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Applied Polyvagal Theory in Childbirth:

Aligning the mind and body for birth™

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Most birth workers know that safety, fear, and connection shape labor. But understanding why they matter—and how to respond in the moment—takes deeper knowledge.

 

The Applied Polyvagal Theory in Childbirth training bridges neuroscience and practice, giving you tools you can use right away to better support your clients in labor, birth, and postpartum.

 

Why This Training Matters

Labor isn’t just a physical event—it’s a neuro-psycho-social process. Polyvagal Theory explains why the birth environment matters, how relational safety supports physiology, and what actually helps when labor becomes intense.

By learning this framework, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of nervous system activation in birth—and practical ways to respond with skill, presence, and compassion.

What you'll Gain:

 

After this training you'll be able to:

  • Recognize patterns of nervous system activation in labor

  • Distinguish between pain and suffering through a nervous system lens

  • Support physiologic birth even when interventions are necessary

  • Use top-down and bottom-up strategies to help clients regulate

  • Adapt your support when birth takes an unexpected path

  • Apply these principles to prenatal visits, education, and labor support

 

Applied Polyvagal Theory in Childbirth

This advanced course is one of the first of it's kind to use polyvagal theory to illuminate the mind-body connection and apply that knowledge to childbirth and labor support.

Now approved for 4 DONA International CEUs

What to Expect:

 

Core Concepts: Understanding the Mind-Body Connection

  • Foundations of Polyvagal Theory and its relevance in childbirth

  • Autonomic states and their influence on labor progression

  • How perception of safety shapes hormonal physiology

Applied Skills: Tools for the Birth Room

  • Identifying cues of nervous system shift during labor

  • Supporting co-regulation and using presence as an intervention

  • Language and tone as tools for nervous system support

Professional Integration: Bringing It Into Your Practice

  • Preparing parents using a nervous-system-informed approach

  • Integrating regulation tools into childbirth education and support

  • Recognizing your own nervous system responses as a birth worker

What sets this training apart:

 

Designed by a licensed perinatal therapist and retired doula — bridging clinical knowledge with real-world birth support

Not just theory — everything you learn is applied to the birth room

Truly integrative — neuroscience, trauma-informed care, and labor support combined into one clear framework

Approved for 4 DONA International CEUs — professional continuing education that counts 

 

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Meet Your Instructor

 

Erica Kroll, M.Ed, LPC, is a licensed perinatal therapist, prenatal yoga teacher trainer, and retired doula with over 25 years of experience. Her work blends neuroscience, mindfulness, and mind-body birth education to equip professionals with tools that support safer, more connected birth experiences.

 

Course Details

  • Format: 4 hours of on-demand video content with Erica
  • Extras: Downloadable notes, visual guides, and BONUS original models
  • Community: One year of access to quarterly live Q&A calls + private discussion board
  • Credentialing: Certificate of Completion + 4 DONA International CEUs
  • Tuition: $225 (payment plan available)
  • Special Offer: Save 25% in 2025 with code HAPPY25YEARS
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"Safety isn’t just a feeling — it’s a physiological state that changes how birth unfolds."

Frequently Asked Questions:

Whether you are a doula, childbirth educator, yoga teacher, midwife, or therapist, this course will help you speak to what you already know—and back it with neuroscience. You’ll leave with skills you can use immediately to support regulation, reduce fear, and promote physiologic birth.