The Birthkeeper’s Path 10 moons course 2025

What is the birthkeepers path?

The birthkeepers path is a 10 month journey which invites you to dive deep into women’s mysteries, ritual and ceremony as you accompany families through the transformative states of pregnancy birth and becoming parents.

Taught by Jady Mountjoy, an experienced doula and menstruality educator, and Joy Horner, a former independent midwife, and sacred birth keeper. Jady and Joy both have an embodied understanding that birth works! They provide a balanced and holistic course for those who wish to become birth keepers. Their many years of working inside and outside of the NHS system, combined with spiritual and shamanic trainings weave together a potent basket of sacred birthkeeper’s knowledge. Both are experienced teachers and mentors and have amassed over 45 years combined personal knowledge of parenting their own children.

This unique course will prepare you to accompany and care for families before during and after pregnancy, in a holistic way which encompasses body, mind and spirit. As a birth keeper you will learn the skills of holding space for families through their sacred rights and transitions. A role that parents are demanding and defining, one which respects and dignifies their way of birthing and caring for their babies. One which marries the wisdom of our bodies and our intuition, with a thorough respect for natural bodily processes which can sometimes benefit from medical care.

The birthkeepers path is available to anyone who already works in the birth world as well as those wanting to take their first steps. It is suitable for midwives, doulas, and others who would like to deepen their understanding of the sacred and shamanic dimensions of pregnancy, birth, and new parenthood. It is also open to those wishing to take their first steps on the birthkeeper’s path. Perhaps considering a future career path as a midwife, doctor or doula.

This path is not an easy one, and requires dedication to the families you serve, humility, and absolute honesty. If you feel called to this work you probably already possess some of these qualities. What you will gain on the course is and understanding of how to walk with parents through their sacred rites of passage, preventing unnecessary birth trauma, and enabling them to step into their power and what choices are right for them and their babies. You will learn practical skills and gain greater clarity in how to bring your gifts forward in the service of others. We will ask you to dig deep into your own blueprints and beliefs about pregnancy birth and parenting, inviting you to update old assumptions and habits.

Although this course is packed with factual information, research, and practical ways of working with clients, it does not make you a replacement for a registered midwife.

We understand that many of you are mothers of young children or have other caring obligations, and that you may need help to create space for yourself to complete this course. As mothers, with families of our own, we will support you in whatever way we can to help you reach your personal goals.

What is included in the course?

10 months of online course materials to work through at your own pace.

Downloadable materials to use in your own practice.

Regular zoom gatherings with the rest of your cohort, for support and information sharing.

Three, private one hour long mentoring sessions with Jady or Joy.

Four weekend workshops, each consisting of two days, where you will learn practical skills, have time for self-reflection, and to hone the art of caring.

E-mail contact with Jady and Joy throughout the course.

A private online chat area where you can communicate with other students.

Membership of the Wisewoman’s Hearth Collective

Listening partnerships and Study pods

What is required to complete the course?

• Complete all online monthly modules.
• Complete the minimal level of homework – mostly personal reflections, podcasts to listen to or films to watch.
• Attend three private mentoring sessions.
• Write 2 book reviews.
• Create a pregnancy, birth, or parenting – related topic to be presented at the end of the course. This can be as simple as a factual handout, some artwork, or a much bigger project.
• Attend the four in person weekends (8 day workshops) in Glastonbury of practical skills, and consolidation of the online modules. Our workshops will be held in Glastonbury throughout 2025

We organise listening partnerships with a fellow student, for personal support and to practice listening and being witnessed, plus small study groups where you can discuss the course content and get peer to peer support from other students.

We envision the study and attendance time would equate to approximately 2- 3hrs per week. Of course, this could be more if you really got excited to read more about a topic.

How can you use this knowledge after the course?

We provide certificates of attendance for all workshops and modules completed.

These can count towards your continuing professional development (CPD).

You can use the knowledge gained to enhance your current doula or midwifery practice.

You could use it as part of your portfolio if applying for midwifery training.

Some professionals use it to enhance their understanding of caring for pregnant or postnatal clients if they work in other areas of healthcare, e.g. cranial sacral therapists, yoga teachers, hypnobirthing instructors etc.

The knowledge and skills gained during the course will equip you to be able to care for families throughout pregnancy, labour and birth, and early parenthood as a family companion, advocate or birthkeeper.

How Much does it cost?

The investment for 10 months of online content, Downloads, In-person workshops, Email support, 3 private mentoring calls and Zoom calls is

£2,500 (GBP). Payment by installments is availible.

3x £1,000 (GBP) Bursary Placements are available for those in financial hardship

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Contact

Send me an email to join our waiting list or subscribe for updates.

We are happy to welcome you on this exciting path!

Jady and Joy. x