About Jennifer Summerfeldt B.A.
About Jennifer Summerfeldt B.A.
Jennifer has always been fascinated by transformation - whether it was transforming herself into an elite athlete at the age of 15, the ways that women are transformed into mothers at birth or, most recently, the ways that people could experience transformation from going through life's pain, grief, and loss. These experiences are meant to be fully lived, walked on the edge of the intensity of it, felt, and in the end, surrendered to as we find inner peace and expansion and transformation.
For the past five years, she has delved into the practice of working with groups and circles to help them go deeper (mostly by sitting in Women's Councils), however recently she has been broadening her skills and working with diverse groups and couples. She believes that working in circles can be one of the most powerful tools for significant transformation - when the right environment has been obtained. And has taken with her, the skills of 'midwifery' and being present with birth, and weaves it into the fabric of human transformation.
She is a pioneer looking at how the physical birthing process and the role of the Midwife, can be a perfect road map to the emotional birthing process we are always undergoing. She invites people to look at the major (and minor) transitions in their lives as a form of 'giving birth'; and she views the art of 'facilitation' as midwifing the circle, the person, or the situation as 'holding space' during the chaos of transition and pain.
Jennifer has always been fascinated by transformation - whether it was transforming herself into an elite athlete at the age of 15, the ways that women are transformed into mothers at birth or, most recently, the ways that people could experience transformation from going through life's pain, grief, and loss. These experiences are meant to be fully lived, walked on the edge of the intensity of it, felt, and in the end, surrendered to as we find inner peace and expansion and transformation.
For the past five years, she has delved into the practice of working with groups and circles to help them go deeper (mostly by sitting in Women's Councils), however recently she has been broadening her skills and working with diverse groups and couples. She believes that working in circles can be one of the most powerful tools for significant transformation - when the right environment has been obtained. And has taken with her, the skills of 'midwifery' and being present with birth, and weaves it into the fabric of human transformation.
For the past five years, she has delved into the practice of working with groups and circles to help them go deeper (mostly by sitting in Women's Councils), however recently she has been broadening her skills and working with diverse groups and couples. She believes that working in circles can be one of the most powerful tools for significant transformation - when the right environment has been obtained. And has taken with her, the skills of 'midwifery' and being present with birth, and weaves it into the fabric of human transformation.
She is a pioneer looking at how the physical birthing process and the role of the Midwife, can be a perfect road map to the emotional birthing process we are always undergoing. She invites people to look at the major (and minor) transitions in their lives as a form of 'giving birth'; and she views the art of 'facilitation' as midwifing the circle, the person, or the situation as 'holding space' during the chaos of transition and pain.
When asked what she does, Jennifer often says that she's passionate about helping women get excited about birth and holds space for human transformation. "We live in a culture that has women terrified about birth. But in many cultures around the world, birth is something to be welcomed, embraced, honored and even enjoyed. In some cultures the power of the feminine is something to be suppressed and in others it's uplifted. Like birth, we are also afraid of our own internal pain and chaos of life. We do everything we can to avoid it, numb it, & run away from it and yet, transforming our heart pain into joy and expansion, requires the same kind of stamina that a woman needs to give birth to her baby - I believe we all find our way and chaos is part of the process"
When asked what her work is about, she says, "It's to be a part of human kindness, offering real, authentic, and a loving approach, and to know that we can all be understood, heard, and valued in our process. Any form of birth can feel scary but we're all better when we're loved and witnessed through it."
Jennifer is offering a unique service, midwifing and witnessing the soul's birth, combining her skills from the undisturbed birthing paradigm, sport psychology/peak performance, and conflict resolution along with, her own personal souls journey into the world of dark emotions and grief.
She is able to 'go there' with you in a real and compassionate way, trusting that you and/or the group will find internal power and give birth to a new 'Self'. As with birth, there is no one way to go about this journey, everyone's birth will look and feel different, therefore, there is no format, protocol, or theory that is applied to this kind of council or coaching.
And she knows what she's talking about. Not only is she a mother of three children (all birthed at home), but she brings 11 years of experience in studying the physiology of birth and working as a doula and birth attendant. Since 2004, she has worked with an elder mentor (who herself learned from traditional midwives and from the mothers she worked with).
"People often look at transitions in their lives as things to be afraid of & run away from - but it's like the mother who gets scared at birth - and that fear itself is what makes the birth painful. But mother's are often scared because of how they've been educated about birth. In my view - the meaning of the midwife is to help the mother understand the map of where she's going, the stages & spirals she can expect to go through and to feel safe in the process so she can let go. It's the same for emotional transformation. We are literally giving birth to a new Self all the time in big and little ways. But that process can feel terrifying. Afraid of letting go of the old and allowing a piece of ourselves to die. I think we need a new way to see and interpret what is occurring during human transformation. And I think physical birth and midwifery, are perfect metaphors. It's not about a new skill. Or a new ideology. It's about a new understanding of what's really going on underneath the surface - and how we can best cooperate with it."
She combines all of this with her experience as a peak athlete, graduate school in the field of sport psychology (during which time she trained with a world class sport psychologist assisting in providing sport psych council to Olympians & Junior National level athletes). She also incorporates a spiritual and mystical component to her work, that is deeply embedded in the heart.
Skills & Qualities…
"You know what your gifts are when the community asks that of you and so, pay attention to what they are asking you to do" (Whapio, 2008)
The path that Jennifer has experienced has allowed her to recognize and hone her skills and in paying attention to what others asked of her, this is what she offers:
• Communication & Instruction – Jennifer's form of “art” is verbal expression, experiencing great joy in expressing verbally to large crowds or on an individual basis. Facilitating group discussions and offering inspiration through words (written and oral). Being present during the birthing process, has taught her how to be still, be present, and witness by listening and entering the "zone", whether on a large or individual basis. Jennifer has been told by many that she has a magical, passionate and captivating way of sharing information. And she has many years of practice speaking in front of university students, pregnant women, councils, circles, nursing students, and her highlight of her career was giving "birth" on stage!
• Council & Mediation – Jennifer can co-create an environment that feels safe, warm, and private and where people feel understood. She does not identified herself as a registered councilor by any means, however, the study of birth has offered her the opportunity to be in a position to offer council. Jennifer has learned to be witness to family stories, to offer loving feedback and in the end, was taught how to hold the space for mother's to find her way in giving birth. She carries the deep belief and knowing that the answers lie within each and everyone.
• Holistic Birth Services – In being asked to attend the birth of Women and witness their journey, she has come to learn that there are many ways one can attend a birth. Jennifer not only witnesses this powerful rite of passage, she offers nurturing loving care to help facilitate ease and grace during this transition as an experienced Doula.
And now… not the end, but yet another beginning
Through Jennifer's commitment and ongoing deep process of self-reflection and contemplation, she has arisen as an empathetic, compassionate and humble being, that is willing and ready to be of service in this world. As all humans do, she too, still struggles with some of these challenging emotions and turbulent times, however, she is learning to see the beauty in all and to “play” in the game of life.
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Curriculum_Vitae 2010.pdf Size : 0.068 Kb Type : pdf |
" And so...
The Midwife completes her work by doing nothing.
Things arise and she lets them come,
things leave and she lets them go.
Creating, not processing,
fascilitating, yet laying no claim.
And when her work is done, she forgets about it, and so it lasts forever!"
-The Tao of Midwifery.
