Doulas for Dad’s ~ Exploring a shift from ‘maternity’ to ‘family care’ in our doula practice

A focus on fathers to bring wellbeing to the whole family over the perinatal time. 
In our session we will explore: 

• Why dads matter.
• What our health system and society is doing to dads.
• What they may need so they can better support themselves and their families.
• Ways doula’s can include and care for dads more in our doula practice? 

We will provide you with male specific community resources for Victoria and Nationally. We will update you on the Health Male organisations findings from the Plus Paternal - case for change project (in response to the national Mens health strategy 2020-2030. 
Quotes: 
“I understand that the majority of attention needs to be provided to the mother and I am supportive of this. However, having a child was still the most important event of my life, and yet I was often ignored completely during preconception consultations, during pregnancy and perinatally. Being treated like a member of the team on more occasions would have been valued”. Men’s lived experience survey participant.
“We will benefit as a society if fathers have access to the same service provision as mothers…we are often working with only one half of the parenting partnership”. Health professional survey participant.

​About Aladdin Jones  

Aladdin is a professional counsellor, facilitator, supervisor and adult educator with over 15 years experience in working with families and with men. He is a father of 2 teenage daughters and is an active co-parent. Aladdin worked for 7 years as a family therapist with children and parents particularly in the area of childhood trauma and family violence. He has worked as psychotherapist, counsellor and groupwork facilitator with men (ongoing), youth worker, Health Promotion Officer in engaging men in men’s health, PVAW and gender equality, and Community Development Officer in engaging men in programs. He is a member of the Australian Fatherhood Research Consortium, Australian Counsellors Association (ACA), Australian Association Bush Adventure Therapy & Victorian Association Restorative Justice (VARJ). He is a teacher, nationally and internationally, training quality skilled therapists with the Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy Institute. Aladdin holds a masters in education with a research focus on transformative education & ecopsychology.
Aladdin has a private practice in psychotherapy, couples & family therapy, and offers groupwork sessions for teenage boys in schools on sex ed & healthy masculinities. He co-facilitates the Melbourne Beer & Bubs antenatal program for expectant dads and has trained in parenting program facilitation such as Baby Makes 3. He has recently initiated a new inter-generational group called: Sharing Worlds: Sharing stories of fatherhood – this provides celebration and support for new and expectant fathers.

About Erika Munton

Erika Munton is a birth and relationship coach, educator, doula and group facilitator. She supports, guides, educates and advocates for expectant parents across the pregnancy to parenting continuum.  Her passion is to help people create positive change during times of transition in life both personally and professionally.
Erika is the owner and director of Birthready and it's support programs, She is the Melbourne facilitator of Beer and bubs - birth education for men at the pub, facilitated Baby makes 3 Erika is also a studying for a bachelor in counselling and psychotherapy.  She has attended hundreds of births as a doula and supported hundreds more through the perinatal time. She runs workshops, is a presenter and speaker at events, facilitates groups to fulfil their purpose and helps people so they may help others.  She is a volunteer at Birth for HumanKIND and works with people from a diverse range of cultures, lifestyles, family dynamics and values.  
Erika has an advanced diploma in Group Facilitation, Certificate 4 in coaching and hypnotherapy and is a Lamaze birth educator LCCE and qualified doula.   She is a member of CAPEA, IICT, MC, DNA and PANDA  Every year Erika continues to up skill in mindfulness, embodiment practices, counselling, education in birth, parenting and relationships.  
Her personal birth experiences and those of her clients help her to understand the intimacy of birth, specifically bridging the gap between natural birth, today’s medical model of care, and what women and their families want for their wellbeing.