Trainings

Upcoming Trainings:

When Survivors Give Birth Foundational Virtual Training
- January 31, 2025
When Survivors Give Birth Training @ The Simkin Center
- Fall 2025 (TBD)

(Hyperlinks added when additional registration details are available and/or registration is open.)

In 2011, Penny Simkin, PT and Phyllis Klaus, LMFT -- practitioners who worked with pregnant childhood sexual abuse survivors for decades and who brought this issue to the forefront -- invited me to become a When Survivors Give Birth Approved Trainer. I was delighted to have the opportunity to participate in their training and ultimately to be able to train other professionals on how they can effectively support pregnant, birthing, and postpartum trauma survivors. In the years since, I have trained thousands of perinatal & health professionals on how to more compassionately and effectively work with clients/patients who have a history of sexual trauma. From 2018-2021, I was given the opportunity to co-facilitate trainings with Penny & Phyllis, and when they each decided to retire I was honored to be the torchbearer of this incredible work.

Pregnancy, birth, and parenthood can be a very vulnerable time in someone's life. But with vulnerability comes an opportunity for transformation. As you learn more about working with trauma survivors, you can become a part of how your clients/patients heal. You will learn how to identify and work with childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, and birth trauma survivors in a more impactful and supportive way. Your care for your clients/patients will improve and you will be able to work with more ease. My When Survivors Give Birth trainings range from one-hour to two-day trainings. Training topics often include some or all of the following:

Definitions/prevalence of sexual trauma (childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault)
Impact of sexual trauma on a child, teen, or adult
Impact of sexual trauma on pregnancy
Impact of sexual trauma/previous birth trauma on labor and birth
Impact of sexual trauma/birth trauma on postpartum and breast/body feeding
Connections between childhood trauma and domestic/intimate partner violence
Connections between childhood trauma and substance use
Potential triggers that can arise for a sexual trauma survivor
Reflective listening/communication skills
How to inquire about someone's history of trauma
Coping strategies to improve your client/patient's birth experience
Common power differentials in perinatal care
Retraumatization vs. repatterning
Postpartum mood and anxiety disorders and their connection to previous trauma
Birth trauma prevention and treatment
Professional self-care and vicarious traumatization
Case study trauma survivor consultation facilitation practice
Incorporating trauma-informed care into a health system, hospital program, or clinic

If there is a specific topic you do not see listed here, but would like to discuss including in a training, please contact me.

For a list of upcoming trainings please refer to the information at the top of this page or contact me if you would like to discuss organizing a When Survivors Give Birth training in your area. I look forward to helping you bring new awareness and sensitivity to the clients/patients you serve.

Previous Trainings:

When Survivors Give Birth Foundational & Advanced Virtual Training @ the Simkin Center - October 2024
When Survivors Give Birth Foundational & Advanced Trainings (with Jenevieve Russell) - April 2024 in Thornton,CO
When Survivors Give Birth Foundational & Advanced Trainings (with Teri Nava-Anderson) - March 2024 in Santa Rosa, CA
When Survivors Give Birth Foundational & Advanced Virtual Training @ the Simkin Center - October 2023
When Survivors Give Birth Doula Training @ Community Health Network in Indiana - September 2023
When Survivors Give Birth Introductory, Foundational, and Advanced Training @ Cleveland Clinic Florida - June 2023
Pregnancy as a Result of Rape: Impacts & Recommendations @ Indiana Univ. School of Nursing Perinatal Conference - January 2023
When Survivors Give Birth Foundational & Advanced Virtual Training @ the Simkin Center - November 2022
When Survivors Give Birth Foundational & Advanced Virtual Training @ Howard Center in Vermont - September 2022
When Survivors Give Birth Introductory, Foundational, and Advanced Training @ Cleveland Clinic - April 2022
When the Crisis is Sexual Trauma: Empowering the Survivor Community @ NMBTF Annual Conference - March 2022
The Importance of Debriefing the Birth Experience @ Bastyr University Dept. of Midwifery - January 2022
The Importance of Debriefing the Birth @ DONA Summit - October 2021
Trauma-Informed Strategies for Supporting Breast/Chestfeeding @ Lamaze Summit - September 2021
When Survivors Give Birth: A Training for Perinatal Therapists and Professionals @ PPSM - April 2021
When Survivors Give Birth Educator Virtual Training (with Penny & Phyllis) - March 2021
Intro & Advanced When Survivors Give Birth Virtual Training (with Penny & Phyllis) - January/February 2021
The Importance of Debriefing the Birth Experience @ Bastyr University Dept. of Midwifery - January 2021
From Trauma to Triumph Advanced Online Training - December 2020
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Online Training - November 2020
Why Not to Ask: Trauma Disclosure in the Era of #MeToo @ DONA International Summit - October 2020
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational & Advanced Online Training - June 2020
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational & Advanced Training - February 2020 in San Francisco, CA
When Survivors Give Birth Advanced & Educator Training (with Penny & Phyllis) - October 2019 in Seattle, WA
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational & Advanced Training - March 2019 in Denver, CO
When Survivors Give Birth Advanced & Educator Training (with Penny & Phyllis) - October 2018 in Seattle, WA
From Trauma to Triumph Doula Training - June 2018 at Ounce of Prevention Fund in Chicago, IL
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational & Advanced Training - March 2018 in Larkspur, CA
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational & Advanced Training - July 2017 in Denver, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational & Advanced Training - May 2016 in Denver, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational & Advanced Training - March 2016 in Tulsa, OK
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Training - March 2016 in Santa Fe, NM
Colorado Doulas Association Annual Conference Breakout Session - November 2015 in Denver, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Training - October 2015 in Boulder, CO
WINGS Foundation Conference - September 2015 in Denver, CO
JOY of Collaboration Conference - June 2015 in Boulder, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Advanced Training - May 2015 in Boulder, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Training - April 2015 in Boulder, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Training - January 2015 in Boulder, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Training - April 2014 in Lafayette, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational & Advanced Training - February 2014 in Lafayette, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Training - January 2014 in Lafayette, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Training - November 2013 in Lafayette, CO
Colorado Doulas Association Annual Conference Featured Speaker - November 2013 in Denver, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational & Advanced Training - October 2013 in Boulder, CO
Arizona Rural Women’s Health Network - September 2013 in Yuma, AZ & Flagstaff, AZ
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Training - May 2013 in Lafayette, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Training - April 2013 in Boulder, CO
Jefferson County Nurse Family Partnership/WINGS Foundation - January 2013 in Denver, CO
Boulder Valley Women's Health - January 2013 in Boulder, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Training - October 2012 in Boulder, CO
La Leche League of CO/WY Leaders Retreat - October 2012 in Denver, CO
Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault Webinar - September 2012
Colorado Advocacy in Action Conference - June 2012 in Vail, CO
From Trauma to Triumph Foundational Training - April 2012 in Boulder, CO