Membership Agreement and Policies
These apply to everyone who registers for a Nona® training and to every Nona® professional member: the Membership Agreement and Grant of License, the rules on graduate status, professional membership, use of title, curriculum licensing, and the Code of Ethics, and the Refund and Cancellation Policy. Registering for a training and typing your name on the registration form indicates that you have read and agree to them.
Membership Agreement and Grant of License
All Nona® training pathways and professional memberships
The Parties to this Membership Agreement and Grant of License (“Agreement”), are the “Member” (as named below), and With Awareness, LLC, a Missouri Limited Liability Company, (the “Company”), collectively referred to as the “Parties.” The Parties enter this Agreement as of the date (“Effective Date”) that the Member pays his or her initial membership fee.
1. General Agreement
In consideration of the right to be a Member, who has the benefits of this Agreement and the non-exclusive license granted hereunder, the Member agrees to abide by the terms of this Agreement.
2. Company Policy on the Trademark and Copyrighted Material
Trademark: The word Nona® is a registered trademark of Company. The Material provided through Membership is copyrighted material. Members are not permitted to use the trademarked phrase with or without the registered service mark ® or the Company copyrighted material to create merchandise, goods, handouts, or products of any kind, for sale or for gifts without the specific approval of Company.
3. Grant of License
The “Material” provided to the Member as a benefit of this Agreement is copyrighted material of Company, and the word Nona® is a registered trademark of Company. Material shall include, but not be limited to, curriculum, teaching manuals, handouts, parent workbooks, videos, transcripts and other teaching materials. The Company grants Member a non-exclusive license to use and transfer to clients the Material, and in doing so may use the trademarks of Company for the purpose of providing instruction or support under the Nona® title for which the Member has been certified (for example Nona® Prenatal Yoga Teacher, Nona® Birth Educator, or Nona® Birth Coherence™ Doula). Member may use that designation on their bio, resume, or C.V., however, Company retains ownership of the Material and its trademark. Member shall not alter, amend, make derivative works of, or change in any way the Material, trademark, or any other work of Company. It is further understood that Member shall not employ any Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’) or Machine Learning (‘ML’) tools, or any similar tools, including generative AI, to create, modify, analyze, or process any data or content for Member’s own use, or for distribution to third parties.
4. Term
This Agreement and the license herein shall commence on the Effective Date and expire 30 days after the final payment of the monthly membership fee, or one year after the final payment of the annual membership fee, “the Term.” The Member may renew this Agreement for additional one (1) month or one (1) year terms by paying the monthly or annual membership fee. In the event Agreement and the license granted herein are terminated for any reason, the Member shall immediately cease using the Material and the trademark of Company, immediately. Further, any permission for use of a designation related to a bio, resume, or C.V. shall cease and said Member shall remove reference to the same from any location where it is currently being used.
5. Membership
Company, at its sole discretion, may elect to refuse a request for a party to become a member. Or, once granted, Membership may be terminated, suspended, or restricted by Company at any time, at Company’s discretion. No cause need be shown by Company to terminate, suspend, or restrict a Membership. The Membership is nontransferable. Access to Material of Company through its website shall be granted to Member through the use of a username and password. Member shall be responsible for each and every access to the membership site of Company. Use of the username and password is conclusive evidence that the Member has accessed the Company site. The Member shall use all reasonable efforts to keep their username and password confidential. The Member shall not allow a third party to access the membership site of Company’s website on the Member’s behalf, or allow a third party to use the Member’s username and password to access the site on their own behalf. Should the Member become aware of any unauthorized access to the site, Member shall notify Company in writing of any unauthorized access. Member agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Company, its owners, directors, managers, employees, and affiliates harmless from any and all liability, loss, claim, cause of action, and expense (including reasonable attorney’s fees), related to this Agreement, including but not limited to, your use of Company Material with your clients or colleagues, including any claim or demand, made by any third party due to or arising directly or indirectly out of Member’s conduct or in connection with Member’s use of Company’s material of any kind.
6. Company Policy on Using Nona® Titles and Other Company Policies
Members will NOT use a Nona® title unless they have been officially accepted as Members and completed the official training program for that pathway. The Company has adopted a Certification, Professional Membership, Use of Title, Curriculum Licensing and Code of Ethics set of rules (“Rules”), that applies to all Members of the Company. The Rules are attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. Should any provision of the Rules contradict this Agreement, then the Rules shall govern.
7. Termination
This Agreement may be terminated by either party, with or without cause. The Agreement will also be terminated in the event the Member cancels, pauses, or stops paying their membership fee, or if the Member violates the terms of this Agreement. In the event this Agreement is terminated for any reason, Member will delete all material provided to him or her by Company and cease using trademarked and copyrighted material in any way whatsoever.
8. Complete Agreement, Choice of Law and Venue
This Agreement expresses the complete understanding of the parties in respect of the license and terms of membership granted hereunder, and supersedes any written or verbal agreements to the contrary. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Missouri and action filed hereunder shall be filed in the Circuit Court of Boone County, Missouri with the parties hereto subjecting themselves to this venue.
9. Acknowledgment
The Member acknowledges that he or she has read this Agreement, understands it, and has had a full, fair and reasonable opportunity to ask questions concerning its terms, prior to signing. Further, the Member agrees to pay any and all fees associated with Membership.
Graduate Status, Professional Membership, Use of Title, Curriculum Licensing, and Code of Ethics
1. Purpose
This policy establishes the standards that govern graduate status, professional membership, use of Nona® titles and branded offerings, curriculum licensing, and ethical conduct for individuals trained through Nona® Birth Education.
The purpose of this policy is to protect the integrity of the Nona® name, Nona® curriculum, and Birth Coherence™ framework; clarify what graduate status and professional membership do and do not confer; and ensure that Nona®-affiliated offerings are delivered in a manner consistent with Nona®’s values, educational standards, and ethical commitments.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all Nona® training pathways, graduate designations, professional membership categories, licensed curriculum use, and Nona®-affiliated offerings, including current and future programs offered through Nona® Birth Education.
Program-specific training requirements, assessment requirements, renewal terms, professional membership structures, curriculum licensing benefits, and title-use privileges may vary by pathway. Unless otherwise stated in a program-specific agreement, the core standards in this document apply across all Nona® training pathways, graduate designations, professional memberships, and licensed uses of Nona® materials.
3. Core Definitions
Nona® Birth Education
Nona® Birth Education refers to the educational organization, programs, training pathways, curriculum, intellectual property, professional standards, and branded offerings developed and administered by Nona® Birth Education.
Nona®-Affiliated Offering
A Nona®-affiliated offering is any class, training, service, program, workshop, mentoring space, curriculum-based offering, public listing, or marketing activity in which an individual uses a Nona® title, Nona® curriculum, Nona®-branded materials, Birth Coherence™ materials, or otherwise represents current affiliation with Nona® Birth Education.
Graduate Status
Graduate status indicates that an individual has successfully completed the requirements of a specific Nona® training pathway. Depending on the pathway, graduate status may require completion of training hours, attendance requirements, assignments, readings, assessments, evaluations, observed teaching or support experiences, practice requirements, or other pathway-specific elements.
Graduate status reflects educational completion and demonstrated competence at the time the pathway requirements are fulfilled. Unless otherwise stated, graduate status does not expire.
Graduate status is separate from professional membership. It does not, by itself, create ongoing affiliation with Nona® Birth Education, grant permission to use reserved Nona® titles, authorize use of Nona®-branded programming, confer curriculum licensing rights, provide website listing, or imply current endorsement by Nona® Birth Education unless those rights are expressly included in the applicable program terms.
Professional Membership
Professional membership reflects ongoing affiliation with Nona® Birth Education and is granted according to the terms of a specific training pathway or membership category.
Professional membership requires continued compliance with Nona®’s ethical, educational, renewal, curriculum-use, and professional standards. Depending on the pathway, active professional membership in good standing may include public use of designated Nona® titles, licensed access to curriculum, listing on the Nona® Birth Education website, continuing education, mentoring, peer support, professional community, curriculum updates, and other pathway-specific benefits.
Good Standing
A professional member in good standing is an individual who maintains active membership status, remains compliant with Nona® policies and ethical standards, fulfills applicable renewal and ongoing requirements, and uses Nona® titles, curriculum, branded materials, and intellectual property only as authorized.
Reserved Nona® Titles
Reserved Nona® titles are titles designated by Nona® Birth Education for public use only by individuals who meet the requirements for the relevant pathway and hold active professional membership in good standing when required. Reserved Nona® titles may include, but are not limited to, titles such as Nona® Prenatal Yoga Teacher, Nona® Birth Educator, and Nona® Birth Coherence Doula, as applicable to each pathway.
Curriculum Licensing
Curriculum licensing refers to limited, revocable, non-transferable permission to use designated Nona® curricula, teaching materials, models, frameworks, handouts, slides, class structures, and related intellectual property according to the terms of the applicable program, membership category, or written licensing agreement. Curriculum licensing does not transfer ownership of Nona® intellectual property.
Continuing Education and Ongoing Requirements
Nona® Birth Education may establish continuing education, renewal, mentorship, supervision, practice, assessment, or other ongoing requirements for each professional membership pathway. Specific requirements may vary by pathway and may be updated from time to time by Nona® Birth Education.
4. General Standards for Graduate Status, Professional Membership, and Title Use
Graduate Status
Individuals who successfully complete a Nona® training pathway may accurately state that they completed that training and are graduates of that specific Nona® pathway. Where applicable, they may also state that their education is grounded in the Birth Coherence™ framework.
Graduate status alone does not grant the right to imply ongoing affiliation with Nona® Birth Education, use reserved Nona® titles, advertise under the Nona® name, offer Nona®-branded programming, use Nona® curriculum, or represent current authorization by Nona® unless those rights are expressly included in the terms of the applicable program.
Professional Membership
Professional membership reflects current affiliation with Nona® Birth Education and authorizes specific benefits, rights, and responsibilities according to the applicable pathway. Where professional membership includes title use, curriculum licensing, website listing, or branded program use, those rights are available only while the member remains active and in good standing.
Accurate Representation
All individuals trained through Nona® Birth Education must represent their training, graduate status, professional membership status, authorization, and relationship to Nona® accurately. No one may imply that Nona® graduate status or professional membership is equivalent to state licensure, clinical licensure, medical licensure, mental health licensure, legal authority, or any other credential beyond the person’s actual qualifications.
5. Curriculum Licensing and Use of Materials
Where included, curriculum licensing grants limited permission to use designated Nona® curricula, branded teaching materials, class structures, handouts, slides, models, frameworks, and related intellectual property during the term of authorization.
Unless otherwise expressly authorized in writing by Nona® Birth Education, individuals may not:
• reproduce, sell, sublicense, publish, distribute, or independently commercialize Nona® curriculum or branded materials
• use Nona® curriculum to train, authorize, or credential other teachers, educators, doulas, birth workers, facilitators, or professionals
• remove Nona® attribution from branded materials
• represent Nona® intellectual property as their own original framework, method, curriculum, or program
• substantially modify Nona® curriculum or branded materials in a way that alters the meaning, quality, intent, ethical standards, or educational integrity of the materials
• upload Nona® curriculum, slides, handouts, recordings, or teaching materials to public platforms without written permission
• record and distribute classes or trainings using Nona® curriculum unless recording rights are expressly granted
• continue using Nona® curriculum, titles, branded materials, class names, or program structures after authorization, professional membership, or licensing ends
6. Program-Specific Graduate and Membership Standards
A. Nona® Prenatal Yoga & Support Teacher Training
Graduate status confirms that a participant has completed the Nona® Prenatal Yoga & Support Teacher Training, passed required assessments, and demonstrated competence in the material and in teaching the curriculum as designed. Upon successful completion of the assessment process, individuals may state that they are graduates of the Nona® Prenatal Yoga & Support Teacher Training and may state that their education is grounded in the Birth Coherence™ framework.
Use of the Nona® Prenatal Yoga Teacher title and Nona®-branded prenatal yoga and support offerings is reserved for individuals who have completed the pathway requirements and hold active professional membership in good standing with Nona® Birth Education. This training includes one year of professional membership and curriculum licensing, with the option to renew.
B. Nona® Birth Educator Training
Graduate status confirms that a participant has completed the Nona® Birth Educator Training, passed required assessments, and demonstrated competence in the material and in teaching the curriculum as designed. This training includes one year of professional membership and curriculum licensing, with the option to renew.
C. Nona® Birth Coherence™ Doula Training
Graduate status confirms that a participant has completed the Nona® Birth Coherence™ Doula Training and demonstrated competence through engagement, required readings, assignments, assessments, and successful completion of additional requirements including attendance at three births with evaluations, observation of local childbirth and breastfeeding education courses, and five brief book reviews. This training includes two years of professional membership, with the option to renew.
7. Code of Ethics
All individuals with graduate status and all active professional members are expected to uphold the following ethical standards when representing their Nona® training, using Nona® materials, or participating in Nona®-affiliated offerings.
1. Dignity, Autonomy, and Agency
Nona®-affiliated teaching and support must honor the dignity, worth, and self-determination of every participant. Individuals may not coerce, shame, manipulate, moralize, or pressure participants around personal decisions.
2. Reproductive Justice
Nona® affirms reproductive justice as a core ethical commitment, including recognition that reproductive life is shaped by individual decision-making and by structural conditions such as racism, poverty, ableism, medical bias, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, immigration status, and unequal access to safe care and material support.
3. Support for Reproductive Autonomy
Nona® classes and offerings must support reproductive autonomy through the lens of agency and choice. Individuals teaching or representing Nona® may not stigmatize abortion or use Nona® platforms, curriculum, or branding to shame, condemn, or undermine a person’s reproductive decisions.
4. Inclusion and Non-Discrimination
Nona®-affiliated offerings must be provided without discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, language, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, family structure, marital status, age, disability, immigration status, socioeconomic status, pregnancy outcome, or birth choices.
5. Evidence-Based Education and Intellectual Honesty
Nona® offerings are evidence-based educational programs. Individuals must represent information accurately, distinguish between evidence, professional knowledge, and personal opinion, and avoid exaggerated, fear-based, or unsupported claims.
6. Secular Program
Nona® Birth Education is secular. The yoga, breath, meditation, and mindfulness practices in Nona® curricula are taught as educational and physiological tools for nervous system regulation, not as spiritual or religious practice, and every Nona® class, training, and service must be represented and taught that way. Members may hold any beliefs of their own, but may not present a Nona® class, curriculum, service, or the Nona® name as affiliated with any religion, religious belief, or spiritual tradition.
7. Scope of Practice
Individuals must practice within the limits of their own training, credentials, legal authority, and professional role. No one may represent themselves as providing medical, mental health, legal, or other regulated professional services unless they are separately qualified and authorized to do so.
8. Trauma Awareness and Relational Safety
Nona®-affiliated individuals are expected to teach and support in ways that are respectful, attuned, non-coercive, and relationally safe. Shaming, humiliation, dismissiveness, coercive touch, or disregard for participant consent is inconsistent with Nona® ethics.
9. Participant-Centered Education
Nona® education is intended to inform, support, and build resilience for all types of births. Individuals may not impose personal ideology or agenda regarding birth setting, pain medication, induction, cesarean birth, feeding, parenting style, family structure, or family roles.
10. Integrity in Use of Nona® Curriculum and Name
Individuals must represent their training, graduate status, professional membership, authorization, and relationship to Nona® accurately. Individuals may not misuse, distort, dilute, or misrepresent Nona® curriculum, branding, models, frameworks, program names, titles, or intellectual property.
11. Confidentiality and Privacy
Participant privacy must be respected. Identifying information, personal disclosures, reproductive decisions, health information, class discussions, birth stories, photographs, videos, and private communications should not be shared without permission except where required by law or necessary to prevent serious harm.
12. Professional Accountability
Harassment, exploitation, coercion, discrimination, misinformation, misrepresentation of credentials, breach of confidentiality, unauthorized use of Nona® titles or materials, and conduct materially inconsistent with Nona®’s values may result in review, remediation, suspension, non-renewal, or revocation of professional membership, title use, curriculum licensing, or other authorization.
8. Business, Legal, and Professional Responsibilities
Individuals offering classes, doula services, yoga instruction, childbirth education, mentoring, or other professional services are responsible for their own business, legal, and professional obligations, which may include:
• maintaining appropriate professional liability insurance
• complying with applicable local, state, and federal laws and scope of practice requirements
• using appropriate waivers, informed consent forms, and business policies
• maintaining appropriate privacy and recordkeeping practices
• complying with tax, business registration, and employment requirements
• obtaining any separate credentials, licenses, permits, or approvals required for their work
9. Review, Renewal, and Loss of Authorization
Nona® Birth Education reserves the right to review concerns related to ethical violations, misuse of title or branding, unauthorized use of curriculum or materials, repeated misinformation, discriminatory conduct, harassment, exploitation, breaches of confidentiality, practicing outside scope, or conduct materially inconsistent with the values, quality, or integrity of Nona®.
Loss of active membership or authorization ends the right to identify publicly using reserved Nona® titles and to advertise, teach, or offer Nona®-branded programming where those rights are tied to membership.
10. Review Process
When Nona® Birth Education receives a concern regarding ethical conduct, title use, curriculum use, professional membership, graduate status, or public representation, Nona® may review the concern in a manner appropriate to the nature and seriousness of the issue. The review process may include:
• requesting clarification from the individual involved
• reviewing public-facing materials, communications, or curriculum use
• offering or requiring remediation, mentorship, supervision, correction of public materials, or additional education
• suspending authorization while a serious concern is reviewed
• declining renewal of professional membership, title use, curriculum licensing, or other privileges
• revoking professional membership, title use, curriculum licensing, website listing, or other authorization
11. Updates to Standards
Nona® Birth Education may update pathway requirements, professional membership terms, renewal requirements, curriculum licensing standards, title-use rules, ethical standards, and program-specific policies from time to time. Material updates that affect active professional members will be communicated through reasonable channels.
12. Acknowledgment
By participating in Nona® training, accepting graduate status, using Nona® curriculum or materials, using a reserved Nona® title, or maintaining professional membership, I acknowledge that I have read and understood these policies.
I agree to represent my training, graduate status, professional membership status, authorization, and relationship to Nona® Birth Education accurately.
I agree to uphold the ethical, educational, curriculum-use, title-use, professional, and licensing standards required by Nona® Birth Education.
I understand that professional membership, title use, curriculum licensing, website listing, and other Nona® privileges may be reviewed, suspended, declined for renewal, or revoked if I do not comply with these standards.
Nona® Birth Education
Refund and Cancellation Policy
This policy applies to Nona® Birth Education classes, trainings, online courses, workshops, retreats, and related educational offerings unless a specific program agreement states otherwise.
1. General Policy
Nona® Birth Education does not offer refunds, except when Nona® Birth Education cancels an offering, as described in section 7.
If you are unable to attend a class, training, workshop, retreat, or online event for any reason, please contact Nona® Birth Education as soon as possible.
Please send cancellation or transfer requests to: [email protected]
2. Transfers
Up to 14 days before the start of an event, you may request to transfer everything you have paid to any other Nona® Birth Education class, training, workshop, or retreat.
Transfers are available for offerings that begin within two years of your original registration and are subject to space, availability, and program fit.
There is no transfer fee.
3. Less Than 14 Days Before an Event
Once an event is less than 14 days away, no transfers are allowed. Payments already made are not refundable or transferable, and any remaining payments on a plan are still due.
4. Online Events and Recordings
For online events, participants who are unexpectedly unable to attend may receive access to the recording when a recording is available.
Last-minute transfers are not available for online events unless otherwise stated in writing.
Access to recordings may be time-limited and may not include access to live participation, discussion, mentoring, assessment, professional membership benefits, or other components that require attendance.
5. Deposits and Payment Plans
A first payment, or a deposit where one is required, holds a participant’s place in a class, training, workshop, retreat, or cohort. It is refunded only if Nona® Birth Education cancels the offering, as described in section 7, and it may be transferred under section 2 up to 14 days before the start.
Participants using a payment plan are responsible for completing all scheduled payments unless a written cancellation or transfer agreement is approved by Nona® Birth Education.
If a payment plan extends beyond the end of a training, certificates of completion and/or confirmation of graduate status will not be provided until payment has been received in full.
Failure to complete payment may result in loss of access to course materials, live sessions, recordings, curriculum, graduate status, professional membership benefits, or other program privileges.
6. Missed Sessions and Participant Withdrawal
Missed sessions are not refundable.
Participants who withdraw from a class, cohort, training, workshop, retreat, or professional program after it has begun are not eligible for a refund.
Access to course materials, recordings, curriculum, professional membership, title use, or other program benefits may end or be limited according to the policies of the specific program.
7. Cancellation or Rescheduling by Nona® Birth Education
Nona® Birth Education reserves the right to cancel, reschedule, or modify a class, training, cohort, live session, workshop, retreat, or in-person component due to low enrollment, illness, emergency, weather, facility issues, instructor availability, or circumstances outside of Nona® Birth Education’s control.
If Nona® Birth Education cancels a class, training, workshop, or retreat in full, participants will receive a full refund of everything they have paid, or, if they prefer, a credit toward a future offering.
Nona® Birth Education is not responsible for participant travel costs, lodging costs, airfare, transportation, childcare costs, lost income, or other personal expenses related to a canceled, transferred, or rescheduled offering. Participants are encouraged to purchase travel insurance when travel is required.
8. Program-Specific Terms
Some offerings may have additional or different refund, cancellation, transfer, attendance, recording, or payment terms. Program-specific terms may supplement or replace this general policy when stated in the registration form, checkout page, participant agreement, program description, or training materials.
9. Agreement
By registering for a Nona® Birth Education class, training, online course, workshop, retreat, or related offering, participants agree to the refund, cancellation, transfer, and payment terms that apply to that offering.
Last updated: September 2026
