Not a mother? Don't have a child? An Exploratory Workshop of what this means for you.
How is it for you not to have your own children or to be a mother? The experience of not being a mother or having a child can result in a vast array of feelings, such as sadness, loss, heartache, feelings of failure, relief, guilt, struggle with social identity... and much more. Often there can be a confusing cocktail of ambivalent emotions involved. I was surprised to discover that current estimates suggest that 20-25 per cent of women now of childbearing age will not, for a variety of reasons, ever have a child. I use both "not being a mother" and "not having a child" to include women with a variety of experiences, some women may have experienced misscarriage, abortion or loss of a child and consider themselves mothers, while others may mother a child or children that are not their own.
Whether it be through a conscious choice or through circumstances, this feels like something important to acknowledge and explore, rather than supress or deny. It appears there is still significant societal expectation that women settle down and have children and many women feel this pressure and a sense of loss or failure if this doesn't happen, as well as their own personal journey, which can frequently be a cause of much pain and sadness.
Whatever your circumstances, this gathering will be an opportunity to explore your experiences of not being a mother or having a child.
What happens on the day will depend on what feels right for the group and what comes to the fore, it will include:
Whether it be through a conscious choice or through circumstances, this feels like something important to acknowledge and explore, rather than supress or deny. It appears there is still significant societal expectation that women settle down and have children and many women feel this pressure and a sense of loss or failure if this doesn't happen, as well as their own personal journey, which can frequently be a cause of much pain and sadness.
Whatever your circumstances, this gathering will be an opportunity to explore your experiences of not being a mother or having a child.
What happens on the day will depend on what feels right for the group and what comes to the fore, it will include:
- An opportunity to share your story and experiences of not being a mother/having a child in a safe space
- Acknowledgement and expression any associated feelings or pain
- Releasing of any blockages or stored emotions in a safe and held space
- Coming to terms/dealing with with societial expectations around having a family
- Opportunity to create a letting go ritual
- Celebrate feminity, our creative wombe space (even if we no longer have a physical womb, it remains energetically) and other aspects of womanhood
- Sing, create and express the divine feminine aspects of ourselves
- Exploration of ways of potentially expressing “mothering” energies or finding fulfillment within your life
What people have said about this workshop:
"It was just brilliant - thank you so much"
"I was conscious of feeling much lighter after the workshop, both in terms of luminosity and weight. My partner said I was "sparkling" when I got home."
"Something obviously shifted for me and I felt the workshop was much more beneficial than any counselling I have had."
"Thank you so much for holding the beautiful workshop"
"Thanks again for the really useful workshop. It was great to connect with other childfree women and reassuring to hear that we shared many of the same experiences and feelings, such as depression, anger, guilt, loss, exclusion etc. I felt uplifted to know that we are united in our quest to find alternative sources of meaning, play and creativity."
"It was just brilliant - thank you so much"
"I was conscious of feeling much lighter after the workshop, both in terms of luminosity and weight. My partner said I was "sparkling" when I got home."
"Something obviously shifted for me and I felt the workshop was much more beneficial than any counselling I have had."
"Thank you so much for holding the beautiful workshop"
"Thanks again for the really useful workshop. It was great to connect with other childfree women and reassuring to hear that we shared many of the same experiences and feelings, such as depression, anger, guilt, loss, exclusion etc. I felt uplifted to know that we are united in our quest to find alternative sources of meaning, play and creativity."
If you have any questions or comments don't hesitate to get in touch.
If you are unable to attend the workshop or would prefer to have a 1:1 facilitation session around this or any other issue, this can easily be arranged either in person or via Skype, just get in touch to discuss :)
If you are unable to attend the workshop or would prefer to have a 1:1 facilitation session around this or any other issue, this can easily be arranged either in person or via Skype, just get in touch to discuss :)
Date and timings: tbc
Location: Findhorn, Moray
Cost: Suggested cost is £35, a £10 deposit secures your place. Places are limited to 5 people as the group will be small to facilitate sharing, so book early to avoid disappointment.
Location: Findhorn, Moray
Cost: Suggested cost is £35, a £10 deposit secures your place. Places are limited to 5 people as the group will be small to facilitate sharing, so book early to avoid disappointment.