We created Hearthmother Journey because of how often we hear/observe that the typical weekend-long doula training programs fall short. This course may contain some “old” information for you (though it never hurts to brush up on such things), but it will definitely take you deeper and wider in your knowledge base and discipleship journey than any other doula training you may have done in the past.

We have actually had fully trained and practicing midwives go through HJ in order to learn the Hearthmother methodology, which is not taught anywhere else and to access the in depth Scripture Reading plan that guides you through what God has to say about birth, women, and servanthood.

Nope! In fact, discerning the precise nature of your unique calling in serving families through the childbearing year is part of the course. The concepts and skills imparted through this experience will serve you very well no matter which role(s) you end up taking on.

So many of us receive our call and passion for birth work in the thick of our own childbearing years. You’re in good company.

We recommend prayerfully asking God what this season of your life is for and what you’re called to prioritize within it. Sometimes a burning passion doesn’t equate to pursuit of training RIGHT NOW. Other times it does. Go to God and discuss with any significant people in your life that can help you discern.

From a practical standpoint, you will need to have time for an estimated 7-10 hours per week of focused time to watch lessons, fill out workbooks, study, and attend mentor calls.

You will receive a certificate of birth ministry, birth servant or birthkeeper badge to display digitally to indicate the training you did complete and a beautiful water bottle to commemorate/mark your hard work in this course.

However, certifications are largely arbitrary and meaningless, with every doula-training program creating its own criteria. We do not believe certification and regulation are in line with the work of traditional birth attendants and so will not be creating or offering certification.

Though I’m sure there are many transferable skills and information that could be carried into hospital doula work, Lauren and Brooke’s area of expertise and working philosophy is really in home birth, so you’ll find that this course speaks from and to home birth specifically.

However, the course does contain a lesson on supporting planned hospital births and others on navigating home birth transfers to hospital.

You will be asked to attend and reflect on a minimum of 3 out-of-hospital births during your 12 months in Hearthmother Journey IF you are hoping to be a doula, birthkeeper or midwife (or anyone who attends births). This is optional if you are aiming to be a childbirth educator, postpartum doula, or otherwise support women outside the birthing room.

Additionally, you will design a final project (2 if you aren’ t attending births) in keeping with your goals for your future birth business/ministry, which you will submit for review at the end of the course and before receiving your certificate of completion.

You are also required to complete at least 70% of the course content and submit a final Journey Story submission prior to the Transition Ceremony and badge-bestowing.

1:1 transition interviews also occur as a place to review your projects, reflect on your journey thus far, and dream into the future with you.

We plan to have a Spring and Fall Cohort each year.

We really hope you’ll stick with us long enough to see how intentional and vital every single bit of the program is AND that you’ll push through the initial growing pains that come with starting a new program!

But if you come to realize within the first 30 days after the start of classes that the program is not a good fit for you, you are free to un-enroll.

The first $500 is non-refundable and you will be asked to either return or pay for your Welcome Box. You will then lose access to all course content and the private community/calls at that time.

NO REFUNDS will be available for those who cancel after the first 30 days.

If timing is the only issue, you may choose to defer your enrollment until either of the next two cohorts, applying the $500 you have already paid toward that cohort.

It’s not a tiny chunk of change, certainly but we’ve done our “market research” and sought the Lord in prayer, and are VERY confident that this price point is well below the cost of comparable offerings out there right now (like $9k less!)

We encourage you to shop around if that will help reassure you of the worth of this offering.