Dear Friend,

It means so much that you want to improve the support you give to survivors. Like you, we believe in our core that experiences in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum matter - that no one should feel feeling alone, unheard, coerced, or out of control at this time.

You know, after we became parents we were shocked to discover that our teams, from doulas to midwifes to nurses, had little to no training in trauma-informed care - no wonder some of them did not have the skills to support survivors giving birth. But it doesn't have to be this way.

This is why we've created Supporting Survivors in the Perinatal Period - a training and mentorship program for doulas, midwives, therapists, lactation consultants and other perinatal professionals. But we want you to know that for us this is so much more than a course... it's a movement. A movement that has the power to change the world. And that's why we are inviting you to join us, because we cannot do this alone.

Your work is so precious because it is so transformative. With every interaction you have the power help someone feel seen, heard and in control - you facilitate their voice, uphold their power, and honor their autonomy. This affects how they feel about themselves as individuals and as parents, and impacts how they interact with their children.

As we write this letter we are also deeply aware of the burden you are carrying - aware of the births you have witnessed or birth stories you have listened to in which someone's voice got lost, or their autonomy was disregarded, or the ghost of the past returned to haunt them. And the helplessness, hurt, and concern you have felt in the core of your being. We urge you to take this opportunity to join Supporting Survivors in the Perinatal Period where you can come into community with others who, like you, know challenges of this work.

So we're inviting you to join us. We're asking you to take a leap and trust that this program is what you need right now - that you are here reading this letter for a reason. Sometimes we can worry that now is not the right time, or that the investment is too high, but we want to reassure you that if you are feeling called to do this work with us this is your moment to step forward.

Justine & Sarah