Healing Birth, Tauranga (2026)

04/02/2026

These quotes are taken from women who experienced birth trauma in Aotearoa, NZ, a place where maternity ‘care’ is free, including for those who choose to birth at home, and where continuity of care from a known midwife is the norm. The is still So Much preventable trauma, and what’s more, the leading cause of maternal deaths in NZ is su***de. This speaks volumes about the lack of support many of our new mothers/whānau are given... for many, there simply is no support.

For those of us who have the opportunity to experience a really positive birth, the struggles associated with navigating new parenthood are still VERY real for many of us - lack of sleep, self doubt, overwhelm, birth recovery, breastfeeding struggles, financial concerns, societal pressures, isolation, lack of community/village/family support. To add recovery from a traumatic birth to those struggles, is hard to fathom. And yet so many of the women I see in my work have not been offered any support or guidance surrounding their experience. In fact, they are often led to believe that, ‘that’s just how birth is’ and that focusing on the positives and being grateful are the most appropriate ways of managing their feelings.

That narrative needs to change. We need to stop undermining the very real impacts of a traumatic birth experience and we need to start offering some effective support for struggling new parents.

🌿Learn the art and science of holistic birth trauma support… from me, someone who has been helping hundreds of women and families to experience healing after a traumatic birth for over a decade now.🌿

✨Join my Healing Birth Practitioner Training course today. Starts 23rd February. Only 4 spots left. DM me now or head here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training ✨

healbirthhealtheearth mothersmatter healingbirthpractitioner

04/02/2026

It's not surprising that the type of birth trauma training I provide is not part of mainstream birth worker education programmes. The systems and people that design the training programmes are oftentimes the very reason why birth trauma is so prevalent!

When we train and/or work within an oppressive institution, like that of our current maternity 'care' system, we tend to internalise (and therefore externalise in our work) damaging beliefs around birth and birthing women...

That the birth process is inherently untrustworthy and is safer when monitored by 'experts'...

That women cannot be trusted to make safe decisions for themselves and their babies...

That there is a hierarchy in the birth space, and the woman is at the bottom of the heap...

That technology and expert opinion hold much more relevance than a woman's own inner knowing...

That birth is meant to be painful and undignified, and is viewed as a means-to-an-
end...

That risk and safety are objectively determined when it comes to birth decisions...

That interventions in birth are the norm, rather than the exception...

That informed consent doesn't count in the birth space...

That it's not abuse or r**e if it happens to a birthing woman by a 'care' provider...

That all aspects of labour and birth are required to fit within narrowly and arbitrarily defined norms, or else something is wrong and needs to be fixed, managed or altered...

That someone other than the birthing woman has her baby's best interests at heart more so than she does, especially if she is choosing a non-mainstream approach to her pregnancy or birth care.

My Healing Birth Practitioner Training course will help you to unravel all this, it will help you to heal from your own trauma, it will give you the skills and tools to effectively guide someone to find healing and peace after a traumatic birth experience, and it will equip you with the confidence to know that you are able to provide the full spectrum of support that your clients deserve.

Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions regarding your own birth trauma or for more information regarding my Training. Limited spots are left for the next course starting in less than 3 weeks! Follow the link to join now -
https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

03/02/2026

Tired of the Status Quo? Be part of the change that is so desperately needed.

You see the damage. You witness the blatant trauma. You know, deep in your soul, that maternal healthcare in its current state is failing families.

If you're a passionate birth worker (or a survivor called to this work) who is eager to challenge that status quo, this is for you.

We are calling for people who are done with routine disempowerment and the utter disregard for the damage this 'care' causes mums, babies, and new families.

What if you could do more than just observe the problem? What if you could become part of the solution?
The Healing Birth Practitioner Training is not just another course; it is a 10-week immersion that gives you the exact tools Carla uses in her decade-long, successful practice.

Carla teaches you the art and science of effective, holistic birth trauma support.
This isn't about being angry; it's about being effective. It's about equipping you to provide the Trauma-Informed Care and space holding that is missing from so many maternity systems.

It's time to channel your passion into a powerful purpose and build a sustainable, impactful career.

Become a certified Healing Birth practitioner and help us change the world, one birth story at a time.

To find out how, simply send me a message or head straight to - https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

01/02/2026

The Healing Birth Practitioner Training programme is designed to set you up to be able to offer the same care that I offer my clients. There is nothing that I do in my Healing Birth work that I won't share with you in this course... I want to see you soar in this important work!

Perhaps you're still 'on the fence' about whether or not to sign up. Maybe you're drawn to this programme of work, but are unsure whether it's a worthwhile investment of your time, energy and finances. Or maybe you're wondering whether you're a 'good fit' for this training.

Rather than having me, the person who developed and runs the course, convince you of why yes, you absolutely should get onboard this training, I figure you're going to feel much more convinced by hearing from other's who have become certified Healing Birth practitioners with me.

If you’re keen to explore what joining the February 2026 round of my Healing Birth Practitioner Training could look like for you, either send me a message so we can arrange a time to talk it through, or click this link -
https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

28/01/2026

Unlearn the narrative that trusting yourself is "irresponsible."

Where do our fears about birth actually come from?

Often, they aren’t ours—they are inherited stories, societal pressures, and the discomfort of setting boundaries in a system that prizes compliance over intuition.

As birth workers, and as birthing women, these are really important questions to unpack. If we lack awareness of our conditioned beliefs, we tend to be at the mercy of them. And essentially our conditioning is primed for compliance, not agency, when it comes to birth. In a time when the overmedicalisation and pathologising of birth is rife, groomed compliance is a leading cause of needless trauma.

Our Healing Birth Practitioner Training is designed to help you peel back these layers, reclaim your autonomy, and understand the root of these confrontations. It’s time to move from external validation to internal authority.

Ready to transform the way we approach birth?

Join our next Healing Birth Practitioner Training cohort and start your journey toward healing and supporting others to heal, too.

To view course details & to register head to -
https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

To learn about how to heal and find peace head to -
https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/healing

25/01/2026

Healing birth trauma requires more than just a listening ear—it requires a uniquely nuanced approach. 🕊️

Many well-meaning professionals, from midwives and doulas to therapists and doctors, can unwittingly exacerbate birth trauma simply because they haven't been trained in the specific complexities of the birthing psyche. Without a trauma-informed framework that weaves into it vital birth wisdom, even professional advice can feel like another layer of being unheard.

To truly support a woman in her healing, we must understand the delicate intersection of physical safety, emotional autonomy, and systemic pressure.
Our Healing Birth Practitioner Training is designed to bridge this gap. We provide you with the specialized tools and deep understanding necessary to safely guide someone on their healing journey, ensuring your support is a catalyst for restoration rather than a source of further distress.

“The Healing Birth Trauma course that Carla offers is a level of care that is often shied away from in the mainstream birth world. I understand that practitioners do not want to hold responsibility for harm, because they probably entered their field of healthcare to prevent harm, however, it exists and is growing. We practitioners need to acknowledge it, look into what we do to perpetuate it, and address how we can do our work with less fear-inducing language and damage. The awareness itself is huge, as its origins and the narratives of those who experience trauma during birthing tell us we are falling in our standard of care. Congratulations Carla for being a massive voice and example of care through self-determined choice with knowledge and belief in sovereignty as belonging to the person we care for and work alongside.” -Suzan Lee Anderson

Refine your practice and provide the care women truly deserve.

Explore our Healing Birth Practitioner Training course to learn a more nuanced, effective approach to healing birth trauma. To find out more please send me a DM or head to this link - https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

23/01/2026

When someone shares their birth trauma, "I'm so sorry" often feels like it isn't enough.

We’ve all been there—sitting in the heavy silence of a friend or client’s vulnerability, not knowing the 'right' things to say and wishing we had the tools to help them navigate the aftermath of a difficult birth. Compassion is the starting point, that's what's brought you here, but specialized skills allow for true restoration.

Our Healing Birth Practitioner Training empowers you to move beyond not knowing what to say. Gain the confidence to provide competent, heart-centered and holistic guidance that supports others to process their experiences and find peace.

Whether you are a birth professional or simply want to support the women in your life, this training offers the deep satisfaction of becoming a true catalyst for healing.

Become a beacon of support.

Learn more about our course and enrol in the Healing Birth Practitioner Training programme: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training

06/01/2026

I’ve been working in the field of birth trauma support for more than a decade. Over this time I have developed my own unique methods and tools for helping people to unravel their trauma and find the healing they deserve. Hundreds of families have benefitted from my Healing Birth work - it’s such a privilege and honour to be a part of that incredibly important journey.

But I’m one person, and the need is great. So, since the beginning of 2021, I’ve been training people to do what I do. Over an intensive 10 week period of online study and connection, I teach my passionate students about how to become a confident and competent Healing Birth practitioner. It’s a pretty epic time! We meet and work together via Zoom once a week to discuss the weekly lesson (1.5 hour recording) content - these interactive Zooms are 🔥✨

Here’s what one of my past students had to say about their training:

“This course deeply supported my own healing journey, alongside giving me the confidence, knowledge and skills to hold space for others to walk this path. I connected with a powerhouse group of soulful women, was seen/heard/validated in my experience and expression, and finished the course absolutely LIT UP by this revolutionary birth work.” Bella

The next training begins February 23rd 2026.

Check out this webpage: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training or DM me today to apply, or to find out more 💜

healbirthhealtheearth

22/12/2025

✨New podcast episode out now✨

I speak with blossoming birth worker, and mother of two, Libby, from . Her story reveals the lessons and growth her mothering journey has brought about, especially in trying to plan a reverent and undisturbed second birth. Libby birthed both of her babies at home, with the second being a free birth.

Tune in to hear about the challenges Libby faced in trying to achieve her desired birth, the reasons why her free birth was not the experience she had hoped for, but was the one she’d needed, and how the work that we did together helped Libby to unravel her trauma. Part of that work was training with me to become a certified Healing Birth practitioner so that she is now equipped with the skills and tools to help others to find healing after a traumatic birth experience.

🌿 If this podcast episode piques your own interest around my Healing Birth Practitioner Training course, you might want to explore joining my next training round, beginning on February 23rd, 2026. It’s an online course with both self-paced lesson content, and a weekly interactive Zoom session. This course is open to anyone with an interest in holistic birth trauma support, no matter where in the world you are based. For further details head here: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training. Or flick me a DM and let’s chat about it 🌿

But for now, enjoy this enlightening journey that Libby takes us on, in sharing her story. Listen now on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ydX6BlyTM5IRRR0O8alJf?si=uDwFaYVxQoaW8xANLlO8rQer

09/12/2025

🦋 New podcast episode out now 🦋

In this podcast episode I chat with Aleisha Black. She and her sister co-founded , a charitable organisation whose aim is to improve the experiences of families who are met with the heartbreak of an early pregnancy loss.

Tune in to hear about the compassionate work that Miscarriage Matters is undertaking, and the campaigning they’re doing to ensure maternity services are better meeting the needs of women who experience miscarriage.

Just a wee note first, since recording this podcast, Aleisha brought to my attention that in March this year, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) released new ‘Miscarriage, Recurrent Miscarriage and Ectopic Pregnancy Clinical Guidelines’. Within the document RANZCOG defines recurrent miscarriage as the loss of two or more intrauterine pregnancies of up to 20 weeks gestation, whereas in our interview, Aleisha defines recurrent miscarriage as being the old definition of ‘three or more consecutive miscarriages’ since she was unaware of the new guideline at the time.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/60wbQDmZkuVE9lSYcp6BuX?si=ASWGjL6gRMCAv_Gg8XVztA

👀 Or watch on the Healing Birth YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/IGs7faf8xdY?si=fZj56Wx77OMlhwrP

miscarriageawareness birthtrauma birthtraumahealing birthtraumarecovery maternityservices maternalmentalhealth birthtraumaawareness missedmiscarriage

14/11/2025

🌿 New podcast episode out now 🌿

In this podcast episode I speak with Emma Perks , a pelvic health physiotherapist. Emma is not only incredibly talented in her work, she has a heart of gold and a trauma informed approach, vital pieces of the puzzle when it comes to birth trauma prevention and healing.

In talking with Emma, I learnt that our pelvic floor is basically the bottom of our nervous system. In other words, what is going on with our pelvic floor will pretty much tell us how safe we are on the planet. Through this lens she explains why those who have a history of period problems, or PCOS, or endometriosis, or painful s*x, or recurrent UTIs, anything related to the pelvic region, would do well to work with a pelvic health physio before giving birth.

So much of what Emma and I discuss highlights the powerful mind-body connection, and how key a subjective experience of safety is in preventing needless birth trauma and pelvic floor damage. Among much else, we talk about perineal massage, prenatal movement, pelvic girdle pain, reducing the likelihood of bad tears in birth, and what postpartum physio support entails.

I hope you find this podcast episode as informative, enlightening and encouraging as I did.

✨Listen now: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ob7Ch2w15cyC5zncxSUKL?si=1rGkzZZvShukcxojj7NVBA
✨Or watch on the Healing Birth YouTube channel

04/11/2025

Can you imagine how it would feel to be able to confidently guide someone through healing from their traumatic birth experience?

My Healing Birth Practitioner Training (HBPT) programme is designed to set my graduates up with ALL the skills, tools and knowledge to be able to offer the same support to others that I have been offering for 11 years now.

Learn the art and science of holistic birth trauma support. Join my next round of HBPT - starts 23 February 2026

Head here for more info and to apply: https://www.healingbirth.co.nz/hb-practitioner-training. Or send me a DM 👏🏽

Feeling the pull? Get in touch! I have offered this training for 5 years, teaching over 140 passionate women… Join us ✨💜✨

Healing Birth

04/02/2026

04/02/2026

03/02/2026

01/02/2026

28/01/2026

25/01/2026

23/01/2026

06/01/2026

22/12/2025

09/12/2025

14/11/2025

04/11/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share