ABOUT HER: Denise Spatafora is an author, multi-media personality, motivational speaker and consultant who has coached thousands of individuals including CEOs, entrepreneurs and celebrities in companies such as Google, Conde Nast, Citibank, Unilever, BBC and Credit Suisse to name a few and has been featured in several media outlets including the Today Show. She is a powerful innovator who is parlaying her charismatic spirit with her "Philosophy on Clarity" into her latest empowerment foray, BornClear — a childbirth education, book and movement — Shifting the conversation of birth.
She addresses conception, pregnancy and birth on all levels: emotional, mental, physical and spiritual. Her authentic and passionate energy makes her a favorite guest on a number of television programs as well as radio and as a contributing editor to several publications. She is frequently invited as an expert for empowering women for the "Dove" campaigns and received national acclaim for her successes in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal. Most recently, Ms Spatafora has authored, “Better Birth: The Ultimate Guide to Childbirth from Home Births to Hospitals”- A must read for all expectant moms!
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT:
(EM): Ms. Spatafora, thank you again for giving us the opportunity to sit down with you. You are such a wonderful role model not only as an expert birth educator, but also as an entrepreneur. Can you share with us how you began your career as a life coach and motivational speaker?
Denise Spatafora (DS): I have always been an entrepreneur. My first company was an event design firm here in NYC—I designed and planned many amazing events including Elton John’s 20th Anniversary, the Opening night of the NYC Ballet, Clive Davis’s Arista Records Grammy parties in NYC and LA, the relauch of Elle Magazine in Central Park with Natalie Cole and many many more. I sole that business about 12 years ago and took 6 months really allowing myself to be on a journey of what I would love to do next with out forcing anything but really allowing it to show itself. One of my old clients approached me about all she was dealing with her in business—we had lunch and after listening to her for a few hours, it was clear all that she was afraid of, all the limits and behaviors that were holding her back. I shared what I heard her say and she asked if she could hire me to make sure we fulfilled on all that she really wanted---that was the beginning of my consulting/coaching practice. I have had the great fortune to work with hundreds of people in private and public companies including conflict/resolution work—working with Protestants and Catholics in Ireland.
EM: How did you come to create Born Clear and what led you down this path?
Denise Spatafora (DS): When I began to have children, I was amazed that the main conversation was so fearful and people would unabashedly share their horror stories of their birth experiences with me. Given the work I have been doing for years and my own personal philosophy that I want to create my life in all aspects, it seemed natural to create my birth experience as well, so I began to figure out what I needed to be prepared on every level-emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. I did not realize it at the time but I was creating the curriculum for the Bornclear course. I began teaching the course after my daughter, Savannah was born about 8 years ago—a very peaceful, powerful birth which you can see on our site: www.Betterbirthbook.comIt was amazing to see the transformation of all the women with their partners in the courses—people dealing with their fears and creating what they really wanted and needed.
EM: How does Born Clear prepare women for childbirth? How is it different from Lamaze or Bradley Method for example?
(DS): Bornclear is very unique---of course you can understand all the stages of labor and the physicality of it all and that breathing may relax you but what will that all provide? Bornclear is based on the mind/body connection—meaning what you are feeling/thinking directly affects your body and physical experience in pregnancy and birth BornClear will address all of the physical elements of birth, all the checmicals that are elicited by your thoughts, what is the best choice for you regarding a practitioner and what are the conversations to ensure that everyone around you are aligned and in agreement allowing you to truly concentrate on birthing. We also deal with fears and concerns you may have or that you have and may not even know you have. There are so many opportunities throughtout the course and book (‘Better Birth”) to become more self-aware and grow—using this journey to birth yourself as a mothr/father/parent and created not only the birth but the first few months of this new phase of your life. We also teach many methods to have you “train” your mind and body to relax and the power of relaxation/feeling safe has during birth. This course leaves couples empowered, educated and trusting themselves and their choices.
EM: What do you think is fundamentally wrong with childbirth in America today (if anything)?
(DS): A few things—women/men are not educated and some people are not making sure they are educated and empowered for one of the most amazing rites of passages of their lives. Also we as a country has so over medacalized a very natural process—I appreciate doctors and hospitals and sometimes the medical interventions during birth are unnecessary and insensitive on many levels—again it comes back to all of us being educated. A clear unrighteous education like Bornclear (Better Birth) allows women to understand themselves, their bodies, connect with their babies on profound emotionally building levels and be able to have powerful conversations in partnering with their practioner—doctor/midwives/doulas. Finally we have has a culture accepted things like “scheduled c-sections” for convenience—if women really were educated and understood that this is major surgery—what it all looks like including the impact on their child physically and emotionally, they make think twice about all they are creating and/or not creating.
EM: How will you measure success of the Born Clear Course and will you expand the Program to include other techniques?
(DS): Success of the course is the clarity of all the couples when they complete it and the book as well as the quality and satisfaction not only of their preparation with Bornclear but their birth experiences, ultimately feeling satisfied and complete about their experierence no matter how it goes. It is a complete methodology.I am looking at training pratitioners in the method around the world as I have been approached by many people—probably in the early part of 2010 will be the first training.
EM: You recently wrote and published your first book: “Better Birth: The Ultimate Guide to Childbirth from Home Births to Hospitals” which has received great recognition and praise. Can you tell us what inspired you to write the book?
(DS): The book is based on the BornClear course. I have been teaching for awhile now about every month-6 weeks. One of the producers on the NBC Today Show took the course and loved it featuring me and the course on the show a few years ago. It was time to get this education out in the world in a very big way available to make the difference I know it does. Women/couples are thirsty for this information. People can read/work the book just as if they were doing the class itself at their own pace.
EM: If you had to look forward a decade, how do you hope your passionate work will have influenced childbirth and women’s confidence in giving birth in this country?
(DS): Evolving humanity! It will be evident in the children who are born—clear and balanced on all levels with empowerd parents who are conscious and present from the very beginning of these children’s lives—conception/pregnancy/birth and creating their own lives as an expression. This level of consciousness, clarity, trust of oneself will impact how we treat and relate to ourselves as well as others—a true love and reverance for ourselves, each other, life and the planet.
EM: Thank you again, Denise. We really appreciate your time as we know how busy you must be.
(DS): Truly my pleasure..thank you for all you are doing to empower the amazing women/mothers of this world---it is a privelege. Challenge and divine. Thank you!