BIRTH IMPRINTS
A somatosensory approach
to experiences related to birth and childbirth.
Some experiences may remain present in the body.
even when we can no longer identify exactly where they come from.
Birth is a deeply embodied experience.
Some experiences may remain present in ways that we cannot always explain or put into words.
Birth Imprints is a somatosensory approach that explores experiences related to birth and childbirth, and invites us to notice how they may be present in the body and in our experience today.
It is not about finding an explanation for what we experienced, or changing what happened.
It is about creating space to notice, explore, and experience that history in different ways
When an experience remains present
We cannot always explain why certain situations trigger such an intense reaction.
Sometimes, we understand rationally what is happening, but the body responds before we can organize the experience into words.
When we approach experiences related to birth — such as separation, medical interventions, restraint, or moments of helplessness — we can also observe what happens in the body today.
A sensation, a movement, a way of protecting oneself, a difficulty staying in a particular situation, or a reaction that seems disproportionate may raise questions about one’s own experience.
Somatosensory work begins precisely with the possibility of observing what happens in the body and carefully exploring the meanings this experience may have in the present.
What Are Birth Imprints?
Birth Imprints are the ways in which an experience related to birth may continue to be perceived, felt, or expressed in the present.
They may appear in bodily sensations, movements, breathing, impulses, patterns of approaching or withdrawing, and in the ways we respond to certain situations.
This does not mean that everything we feel today originates in birth.
The work does not begin with a predetermined cause. It begins with present experience and the possibility of exploring it.
Through somatosensory work, we can observe what happens in the body as we approach these experiences and explore other possibilities for perceiving and experiencing them.
Who is it for?
For people who were born
This may be meaningful for adults who wish to explore experiences related to their own birth — especially when there is a history of:
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an instrumental delivery or medical interventions;
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cesarean birth or induction;
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separation after birth;
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procedures or situations experienced as invasive;
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periods of hospitalization;
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difficulties or complications during birth;
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or simply a sense that there is something in this story they would like to explore.
You do not need to have a conscious memory of your birth.
For mothers
It may also be meaningful for women who went through a difficult, unexpected, or very different-than-imagined birth and feel that the experience is still present in some way.
It can be a space to approach what was experienced, notice what remains, and find other ways of relating to that experience.
How Does It Work?
A process that begins with the body
Sessions are shaped around each person’s experience.
There is no single script or set sequence of techniques that needs to be followed.
We may use somatosensory practices to observe:
sensations · breathing · movement · impulses · boundaries · tension · relaxation · distance · proximity
Based on what emerges in the session, we can explore different ways of perceiving and responding to an experience.
Talking can also be part of the process. The body expands what we are able to notice about what is being experienced.
What can we explore?
We may explore, for example:
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how the body responds to certain situations;
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sensations that arise repeatedly;
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impulses to move closer or move away;
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ways of protecting or defending ourselves;
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boundaries and difficulty perceiving them;
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automatic responses;
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sensations associated with separation, restraint, or helplessness;
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how an experience is perceived and felt in the present.
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The question is not to discover “what happened at birth.”
It is to notice what happens now when we approach that experience.
Repairing does not mean erasing or fixing.
We cannot change what happened.
Nor do we need to turn the experience into an explanation for everything we are today.
In this context, repair refers to the possibility of creating a new experience in relation to what was lived.
Through the body, we can move closer, move away, pause, interrupt, explore boundaries, and experience different ways of responding.
What happened remains part of the story.
But our relationship with that experience can be explored in the present.
How does it work?
Individual sessions
In person in Resende, RJ
The work takes place in individual sessions lasting approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.
The first session is an opportunity to learn about your story, understand what you would like to explore, and consider together whether this approach feels right for you.
Depending on your experience and on what emerges throughout the process, one or more sessions may be scheduled.
There is no required number of sessions.