering a lot of life situations and for this I want to thank you.  

For me overall you and the course were brilliant. I will deeply miss my Tuesdays evening."

From Irene, a life coach and trainer:

"What I liked the most is the fact the classes allowed me to go deeper into myself, to discover more about who I am as a woman. To do major clearing about mother, father and ancestral patterns, and all exercises become as a consequence useful to all my clients."

From Shara, working with women wanting to conceive:

"What I have liked the most about the classes is your generosity and caring; it has been a class in which each one of us has received direct loving attention. I liked that you sent us the written exercises after each class; that was very useful for me.

And lastly, I’m impressed about the vastness of the material; for me, this is Advanced Imagery work... I have been able to put many pieces together that I have been learning from Catherine throughout the years. It’s very clear."

From Shara, working with women wanting to conceive:

"Firstly, as a teacher Claudia , you have a huge amount of insight and experience using the work with women to help them, and this come across in all the classes, and has made it feel easy for us to follow and use. You really bring to life how the exercises can be used through stories, or suggestions, and know the common, and less common issues women may face. You have been massively inspiring, so thank you for your time, dedication and belief in us all!

The weekly sessions has worked well. I found a week break between each module really good for processing and space. Just like doing an exercise daily for 21days then having a week break. I have loved spending the time with the other women, it’s been an amazing course. I love them all so much! I have loved being able to see everyone on the screen.

The balance between theory and exercises has worked well. And hearing people describe their imagery and then hearing your response has been really beneficial to my evolution as a practitioner. Having the catalogues of exercise to easily access has been useful. Thank you again, Claudia, for the incredible DreamBirth® course. You are a wonderful teacher. I'm so honoured to be able to pass the information on to women here in England. I know I have a long way to go with this work, but I'm so grateful you have helped me develop a strong foundation from which expand and deepen."

From Dariya, a HypnoBirth teacher in London:

"I have really liked that the Classes are very well structured, clear and practical. I love also the fact that you are so understanding and allow us to have our little ones around and be flexible:)

I love when you tell stories from your own practice and examples and also that you encourage us to be flexible  and use the exercises for various problems if we feel they can help, even if the exercise is usually for a different purpose."

From Jaroslava, a yoga teacher:

Hi dear Claudia,
"I like the efficiency of the classes, no wasting time, always moving forward, focused and very dedicated to us students. I liked hearing others and their experiences, hearing you working with another person if they needed help in what they ‘saw’ in the imagery. I definitely fell in love with this magic work, would love to have more time to practice and learn, but that time will come, this is just the beginning."

From Michaela, a doula in London, who had an incredible unassisted birth using DreamBirth®!

"I loved the course. So very informative and exciting. I have used dreambirth® visualisations during my own pregnancy and now with some of my clients and always had fantastic results. The course was amazing with many visualizations to use and description of when and how to use them. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone."

FROM AGNES, THERAPIST AND PSYCHOLOGIST IN FRANCE:

"I joined this class because of the topic and I am really happy I registered. Our teacher Claudia is amazing, I can feel her passion and her joy while teaching. She is really committed to make us feel and experience the work. She actively listens to us and for those of us who want to become practitioners or are practitioners, she gives us feedback and many options to view a situation. It is also very rich to listen to the others students' responses to each exercise. I recommend it if you are interested in the topic, if you want to become pregnant or you are already pregnant or if you want to become certified and help other women in that process. With love, Agnès"

From Lindsey Curtis:

"DreamBirth is more than a tool or technique, it's a way of intimately interacting with life. As a practitioner I've witnessed DreamBirth change the lives of families, and the women, men, children, & those yet to be born that make them up. As a woman I've experienced the profound effects that this practice has given to my own creativity, fertility, & partnership, as well as the deep peace & bubbling excitement that comes from being in communication with my yet to be conceived child. It's been 4 years since I've been weaving DreamBirth into my life & work, and I don't know who or how I'd be without it. Whether for your personal or your professional expansion, I highly recommend saying Yes to the adventure that training in DreamBirth truly is."

From Leslie N, Childbirth Educator

"That imagery stuff -- superb! Learn and have fun doing it with Claudia. So useful for calming confidence before and during birth and then -- the bonus -- during many parenting moments and in the greater sphere of life. Excellent."

Eva Chan (Hong Kong)

"Thank you Claudia, I can see my inner transformation through the DreamBirth Training. It is an inner adventure to dive deep into one-self, I apply what I have learnt into my daily life and also use it in my yoga classes; the feedback and comments are very positive from my students. DreamBirth exercises are beneficial for both pregnant and non-pregnant students in mental, emotional and physical level. Claudia's classes are fun and interactive, she is sensitive to the needs and wishes of her students, adapting the materials and pace of her lesson accordingly. Under Claudia's guidance, I am much more confident to use DreamBirth exercises in the yoga classes I teach."

With love, Z

"Hi Claudia, thank you very much for the recordings and notes from classes. So far I went through the first and second one and I experienced the fourth class personally. And I have to tell you that this is just amazing, how so short but precisely designed imagination exercises touched me somewhere deep inside. I've just started to see what a powerful language the imagination is. What a gift for pregnant parents and not only for them. Looking forward to dive deeper."

Cherie

"Dreambirth under Claudia’s guidance is truly transformational. As a midwife of over 30 years and although l possess an inner knowing when guiding mums and dads thru the conception, pregnancy, childbirth continuum this course was my ‘aha’ moment, resonating with my midwifery skills and the perfect resource to add to my tool belt of knowledge. Claudia is truly gifted in bringing to life the imagery within her interactive sessions. It has been a privilege to learn from her and to be in the company of fellow dreamers who have been extremely generous in sharing their advanced skills and awareness of self within the dreaming process every week. I’m currently working with some beautiful couples who have recently had their profound ‘aha’ moments and look forward to enrolling in the next course to consolidate Claudia’s recent teachings. If Dreambirth has called you take the leap and join this course, don’t hesitate, the journey is amazing. Blessings in love and light"

Debbie M

"Claudia has the qualities of a great teacher, gently enabling learning to develop within the student. By being kindly led through the experience of dreambirth imagery I was able to feel more profoundly how it can be experienced personally, as well as witnessing the variety of individual responses shared within the group. Through being exposed to a wide range of imagery themes and different applications for approaching the challenges of pregnancy and childbirth, the sessions with Claudia helped me explore the possibilities of applying dreambirth as a doula and gave me the confidence to start using it. I then felt the immense privilege of being able to guide my first client on her own dreambirth journey. The response was gently positive (much like the technique!) and I look forward to continuing to develop my use of dreambirth both personally and as a doula."

Elise Grant, QLD Australia

"My experience with Dreambirth & working with Claudia will forever be a profound & unforgettable part of my life's journey. I felt totally supported and empowered with the tools & techniques through the Dreambirth practitioner course & private sessions with Claudia to co-create a dream pregnancy and labour with my first child Aleiya. Tuning in with other incredible women from all over the globe was the highlight of my week for the months leading up to birth. Dream birth was everything I could have wished for and more. I can't wait to do it again with my next!"

DreamBirth® is such an incredible tool, that if I were to put it into percentage, 95% of the women I have worked with have been able to conceive, and the ones who didn’t , discovered that they did not want to get pregnant, at least at that moment, as they had older children and careers that were taking off. Many of the women came to me out of desperation. They had tried multiple IVF’s and still had not been able to conceive, or if they had, had not been able to keep the pregnancy. My success rate is not so much a testament about my abilities, but about DreamBirth® itself. If you are one of the women who feel you have tried everything, and are now feeling sad, discouraged, and perhaps envious, as Catherine Shainberg says in her groundbreaking book, DreamBirth®, “Do not lose hope!”. Both she and I, as well as other DreamBirth practitioners have witnessed miracles. And if you are about to begin your journey and want to conceive consciously, welcome!

Content 1: 8-9:30am EST

The journey begins!
In this class you learn about imagery, and how it affects your body, your emotions, your mind and your spirit, and how DreamBirth® imagery is the perfect tool for conception. You learn about the particular tradition that DreamBirth® exercises come from, and how quick, easy to do, fun and effective they are. They can be revelatory. Your will hear conception success stories and of course start to experience DreamBirth yourself, as this work is experiential. You will learn about the importance of night dreams and the role of the subconscious in conception, and how through the exercises you can both harness the strength and knowledge that resides there, and clear and transform all that gets in the way of conceiving.

Content 2: Sat 10-11:30am EST

Pre -Conception, Clearing the Way
In this class we begin to clear resentments of the past and fears of the future. Through DreamBirth® you can change your past, as it were, or you can change your relationship to a memory, which then changes the effects of the memory. First we look at old relationships that still cling to you. We also resolve and repair any miscarriages or abortions you may have had. As I have discovered in my practice, sometimes, the same soul that miscarried or was aborted is planning to come back to you, and often has a life-affirming message for you. We will do exercises to create a sense of safety and well-being

Content 3: Sat 12:30-2pm EST

Clearing Blocked Emotions
In this class we deal with clearing any blocked (or not so blocked) emotions that may get in the way; fear, resentment, guilt, anger, lack of self-worth. And of course, the antidote: many exercises that make you feel good, put you in a good place, reveal your inner strength and beauty.

Classes 4: Sat 2:30-2pm EST

Clearing Belief Systems
Belief systems are so familiar, like the air we breathe, we simply think that is the way it is, that it is reality. Great or small beliefs can get in the way, women in my family have difficulty conceiving, you have small hips, birth will be difficult, if I have a child, I can’t have a career, and on and on. In these two classes we deal with personal and ancestral belief systems that may get in the way, and any other life experiences that affect your beliefs about conception.

Content 5: Sun 8-9:30am EST

Clearing Belief Systems , continued
Belief systems are so familiar, like the air we breathe, we simply think that is the way it is, that it is reality. Great or small beliefs can get in the way, women in my family have difficulty conceiving, you have small hips, birth will be difficult, if I have a child, I can’t have a career, and on and on. In these two classes we deal with personal and ancestral belief systems that may get in the way, and any other life experiences that affect your beliefs about conception.

Content 6: Sun 10-11:30am EST

Preparing for Conception
Parenting begins before conception, so the relationship with your partner or support person, if you are doing it as a single parent, is of paramount importance. We do many exercises that help with relationships and problems that arise, and in finding harmony. We also do exercises for internal preparation, preparing the ground, as it were.

Content 7: Sun 12:30-2pm EST

Conception
And now we are ready for conception, for conscious conception. We do many exercises for conception and exercises that encourage the flow of hormones that will allow the embryo to implant and flourish. We do exercises that promote the ‘loving attention’ that encourages all life to thrive. We do many exercises to put you ‘in a good place’.

Content 8: Sun 2:30-4pm EST

Conception, continued
We continue with exercises for conception and a few words and true stories about the importance of timing, and respecting when the soul needs and intends to come in, sometimes earlier, often later than your desire. In my experience, the intention of the soul coming in, when it needs to be born, what energies it wants made available to it, seems to trump all other factors. And so often, great faith and patience are needed!

Schedule of all Weekends

Saturday (all times given are EST)
8-9:30am Content 1
9:30-10am Break
10-11:30am Content 2
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch
12:30-2pm Content 3
2-2:30pm Break
2:30-4pm Content 4

Sunday (all times given are EST)
8-9:30am Content 5
9:30-10am Break
10-11:30am Content 6
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch
12:30-2pm Content 7
2-2:30pm Break
2:30-4pm Content 8

As a doula who has assisted in over 300 births and as a childbirth educator who has prepared many women to navigate their pregnancies and labors beautifully, I can unequivocally assert that there is no greater tool for both pregnancy and childbirth than DreamBirth® Imagery.
Imagery is the language of the body, of experiencing. You can’t tell your heart to beat less quickly, but by imagery you can learn to quiet heart beats, to lower high blood pressure, to stop premature contractions…”, to get the baby in the right position, to open easily, to diffuse and lessen pain –the list is endless.

Content 1: 8-9:30am EST

Communicating with baby, body wisdom, first and second trimester issues. You will learn how to communicate with the baby, your body and your inner wisdom. You will learn exercises that help your body to enter that unique state of relaxation and safety needed for birth, as the more open and relaxed your body is during labor, the less pain it will experience and the easier labor will progress. We will do exercises to address particular issues that come up in the first two trimesters: nausea, fatigue, emotional swings, body image, sibling rivalry, choices, premature contractions and mothering issues. What DreamBirth® exercises we do depends on needs of class.

Content 2: Sat 10-11:30am EST

Relaxation and safety, clearing worries and incorrect ideas, creating optimism. We continue to address the state of relaxation and safety needed during the birth process, but now we go deeper. We will look at how our thoughts, beliefs and fears can impact our state of relaxation. The exercises chosen in these classes will help you create a safe space and a feeling of support, no matter the external circumstances.

Content 3: Sat 12:30-2pm EST

We will practice exercises which serve to clear or diffuse worries, anxieties and fears, and exercises that will clear incorrect ideas and belief systems passed on to us from our ancestry or previous experience. You will learn ways to create protection and optimism for you and your baby. We will also take a look at how your relationships might be affecting you, with partners, parents, children, doctors. You will experience the use of imagery to improve communication if needed, to deepen relationships and in some cases to transform them.

Classes 4: Sat 2:30-2pm EST

Flexibility of body and mind In this class you will learn to develop flexibility of body and mind, as that is what birth and mothering require. DreamBirth® exercises allows us to direct the cells of our body, nature itself, into its most optimal, easeful functioning. You will learn the importance of alignment for comfort and for an easier birth. We will do exercises that expand and lengthen. and learn to turn a breech or misaligned baby. Light, air and water images expand; you will experience the connection between jaw and pelvis, mouth and cervix.

Content 5: Sun 8-9:30am EST

Coping strategies for every stage of labor In this class, you will learn coping strategies for every stage of labor. You will learn exercises that make your body flexible, pliant and supple. You will learn ways to encourage dilation, and how to help your baby to descend and move easefully into the birth canal. We will do exercises to diminish or eliminate tearing during the pushing stage.

Content 6: Sun 10-11:30am EST

Transforming the birth place, common hospital routines. In this class, we will address practical matters such as common hospital routines and show you ways to transform potentially distracting or problematic situations that may be encountered in a hospital setting. You will learn the major exercise to prepare for the oncoming birth whether it is completely natural, medicated or cesarian; whether it is a home birth, a birthing center birth, or a hospital birth. If partners attend additional exercises for them will be given. (Partners and doulas are encouraged to attend this class.)

Content 7: Sun 12:30-2pm EST

Emotions that get in the way, immediate Post-partum issues. In this class, you will learn exercises for immediately after the birth: to connect with the baby, to clear the body and the baby if any medications were taken, to heal any tears and incisions. We will address as well any remaining emotions that may get in the way; fear, guilt, anger, lack of self-worth.

Content 8: Sun 2:30-4pm EST

Encouraging milk supply, calming overwhelm, sleep exhaustion, body repair. In this class, you will learn exercises to encourage milk supply, to calm overwhelm, for sleep exhaustion, and exercises for quietening oneself. And finally, you will learn exercises to repair the body postpartum and to connect with your baby long distance, when needed.

Schedule of all Weekends

Saturday (all times given are EST)
8-9:30am Content 1
9:30-10am Break
10-11:30am Content 2
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch
12:30-2pm Content 3
2-2:30pm Break
2:30-4pm Content 4

Sunday (all times given are EST)
8-9:30am Content 5
9:30-10am Break
10-11:30am Content 6
11:30am-12:30pm Lunch
12:30-2pm Content 7
2-2:30pm Break
2:30-4pm Content 8