Pam England

As a novice nurse-midwife, I loved listening to positive, home birth stories, but tuned out traumatic stories. Midwifery school prepared me to gather a brief obstetric history for the chart, however, not a word was spoken about basic skills of birth story listening: how to listen deeply, what to listen for, or what to say. After my traumatic labor and cesarean birth, I did not know how to listen to my own story and sort it out, nor could I find a skilled birth story listener anywhere: not in the cesarean support group, not among midwifery peers, not in therapy. Realizing I was not alone, I saw the collective need for trained birth story mentors and a process for every parent and birth-related professional. And so this life-long journey began …

When I listen to a birth story. . .

Throughout the session, I hold in mind the storyteller’s intention for healing, as well as an expectation for their desired change of heart; I bring my full attention to the storyteller and rely on the process to shepherd the storyteller “home.” Within minutes of beginning a session, the storyteller’s inner eye and heart begin to open as we excavate the meanings their story. No two stories or storytellers are alike, so every session is a unique search for and discovery of the Medicine-from-within, meant just for that story and storyteller.

As a Facilitator/ Teacher . . .

Initiating birth story mentors/listeners in this life-changing work is a delight, a discipline, and is my life purpose. A stickler for detail, I want each student of this process to achieve their highest potential because this work can change a life forever. Pam earned a Master’s degree in psychology/ counseling from Antioch College with an emphasis on perinatal issues, and has been engaged in a four-decade study that has become the Birth Story Medicine philosophy and process.