Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Wright Glenn.
Amy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 2013, I published my first book independently. It is entitled “Birth, Breath, and Death ~ Meditations on Motherhood, Chaplaincy, and Life as a Doula.” I wrote this so that I could (Take out: begin to find) work as a writer or teacher from home. I had taught on the independent high school and college level for years before becoming a mom but when my son was born, I really wanted to find a way to be at home with him. I was 38 years old and had already been fulfilled with a rich career as a (Take out: teacher or) professor of comparative religion and philosophy, a yoga instructor, a birth (Take out: or death) doula, and hospital chaplain. My book tied those themes together. It did quite well and many doors opened.
In 2015, I founded the Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath, and Death. And today over 400 members join me in the work of building bridges between those trained to be with the birthing and those trained to hold space for the dying. Yoga teachers, religious or spiritual leaders, and healers ~ all focused on how we “breathe” through life more mindfully also have joined. It is a powerful community and each month I interview leaders in the work of holding space for birth, breath, and death so that I can offer up insights to those who have joined me on this path.
In 2017, I published, through Parallax Press, my 2nd book entitled “Holding Space ~ On Loving, Dying, and Letting Go” and this opened even more doors. I am so grateful! Today, I travel once a month (or more) to teach courses based upon my writing. I have trained (Take out: many) hundreds of professionals in how to hold space for pregnancy loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, infant death) as well as reflecting on what it means for all of us to be mortal and choose to love deeply in a world of change and death.
I also have written as a freelance contributor for PhillyVoice and some of my articles have been read hundreds of thousands of times. I have an active Facebook following and continue to grow my base of supporters those interested in my work.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Many struggles. Sometimes I felt like I knocked on ten doors and two would open, especially in the beginning. But I didn’t stop. My love for my son inspires me. As a single mom, he depends on me so much and I won’t let him down.
We’d love to hear more about your organization.
I am grateful to be trained both as a birth and death doula and I’m grateful for the opportunity to write about the deep and important connections between birth and death doula work. (Take out sentences between these two) The Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath, and Death is a unique and important professional development organization dedicated to nurturing the personal and professional lives of its members to support them to more compassionately and confidently hold space for life’s sacred threshold points. It is open to individuals drawn from all faith traditions as well as humanist/secular perspectives.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I work from home. I travel and teach both domestically and abroad.
Pricing:
- I offer scholarship rates for all of my online and in person courses. I care very much about economic justice/equity. The normal tuition for an online course that is pre-recorded is around $200 and the normal tuition for a live online course of the same length is around $350.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.birthbreathanddeath.com
- Phone: 6098952696
- Email: amywrightglenn@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyWrightGlenn https://www.facebook.com/birthbreathanddeath
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/amywrightglenn
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