Nona Birth Doula Training
Advanced doula training and certificates coming soon!
Applied polyvagal theory for labor support
Mindful Doula Certificate
Trauma-informed Doula certificate
Perinatal Mental Health for doulas certificate
In an effort to improve the basic doula training and make it more accessible, it has been reorganized into a hybrid training. See below for details.
The basic Nona Birth Doula training is evidence-based and integrates the principles of a physiological approach to birth into a foundation of mindfulness skills and practice. This unique training will teach you the basic skills necessary for confident, compassionate and non-judgmental labor support with an understanding of how historical and social perspectives have shaped birthing practices in the U.S.
The Nona Birth Doula Training is unique in that it is developed and taught by a perinatal expert in childbirth education, doula support, and perinatal counseling. Because of this, we can integrate advanced mindfulness and psychotherapeutic skills into our basic doula training.
What you will Learn
Social/Cultural/Historical Influences of birth in the U.S.
Common hospital protocols and procedures
Support clients to navigate protocols and procedures
Defining the role of the doula
Supporting partners
Navigating legal concerns
Ethics
Doula survival skills
Starting a doula buseinss
The anatomy of labor, birth, and the immediate postpartum
Labor support skills
Optimal fetal positioning
birth positions and their benefits
Physiological approach to birth
pain management
Interventions
Mindfulness for doulas and birthing parents
Mindfulness as a method of pain management
Language use and the mind/body connection
Hormonal physiology and the mind/body connection
Basic psychotherapeutic techniques for doulas
How to provide non-judgmental support
Professional relationship building
Define and differentiate between different perinatal mood and anxiety disorders
When to refer
Nona Doulas are Mindful Doulas
Mindfulness training differentiates Nona Doulas in these important ways:
Nona doulas understand the physiology underlying the mind/body interaction during birth and utilize specific skills for facilitating normal labor progress through this framework.
When birth does not progress normally, Nona doulas help parents utilize mindfulness skills to adjust their expectations and mediate fear or anxiety so that they can make their own best decisions whenever possible.
Nona doulas develop a deep understanding of non-judgmental support by learning about the psychology of bias and how to use mindfulness skills to prevent personal biases and triggers from interfering with support.
Nona doulas learn how mindfulness is a tool for coping with pain and how mindfulness compliments other pain coping methods.
When, Where, How
The Nona Birth Doula Training is now a hybrid training. Meetings will take place online for 7 Monday evenings from 6-8pm plus one full day of in-person training.
*Certification requires live attendance at all online and in person meetings.
Winter 2025 Cohort:
January 27th 6-8pm (online)
February 3rd 6-8pm (online)
February 10th 6-8pm (online)
Saturday, February 22nd 9am-6pm (in-person)
February 24th 6-8pm (online)
March 3rd, 6-8pm (online)
March 10th 6-8pm (online)
March 17th 6-8pm (online)
$750 Deadline January 13th, 2025
Registration and classes will take place on our Thinkific learning platform. All portions of the training may be recorded and pictures will be taken for use in future training and social media. By registering for and attending the training, you agree to release any photo or video for legal use by With Awareness, LLC including publicity, social media, training, web content, and advertising.
Click the link below:
Contact Erica with any questions.
Each training will hold space for BIPOC folks who would like to attend with a scholarship or on a sliding scale. No application is necessary, just contact Erica to find out if space is available.
Payment plans are also available by request.
The following readings will be helpful for providing a foundation of knowledge before the training. However, you can attend the training if you have not read them yet.
“Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn” by Penny Simkin
“The Birth Partner” by Penny Simkin
“Wherever You Go, There You Are” by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Required Reading
Students agree to take a COVID test to be sure they are negative the morning before attending the training
In-person trainings will be held in an Air BnB in central Columbia Mo. A full kitchen is available for food preparation and the location is close to many restaurants and downtown Columbia.
If you are traveling, accommodations are available for 3-4 people at the training site for a small cleaning fee.
Contact Erica for more information.
In Person training details:
Cancellation Policy
Full refunds are available up to one month before the training.
Up to three weeks before the training a 75% refund is available
Up to two weeks before the training a 50% refund is available.
No refunds are available after two weeks before the training.
**If we cancel due to low enrollment or other circumstances you will receive a full refund.
All refunds are subject to processing fees
Contact Erica.
Erica Kroll, LPC
nonabirth@gmail.com
Columbia, Mo.