hello, I'm Zoe

MbHA, NLP PPD

 I founded The Hypnobirthing Place because I want to help women and their birth partners experience the empowerment of a positive pregnancy and birth, for the best start to parenthood.

How did I get here?

10 years ago I trained as an Advanced NLP Practitioner for my work specialising in social research and behaviour change, using it for life coaching people through challenges and transitions too.

Then I had Joseph. He was born before I'd discovered Hypnobirthing and nothing went to plan. It was as though his birth was happening to me, rather than something I was doing. I'd done no mental preparation and I didn't know how to help myself have a positive birth. 

I began motherhood feeling physically and emotionally broken and I realised that a difficult birth was the worst way to start life as a mum.

Because adjusting to life as a new parent can be tiring and tricky (as well as amazing!) and it's infinitely easier if you and your baby have had a good start at it. I've experienced this first hand and see the difference it makes in the couples I teach.

making a difference

I decided that the best way to help women and their partners with the life changing  transition to motherhood was to begin by helping them have a positive birth.

So I trained as a Hypnobirthing teacher with Katherine Graves 5 years ago, the only course accredited by the Royal College of Midwives. I've taught over 200 people since then.

Hypnobirthing is logical, simple and profound… a very effective and complete antenatal education. I believe it's the best way to prepare couples for birth, because it gives both parents an active role and is highly practical.

I love what I do

Teaching couples, supporting them through pregnancy and birth and meeting their babies gives me an enormous sense of purpose and makes me truly happy.

experiencing the difference hypnobirthing makes

During my second pregnancy I practiced everything I had learnt. I let go of any worries based on my first experience of birth and went into it this time feeling confident and capable. 

I was over the moon when Iris was born at home in November 2014 after a 5 hour labour. It was an amazing and utterly empowering experience. It was the moment I truly understood how powerful Hypnobirthing is.

People seem to think I was brave for having a Vbac at home but it felt like the safest place to be. My husband knew how to support me and I just let my body get on with it.

This means that when I teach Hypnobirthing, my couples know two important things:

• My experience of two different births means I have a realistic and rounded view of labour. I intend to prepare mums and dads to be for any eventuality.
• I have practiced what I preach and continue to use the techniques in my every day life as a mum. I will never ask my couples to practice anything that I myself have not done. 

When I teach, I create a relaxed and supportive environment. I make sure couples learn much more than the core hypnobirthing techniques so that they can continue to use the tools after their baby is born.

NLP

NLP gives me the expertise to offer tailor made tools and exercises to help parents–to–be get the most from my course. For example, if a mum-to-be says she simply don't know if she's physically or mentally able to have the birth she wants, I have exercises to help her believe in herself.

doula training

I've trained as a doula with world-renowned natural birth obstetrician Michel Odent. Although I don't currently practice, I have infused my course with his wisdom.