revolutionize and reclaim motherhood

revolutionize and reclaim motherhood

The Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification™

course begins May 20th, 2024

Early enrolments closes Tuesday 24th October, 2023

introducing the motherhood studies practitioner certification 2023

To read captions please click on video and watch on Youtube.

 

Imagine if you were able to deepen and expand the support you provide to Mothers

Imagine being able to understand, name and speak about the social and cultural dimensions of Motherhood.

Imagine being able to validate and affirm Mothers’ experiences – and in turn, better facilitate their empowerment and transformation journey. 

Not only is it possible, but it’s also necessary. 

When we shine a light on what’s truly impacting the Motherhood experience, we can start to break the current rules and rewrite what it means to be a Mother - and in a way that works for us

We can finally start to create change.

 

“I feel much more confident… I can place what I do within a much wider sociological context.

Sophie manages to encapsulate really complex ideas in a very understandable and accessible way, that you can then go and implement into your work with mothers, with families. I’ve been doing this work for a very long time, but I’ve never really had the language or the theories, or the references to back that up.”

Ali Pember

Coach, counsellor, mindfulness and hypnobirth practitioner. Specialist in maternal mental health and wellbeing.

 

MOTHERHOOD IS DIFFERENT TO MOTHERING

Mothering is the ‘doing’ work – the feeding, the bathing, the caring, the holding, the emotional labour.

Motherhood is the social and cultural construct that Mothers live their lives within.

So Mothers do their Mothering within the context of Motherhood.

Many of the support services available are focused on the act of Mothering. While this area of support is extremely important, if we focus on this one area without understanding the context that Mothers are mothering within, then we miss half the picture in creating sustainable, impactful, long-lasting change.

The factor that is most often invisible, but enormously shapes Mothers’ experiences is - society's unspoken rules.

Without learning about or acknowledging these societal rules, we can unintentionally perpetuate Mothers continuing to place these unrealistic expectations upon their own shoulders. Expectations none of us could ever meet.

But how do we change that?

By gaining a sociological understanding of Motherhood.

With this understanding, you will finally be able to see the whole picture. You will gain the ability to see and communicate the many factors that impact us, that are set against us and that are currently out of our control. 

A sociological understanding of Motherhood allows you to deepen the impact of your work and communicate in a new language with tools, concepts, understandings and frameworks.

This knowledge will change the way you support Mothers. But ultimately, it will challenge and transform the way you view Motherhood.

The Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification ™

A sociological, evidence-based course for those who work with, or aspire to work with mothers.

In this program, you will:

  • Learn about the ways Mothers are often left feeling unsupported, overwhelmed, guilty, depleted, invisible, burdened, misunderstood, and craving connection and space – and learn what you can do to help them

  • Gain an understanding of Motherhood that goes beyond individually-focused information, and connects the personal Mother experience with the broader picture

  • Learn how the current, disempowering system of Motherhood was created, how it impacts individual mothers, why it continues in the way it does and how we can come together to make a difference for Mothers

  • Transform the way you view Motherhood and how you work with Mothers so you can feel more confident in providing a broader and more impactful level of support 

“In my work the certification program gave me vocabulary, concepts, and ultimately the confidence to go deeper into the work of Motherhood support.

As a coach for mothers as they journey into and through Motherhood, now this work is woven into everything that I do… It has transformed my work.”

Cayley Benjamin, Coach and facilitator of 14 years

“the course just went above and beyond what I thought. I’VE gained so much knowledge and such an amazing way to view the macro structures of motherhood and also the micro what's actually going on day to day.”

Grace Taylor, Doula.

Becoming a Mother can be an empowering catalyst for transformation and change

But as well as going through changes that we already know about – in our relationships, our careers, our sense of identity and physical changes – we enter into a new social role.

A role that…

… impacts our Mothering journey and everyday lived experiences

… is influenced by bigger factors that go beyond our ability to Mother the way we choose to

… keeps us living in, upholding and reinforcing rules that we did not write - until we decide to do things differently.


What’s inside The Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification™?

The 8 foundational modules that form the certification are:

  • In this module, you will understand how and why Motherhood is social, learn about the theory of intensive mothering ideology and ‘The Perfect Mother myth’, then learn where these come from and how they impact mothers.
    You will also be trained in my concept of the Fish Tank of Motherhood™ to understand Motherhood sociologically (and be able to explain it to others), and the ‘Care/Career Conundrum’ concept that you can draw on in supporting Mothers navigating motherhood and paid work.

  • Here you will understand power and performance in Motherhood and learn to become a cultural assessor of the messages transmitted about Motherhood. Learn my unique concepts for explaining the ‘social system’ of Motherhood and how ‘Mum Guilt’ comes about and is part of the social construction of Motherhood. You’ll learn how the ‘Mummy wars’ have been created and sustained and how Mothers come to be socialised into The Perfect Mother Myth.

  • Creating cultural revolution for Mothers goes beyond a focus on individuals, and requires an understanding and resistance to institutionalised patterns of marginalisation. In this module, we talk about Mothers ‘on the margins’ in vulnerable groups to support you in connecting Mothers’ individual experiences back to broader cultural patterns and structural systems that they live within.

  • Dive deep into exploring what ‘identity’ means in motherhood and how becoming a mother can completely change our understanding of ‘self’ and who we are. This module challenges you to open your mind to new ways of thinking about ‘self’ and ‘identity’. It offers you my unique framework for understanding, talking about, and supporting Mothers in exploring their own identity in Motherhood.

  • After understanding how and why Motherhood is social and the different ways Mothers come to think about and experience their sense of self and identity, this module is all about relationships and the ‘family’. You’ll hear research on the challenges of gender inequality in the home, particularly in the context of the pandemic.

  • In this module, you’ll learn my framework of ‘Pressure Through Maternal Practice’. It covers how maternal thinking, the mental load and emotional labour are part of the social construct of Motherhood. You’ll be taught one-of-a-kind models and processes that you can draw upon to support Mothers through guilt and anger, and how to break free of The Anger-Guilt Trap.

  • After understanding all the ways Motherhood is constructed - often against us - here you will focus on a way forward in reimagining what Motherhood means and could mean within a revolutionised social context. You will learn about empowered mothering, feminist mothering, liberated motherhood, and how individual Mothers can be supported in drawing on their agency as Mothers - in what can often be a disempowering system of Motherhood. Learn about matricentric feminism (O’Reilly) and the value of applying this lens to your business and practice.

  • Alchemise this course experience into your own unique wisdom and teachings by engaging in reflexivity and learning the value of ‘rethinking’ (Grant) as a practice. You’ll learn how to respond to ‘imposter syndrome’, boundaries, fostering collaboration over competition, and how course knowledge can be integrated into the development and deepening of your skillset and practice.

 

AS WELL AS 8 DEEP-DIVE MODULES, YOU WILL ALSO GET:

A Close-Knit Online Community: Share your experience with others across various industries who are going through the same journey of rethinking and relearning what Motherhood means.

2x Fortnightly Live Classroom Calls: Get access to two classes (accommodating different time zones) where you can ask me any questions or simply join in a group conversation.

2x Fortnightly Community Connection Sessions: Reflect on and discuss course content with your community of peers studying alongside you, establishing and building relationships that will serve you long after the course finishes.

Completion Certificate: Receive an emblem and certificate of completion as a certified Motherhood Studies Practitioner that you can use on your website and in your marketing.

BONUS: Practitioner Resource Pack: Upon completion, you will gain access to a bonus practitioner resource pack to equip you with information, templates, worksheets, speaker documents, client-facing materials and other resources. These resources will help you take everything you’ve learned in the certification out into the world and to seamlessly integrate it into your work with Mothers. You receive a licence agreement that enables you to use and distribute these resources to your clients.

“From day one of this course, I felt like I made a great decision taking this course… I could find my own voice and what I value in my life, as a mother, as a woman, and as a person. ”

Sakie, working mother of 3 children, Japan.

“I really loved it, it was exactly what I was looking for. And in fact, I feel I have a better understanding and framework to work with when learning about motherhood and working with mothers and being a mother myself.”

Dr Jodi Pawluski, Neuroscientist and Therapist

Are you ready to deepen the way you work with and support Mothers?

Hear more from past certification participants

“It has been a truly expansive experience for me, it has absolutely exceeded all of my expectations”

Stephanie Jade, Holistic Mothercare Practitioner and Feminine Embodiment Leader

“This certification program expanded me, my knowledge and practice in the best ways.

It provided education, literature, many catalysts for reflection, and opportunities for connection that absolutely have added dimension to the way I practice in my clinical work and how I make sense of and weave this together with my drive for activism for social and cultural change for women and mothers. Sophie is an amazing teacher and role model in this space”

— Casie Walker

Clinical Psychologist specialising in Women’s health and wellbeing, transition to and thriving in motherhood, change and transitions, healing from burnout and trauma and living with high sensitivity.

This course you’re doing, Sophie, is so important and so amazing, it really is. I just wish everybody would take it – and not just Mothers.

Social workers, doctors, nurses. I wish everyone would take a… mandatory course on Motherhood, because I think everyone would think, ‘Wow I had never realised that, I never thought about that, how different my perceptions are now… So it is an intervention into the master narrative, what you are doing.”

— Professor Andrea O’Reilly, Maternal researcher and scholar who coined ‘Motherhood Studies’

Your investment in The Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification ™


Full course + certification

6 MONTHLY PAYMENTS

$720 AUD

OR ONE PAYMENT OF

$4299 AUD

Harriet Mandak, Holistic Life Coach & Spiritual Mentor

“This course was by far and away the best investment I have made - both personally and professionally.

Not only have I gained the language, theories, concepts and references to deepen and expand the work I do in supporting mothers, but I also learnt so much more about myself personally, and has liberated me on levels that I could not have foreseen or expected.

Sophie is so gifted at summarising and encapsulating very complex theories and concepts so that they are much more digestible and relatable, so I feel so confident and empowered to be able to implement my learnings into my own practice and work with mothers.

A truly transformative and expansive experience!”

COURSE STRUCTURE AND DATE SCHEDULE

There are 8 modules of content released from May 22nd through until the beginning of November

(4 weeks of break-time included).

Content is released fortnightly and on the week it’s released there are two community connection calls for you to meet with other course participants and discuss and reflect on the content.

The following week are two live class calls facilitated by Sophie to answer your questions and facilitate discussion.

The two calls on each week are to accommodate different timezones. Attendance is not mandatory. They are there as an option to support you in your learning journey and enrich your course experience.

All calls are recorded and available for you to watch as a replay.

The course structure is designed to support you in completing the content ‘live’ along with other course participants.

However, if you are not able to complete the course as it runs, you still retain access to content to work through at your own pace until May 2024.

Time commitment to complete content only: approx 1 hr/ week (none during break time)

Time commitment to complete content + engage in a live call: approx 2 hrs/ week (none during break time)

it’s time to use our collective power to reclaim and revolutionise Motherhood

 Frequently asked questions

 
  • ‘Practitioners’ include social workers, counsellors, doulas, midwives, coaches, occupational therapists, psychologists, GPs, lactation consults, breastfeeding counsellors, activists, writers, and any others who are passionate about maternal advocacy.

    The training is also appropriate for those considering university research and study, wanting to gain foundational understanding of maternal scholarship that complements interdisciplinary fields of education, social work, psychology, sociology, midwifery, nursing, and media and communications, among others.

    Participants who join range in experience from being brand-new to motherhood-support, to having decades of experience.

    If you aren’t sure if this course is right for you, send me an email at info@drsophiebrock.com and I can give you any extra information you need

  • The amazing thing about the participants who have joined in the past is the wide range of skills and backgrounds they have. This has varied from scientists to people already working in motherhood support services to mothers who are at the beginning of their journey into this work and want an in-depth holistic view from the beginning.

    I can’t tell you if it’s right for you or not, but I do believe that if there is something calling you to do this work then there is likely something here for you.

    I have condensed this highly-academic work into accessible concepts and language so you can learn and benefit from it in your own life and in your career or business endeavours. There is no requirement for formal education to benefit from and understand the materials in this course.

    If you’re not sure if it’s right for you, send me an email at info@drsophiebrock.com and I will share any extra information you need to help you make the right decision for yourself.

  • Matrescence refers to the developmental stage and transition into/through becoming a Mother. It's a concept that has been extended, adapted and drawn upon as a tool to teach practitioners to integrate and use to support Mothers.

    Motherhood Studies is a discipline and area of study, rather than a concept. Motherhood Studies encompasses maternal theory, scholarship, and concepts. Motherhood Studies gives you training in the broader cultural context of Motherhood, with some concepts taught relevant to specific maternal experiences, such as grappling with identity, guilt, ambivalence and anger.

    You will get a lot out of doing both types of courses. They are connected in their focus on mothers, but distinct in the type of content and training offered.

  • All content is accessed through an online learning platform, New Zenler.

    Each learning module contains a series of short video lectures. These lectures are all that you’re required to complete in preparation for the short-answer assessments to gain your certification.

    The live classrooms and community connection sessions are held on Zoom. Live classrooms will be recorded and available to watch on New Zenler.

  • The course begins May 22nd, 2023 and module content is released fortnightly.

    Part 1 of the course runs from 22nd May - 30th June. We then have 2 weeks break.

    Part 2 of the course runs from 17th July - 22nd September. We then have 2 weeks break.

    Part 3 of the course runs from 9th October - 13th November.

    [The course follows the school calendar dates for NSW Australia, with breaks over the school holidays].

    You will have access until May 2024 to complete the course and receive your certification.

  • Time commitment to complete content only: approx 1 hr/ week (none during break time)


    Time commitment to complete content + engage in a live call: approx 2 hrs/ week (none during break time).

    ……

    There are 8 modules of content, each one containing short lectures totalling approximately 1.5 hours per module.

    The course is specifically designed and structured in manageable pieces to guide and support you in completing the content.

    A new module is released every 2 weeks. The week the content is released, you’ll have access to 2x 1-hour community connection sessions. The alternative week, you will have access to 2x 1-hour online classrooms.

  • There is a 2 week break after part one of the course, and a 2 week break after part two of the course to give you space for catching up.

    Once the content has all been released, you have an additional 6 months to finish the content or complete the course at your own pace.

  • I’m based in Sydney, Australia and typically there are course participants from a range of countries across the world. To try best accommodate these varying timezones there are 2x calls weekly in AM (10am/12pm) and PM (8.30pm) Aus times.

    Zoom calls are also recorded and available to watch as a replay if you cannot attend them live.

  • In order to receive your certification you need to watch all module content (excluding call replays) and complete a short answer assessment at the end of the course.

    You receive the assessment questions as we work through each module so you can answer them as we go if you’d like.

    This assessment is designed to support you in your own learning reflection and integration of content.

    I’ll assess your results and email you with any clarifications required, along with your certification and ‘Motherhood Studies Certified’ logo to use in your marketing, if you wish to do so.

    You then receive access to the bonus module of practitioner resources.

  • The course isn't accredited by any official body or institution, no. That's for various reasons. I do see a lot of benefits in keeping my course run independently so I can be very intentional and flexible about the content I want to include and/or change.

    It is recognised by some professional associations - you'll need to check with yours specifically to see if it counts towards CPD points. I've had past students claim approx 22 hrs of CPD as nurses, midwives, social workers and psychologists.

    If you would like more information and/or support in submitting an application to your company/workplace/agency for funding to complete this course, feel free to email info@drsophiebrock.com.

  • 10% of course enrolments are dedicated to subsidized course places. Applications for subsidizied places has now closed.

 "I'm very emotional the course is finished. It was one of the greatest, if not the greatest journey and learning I've ever gone on. 

Everyone will have a special place in my heart after our time together in the container you created and held so supportively for us."

— LISA COLLINS, IRELAND

“This program has been one of the most influential experiences in my life. I feel confident moving forward working with mothers

And I have a better understanding of myself and my practice. This coursework unveils the work that needs to be done from a social justice standpoint, and pushes ourselves to self-reflect and connect with others."

— RACHELLE DECOUD, USA

WHEN YOU SIGN UP TO

The Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification™

YOU WILL GET:

8 Deep-Dive Modules Forming the Certification

A Close-Knit Online Community

2x Fortnightly Live Classroom Calls

2x Fortnightly Community Connection Sessions

Completion Certificate and Emblem

Bonus Practitioner Resource Pack

 

Sakie

“I have been applying the principals and lessons I’ve learned in the course to my daily life, as both a mother and as a woman, and I feel more connected to myself, my children, my partner, and to the people around me than I've ever felt before.  

From day one, I felt like I'd made a great decision taking this course. They way the course is structured, how accesible the material is, and of course, the actual content were exactly what I was looking for.

When I began this course I was pregnant with my third child and working full time. By the end of the course, I had a 6 month old, a two year old in daycare, and a 6 year old getting ready to start elementary school. Needless to say, time management was a challenge.

But one of the best parts of this course is that it is so thoughtfully designed for mothers in a variety of situations and life circumstances. Moreover, the content of the course was so valuable that I never felt conflicted about setting aside time to focus on the lessons, because I knew that in the long run they were making me a better mother and a better person. 

This course helped me understand the real struggles that come with motherhood, and where those struggles come from. It enabled me to find my own voice and gain a deeper sense of what I truly value in my life.   

I am truly in awe of how Dr. Sophie delivers the content. The way she teaches, the way she speaks, and the way she designed the course were perfect. I could feel her generosity of spirit, her deep compassion, and the genuine respect she has for mothers everywhere. I cannot wait to share all of the wisdom and knowledge I gained in this course with other women so that they can benefit from the wonderful lessons in the same way that I did.

It’s time to revolutionise motherhood support. We are the ones who can make a change.

To make waves in Motherhood support, we need to understand and name the driving forces behind the experience. 

Without this, our support will continue to be surface-level. It won’t allow us to work towards creating lasting change.

Thankfully, we are living in a time where we can challenge what it means to be a Mother.

We can push back on the cultural and societal rules and expectations that we no longer want to uphold.

We can work to create a world where Mothers are empowered, liberated, supported, and valued, making a real difference in each other’s lives.

The Motherhood Studies Practitioner Certification ™ contains the knowledge, information, and community to help you with this. We aren’t meant to journey through this field alone.

The work contained within this course supports us in claiming our own power, transforming how we experience being Mothers, and deepens our impact in how we support others.

This is the certification to work towards revolutionising motherhood.

Will you join me?

The course begins May 22nd, 2023 and runs live once per year.

why study with Dr sophie brock?

Embarking on learning like this can be equal parts exciting and daunting! Being able to trust that a person facilitating online learning such as this is qualified and experienced is important. I take my role as an educator and facilitator seriously, and hold this space with a deep level of respect, sensitivity, and awareness.

I have spent 10 years in this space of Motherhood-research and have a PhD in Sociology specialising in Motherhood Studies from The University of Sydney. In my research I developed theory for understanding how Mothers’ lives are shaped by the social and cultural construct of Motherhood. I’m also a Mother myself. 

I’m experienced in teaching both in person and online, having created courses and delivered programs to hundreds of passionate mothers and professionals. Through my role as a social scientist, I know that this work is ongoing, expansive, and exploratory. I remain open, curious, and ever learning.

My passion and focus is in supporting those who work with mothers to develop, integrate, and adapt a sociological lens of Motherhood into their businesses, careers, and professions. My hope is that through sharing this knowledge, Motherhood Studies Practitioners can become beacons of light for Mothers. Beacons of light who do not represent another pedestal for which we need to strive, but who illuminate parts of Motherhood that have been overshadowed and silenced for too long - including our power and voices. Beacons of light who signify hope and possibility - who Mothers can turn to when they are feeling alone, isolated, challenged, and not enough. 

By gaining this knowledge, I hope that students of Motherhood Studies can advocate for and champion Mothers and the reimagined possibilities of what Motherhood can mean - for us and future generations.

“Choosing the red pill In The Matrix movie (1999), Morpheus offers Neo a choice: ‘You take the blue pill,’ he says, ‘the story ends’. With the blue pill nothing will change, your life will be the same or ‘You take the red pill (…) and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.’

With the red pill you will have access to a deeper truth or in other words, you will continue to learn about the invisible conditioning messages that were set in the world to break them and get freedom.

Taking this motherhood studies certification was like choosing the red pill.

After the training, I could not see motherhood and mothering with the same lens.

It is an eye-opening course about our socialization as mothers and women. How the social construct of motherhood can be oppressive and how mothering can be a place of agency, power and resistance.

The certification brings the language, the concepts, the bigger narrative which contributes to supporting other women along their mothering journey.

I do believe that the web of motherhood studies practitioners that are spreading certification’s learning are planting invisible seeds of change.

In the movie Neo chooses the red pill and joins the rebellion.

Are you ready to join the web of invisible seeds of change?”

Margarida Sousa, Portugal.

If you’ve made it all the way down here… :)

 

Are you finding it difficult to make the decision about whether or not this course is right for you? I completely understand that it’s a big decision to make and lots of information is required.

If there’s a particular question you’re wondering that I haven’t answered here, or something you’re still unsure about, feel free to email me at info@drsophiebrock.com. I’ll do my best to provide as much extra information as you need so you can make a decision that feels right and aligned for you.

Sophie x