Birth Trauma Ontario began as a resource for women suffering the effects of a traumatic birth experience where all she heard was ‘at least you have a healthy baby’. After intensive academic study, The Trauma Informed Professional course was launched as the world’s first and only certification course that was also accredited with distinction, offering 85 professional education hours. This course was created to equip health care practitioners, allied health professionals, parents, and loved ones with the knowledge and the skills to understand the causes and the solutions for birth-related trauma and to offer hope and healing for those who are suffering. In addition to extensive training in the skills of trauma-informed care, Birth Trauma Ontario offers consultations for parents, professionals, and loved ones who would like to better understand their birth experience through a trauma-informed lens, their professional environment, and identify strategies for moving forward with new skills and renewed hope. Birth Trauma Ontario has its roots in empathy and compassion for the families who emerged from their baby’s birth changed by trauma. What they had hoped to be the most joyous experience of their lives was marred by loss of autonomy, helplessness, and a change in their limbic system that impacts every facet of their lives. Joyous, empowered motherhood was replaced by ‘the 1000-yard stare’. We have our roots in empathy and compassion for the practitioner who has also been wounded, who has tried and failed to impact a well-established system that prioritises policy and risk management over the sanctity and sacredness of this baby’s journey into the world from this particular mother. While at the same time celebrating those victories where a life is saved and a baby goes home to a mother who was given the best that the industry can offer. Birth Trauma Ontario acknowledges the complexity of industrial maternity services and the people who provide complex services and the clients who present with complex situations. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Solutions are grounded in understanding the complexities of large systems, interpersonal communication, policy, and people. Above all, people matter.

Obstetric violence. Birth-related trauma. Postpartum PTSD. Providing advocacy and education for parents and professionals in the causes and solutions for birth-related trauma, obstetric violence, and postpartum PTSD. Offering extensive education in trauma-informed care specific to the perinatal client that is appropriate for anyone who interacts with the childbearing family. Bringing awareness to the global issue of obstetric violence and its consequences. Connecting suffering parents to peer support.

Billie Harrigan, Director & Founder, has been serving families for 40 years as a Traditional Birth Companion. She is the former Director of Education for Childbirth International and has supervised the education of over 7000 students in over 125 countries. She has taught physicians, midwives, nurses, doulas, lactation consultants, and more in over 125 countries and has developed an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms and outcomes of industrialised maternity services. Billie has authored and edited accredited continuing education for physicians, midwives, and nurses and is the author of the world’s first certification course for becoming a trauma-informed professional specific to the perinatal client. This comprehensive course offers non-accredited 85 professional education hours.