Fall 2007
After 5 years of working with pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the postpartum period, I can list some lessons learned, for myself especially. The concepts I am about to outline are simple but may be hard to practice. Over the next few newsletters, I am going to explore these concepts and host events for families to experience. The first of the concepts is the idea of "resources." For those of you who have taken my prenatal class, this is something you have heard before. Other concepts include "the surround" or the influence of the environment on babies, and "the pause," or needing to slow down and stop what is happening. I have seen these concepts influence the nervous system in positive ways.
Resources
A resource is something that makes you feel strong, calm, centered, capable, happy, supported, protected. It could be talking with a friend, taking a hot bath, taking a road trip to the beach, going for a walk, wearing a favorite shirt or pair of shoes. When I have asked people to list their resources, some people say they have none. When we are talking about healing old wounds or healing old patterns, the work together begins there even before we get on the table.
This fall, I am offering several experiences that are resources for me, and I invite you to partake in them. The first resource I have is exercise. I love to move and use my body. I exercise just about every day. To that end, I am partnering with Donna Ginter.
Donna Ginter is a married mother of three who understands both the physical and emotional importance of maintaining a healthy weight and shape. She has been working with women of all ages and all fitness levels for 20 years. She is a certified fitness trainer and counselor who is passionate about helping women feel good about themselves through fitness, fun and adventure. She has published numerous articles on diet and fitness. She believes that everybody can be some kind of athlete.
Donna is offering Buns, Legs and Abs classes for Women starting November 2. Classes are small with a total number of 6 women, last an hour. For more information, give me a call.
Another resource for me is ritual. This often takes the form of preparing a meal. To that end, I am offering a meal to you women out there, and combining it with another resource, beauty. I am launching a new jewelry line made by my sister as part of the Passionate Mommy Club.
Save the Date: Passionate Mommy Dinner Party
I love preparing a meal. I invite you to come October 26 from 5 pm-8 pm. Menu:
- Olives and Bread
- Shrimp appetizer (maybe grilled!)
- Gypsy Soup (harvest vegetables)
- Bread a la Robyn (bread toasted with garlic, cheese, butter, olive oil, and some with basil, too)
- Salad with blue cheese, walnuts, and green apples in a lemon and olive oil dressing
- Dove Miniatures for dessert
- Red wines (Merlot and Cabernets)
If you want to bring something, please bring your favorite appetizer to share, I will be showing the first shipment of Passionate Mommy jewelry, supporting the art of motherhood with jewels. These are my sister's creations. Please feel free to get dressed up, leave the kids with their father and come over.
Passionate Mommy Feature
Please meet Kathy Mazziotti. She was really the inspiration for the Passionate Mommy idea. I know that the idea may be strange to some of you. So what or who is a passionate mommy? This person is a mother who is passionate about their kids and their life, too. It is hard to be a mother and be in balance between what a family needs and what the individual person, a mother, needs. Most often, mothers give out too much. Passionate Mommy was born when I said, I do what I do because I am a passionate mommy, and Kathy said, me, too, let's start a club. Kathy is mother of Nicholas (8) and Lucy (3), wife to Ben Mitchell and lives in West Minster West. She passionately supports her children in whatever they do. She bought one of my sister's necklace's and said, "It changed my life!"
I know many of you are passionate about your children and your lives. I hope to feature some of you over the next few months. Passionate Mommies come in many forms, whether working full time, part time, or stay at home moms. I do know that mothers will do anything for their little ones. Honor yourself and come to dinner.
A final resource for this newsletter is seeking out help from a mentor and friend. Please meet Miriam Drior, MA. She is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Certified Core Energetic Therapist. For over thirty years Miriam has studied and practiced therapeutic modalities that support and mirror nature. She has worked with and studied indigenous cultures integrating their ancient understandings of ceremony, rites of passage, balance and harmony into her work, which she calls Human Development by Nature's Design. Miriam is available for private sessions, ceremony design, child development consultations, presentations, and more. She takes insurance. (802) 257-7916.
Classes
Babytime and Toddlertime begin October 29 at 9 am and 10:30 am respectively. After a request, I am offering Nature, Craft and Play on Fridays starting October 5. This class offers a chance for parents to know the affect accompanying a child's first emotions and to find constructive ways to talk about them. They include happy, sad, angry, afraid, surprise, interest, disgust, distress, and shame. Parents work decoupaging pictures onto nesting boxes. Classes include indoor and outdoor play for children and parents, plus circle time songs.
November classes include Conscious Birthing with Lois Trezise, starting the first Wednesday in November, from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm.
Look for another newsletter soon. ~ Kate