Teachers
Hosted by mother of three, pleasure revolutionary, and founder of Ecstatic Birth, Sheila Kamara Hay, the Ecstatic Birth Tele-Summit features the following visionaries and revolutionaries in the fields of birth, female health, and sensuality (Click names for full bios and pictures):
Dr. Christiane Northrup, the leading expert in women’s health and sensuality;
Ina May Gaskin, the "Mother of Modern Midwifery";
Regena Thomashauer (Mama Gena), pioneer in the field of pleasure;
Sheila Kelley, founder of feminine movement revolution S factor;
Sheri Winston , award winning sexual educator and former midwife;
Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova, visionary and director of Birth As We Know It;
Debra Pascali-Bonaro, director of the groundbreaking film Orgasmic Birth;
Saida Désilets , author of The Emergence of the Sensual Woman;
Nekole Shapiro, Tantric Birth visionary;
Hari Kaur Khalsa, global Kundalini yoga and meditation teacher;
Laura Shanley, ecstatic and unassisted birth advocate;
Jaiya Ma, progressive sexual wellness expert and new mother;
Aviva Romm, MD, midwife, and award winning author;
Sarah Buckley, family physician and Ecstatic Birth writer and advocate
Akal Kaur, Khalsa Way pregnancy yoga teacher trainer and registered nurse.
Sheila Kamara Hay
Sheila Kamara Hay is the creatrix and visionary behind Ecstatic Birth. She fiercely desires to share with women that childbirth is not something they must endure, but something they can enjoy. As a mother of three, Sheila has experienced firsthand a range of births -- from the traumatic to the ecstatic -- and has advised and inspired countless women in the creation or reclamation of their births. Sheila serves on the board of Choices for Childbirth, a not-for-profit organization that raises awareness among expectant mothers about their options for childbirth. She has worked closely with leading women in the fields of birth and pleasure, including Dr. Christiane Northrup and Regena Thomashauer (of Mama Gena’s School of Womanly Arts). She has a B.A. from Yale University and an M.A. from Columbia University in Cultural Sociology. As a professional writer and pleasure researcher, Sheila loves cracking wide open her worldview of what's possible in life and passing that knowledge on to other women. For more information, click here.
Christiane Northrup, M.D.
Christiane Northrup, M.D., a board-certified ob/gyn, is a visionary pioneer, beloved authority in women’s health and wellness, and the author of the groundbreaking New York Times bestsellers Women's Bodies, Women’s Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause. Her third book, Mother-Daughter Wisdom, was voted Amazon’s #1 book of 2005 (in two categories). Her latest books, The Secret Pleasures of Menopause and The Secret Pleasures of Menopause Playbook, teach women how to experience joy, pleasure, prosperity, fulfillment, and vibrant health. Following a 25-year career in both academic medicine and private practice, Dr. Northrup now devotes her time to helping women truly flourish on all levels through tapping into their inner wisdom. Through her exclusive Women’s Wisdom Circle, Dr. Northrup shares cutting-edge medical and lifestyle advice. For more information about Dr. Northrup and her Wisdom Circle, please visit DrNorthrup.com.
Ina May Gaskin
Known as the "mother of midwifery," Ina May Gaskin is a visionary and pioneer in the field of natural childbirth and a powerful advocate for a woman's right to give birth without excessive and unnecessary medical intervention. Her books Spiritual Midwifery and Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth inspire women to reduce the fear of childbirth by regaining confidence in their bodies and assuring them that their bodies still work! Ina May also developed the Gaskin Maneuver, the first obstetrical maneuver to be named after a midwife. The Gaskin Maneuver embodies the essence of midwifery by using simple body movements to facilitate a difficult birth. Ina May transformed her observation of increasing maternal mortality in the U.S. into The Safe Motherhood Quilt Project, a national effort to honor those women who have died of pregnancy-related causes during the past twenty years and to draw public attention to the unchanging maternal death rate in this country. As a speaker and educator, Ina May continues to delight listeners by infusing her sharp command of birth research and statistics with the wry humor that punctuates her writing. For more information, please visit Inamay.com.
Regena Thomashauer
Regena Thomashauer (Mama Gena) is a revolution: an icon, teacher, author, mother and one of a handful of pioneers on the planet researching the nature of pleasure and dedicating her life to the discipline of pleasure and fun. Self-taught in the social, cultural and economic history of women including the ancient Goddess religion, which dominated for 30–50 centuries of recorded history, Regena uses her more than fifteen years of research and her knowledge of female pleasure to open doors for women today by giving them a context in which to maximize their power, passion, enthusiasm and creativity. For more information, please visit mamagenas.com.
Sheila Kelley
Sheila Kelley is a passionate voice for the advancement of women in the world. She is an esteemed actress, author, filmmaker and dancer. She is founder of feminine movement revolution S factor, which is empowering women to inhabit and enjoy their bodies and their sensuality through dance. S Factor is the original and most popular pole dancing and striptease workout designed to nurture a woman's natural S shape, promoting health, confidence and empowerment for all ages and body types.
For more information, visit sfactor.com.
Saida Désilets
Saida Désilets, Ph.D., is the founder of The Désilets Method and author of The Emergence of the Sensual Woman. She is sought worldwide for her expertise in the field of conscious sexual energy cultivation and brings an innovative approach to the ancient wisdom of Taoist energy cultivation practices in a fun, simple, and practical method. Through facilitating thousands of women globally, Saida discovered that while sexual energy is one of the most abundant and creative resources available, it is also one of the most misunderstood and misused. Her newest online course, Enhancing Sexual Vitality, provides women with in-depth, easy to understand information that creates measurable results, such as greater pelvic health, more pleasure, more emotional awareness, and more succulence. She embodies her teachings and loves to celebrate the radiant beauty in all women. For more information, visit thedesiletsmethod.com.
Sheri Winston
Sheri Winston (CNM, RN, BSN, LMT) is a nationally known sex teacher, author, and former midwife. Her Wholistic Sexuality™ curriculum, which uniquely blends modern anatomical knowledge, ancient wisdom, and esoteric erotic information, features over 50 classes covering subjects such as orgasmic abundance for men and women, sex and relationship skills, and women’s reproductive health. As a teacher, Winston is hailed for her lively and engaging style, the comfort level she creates for her students, and the high quality and original content of her material. Her 2009 book, Women’s Anatomy of Arousal: Secret Maps to Buried Pleasure, recently won the 2010 AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists) Book of the Year award. According to women’s health expert Dr. Christiane Northrup, Women’s Anatomy of Arousal “is the most comprehensive, user-friendly, practical, and uplifting book on women's sexuality that I’ve ever read. And believe me, I've read them all!” For more information, please visit intimateartscenter.com.
Debra Pascali-Bonaro
Debra Pascali-Bonaro is the director of the documentary “Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret” and co-author of Orgasmic Birth: Your Guide to a Safe, Satisfying and Pleasurable Birth. Debra is co-chair of the International MotherBaby Childbirth Initiative (IMBCI), where she works with international organizations, Ministers of Health, and grassroots community organizations to create optimal models of maternity care. She is an inspirational international speaker and has been interviewed by media around the world. She is a Lamaze International-certified childbirth educator and teacher trainer with Passion for Birth. Debra serves on the Childbirth Connection Board of Directors. She served on the first board of directors for DONA International and is a DONA-approved Birth and Postpartum Doula Trainer. Her other publications include "Nurturing Beginnings: MotherLove's Guide to Postpartum Home Care for Doulas and Outreach Workers," as well as many articles about continuous support during childbirth and the early postpartum period. Debra is a mother of five. For more information, please visit orgasmicbirth.com.
Nekole Shapiro
The process of birthing a baby grants you access to the depths of yourself and the power your life force brings to this earth. Harvesting the experience for these gifts requires support. Nekole Shapiro synthesizes a lifetime of experience as a body worker and Tantric practitioner, her birthing experiences as a mother and doula, and her profound love of science into TantricBirth, a holistic approach to the birthing experience. The TantricBirth system uses interviews, presentations, classes, and direct family planning and birth support to enable families to have an empowered birth experience. Nekole is a Licensed Massage Practitioner and holds a B.A. in Asian Studies and a premedical certificate from Columbia University. For more information, please visit tantricbirth.com.
Laura Shanley
Laura Shanley is a writer, speaker, birth consultant, and author of the book Unassisted Childbirth. She is widely known as the “godmother” of the unassisted childbirth movement, and has been interviewed for print media, radio, television, and film throughout the world. She and her dog, Molly, live in Boulder, Colorado, where Laura maintains a website devoted to the topic of unassisted childbirth. For more information, please visit unassistedchildbirth.com.
Hari Kaur Khalsa
Hari Kaur Khalsa is a yogini, teacher and author, shares the powerful and healing teachings of Kundalini Yoga with students of all levels around the world. Hari leads classes, workshops, and teacher training programs and is known for building communities of spirit. Hari’s two books, A Woman's Book of Yoga – Embracing Our Natural Life Cycles (Penguin 2002) and A Woman's Book of Meditation – Discovering the Power of a Peaceful Mind (Penguin 2006) help women worldwide. For more information, please visit reachhari.com.
Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova
Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova produced and directed a revolutionary documentary, 'Birth As We Know It', about the irrefutable correlation between birth trauma and the quality of our life. A Russian-born visionary who after 25 years of intense soul-searching is now sharing her insights on the mechanisms and tools for creating our own reality. Since 1982, working closely with the waterbirth pioneer Igor Charkovsky, Elena moved on to organizing birth camps at the Black Sea and delivering babies amidst wild dolphins. Together, they launched a program of natural delivery and birth trauma release for adults as well as for babies. Elena travels extensively teaching her 'Birth Into Being' workshops and trainings, publishing articles, and giving talks at conferences and numerous radio interviews. For more information, please visit birthintobeing.com
Aviva Romm
Before becoming a medical doctor, Aviva Romm practiced as a homebirth midwife and herbalist for over 20 years, becoming one of the first certified professional midwives in the US and writing her now classic books The Natural Pregnancy Book and Naturally Healthy Babies and Children. Her other books include Natural Health After Birth, Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent’s Guide, and the award-winning Botanical Medicine for Women’s Health. Her books are regarded as standards by mothers, midwives, herbalists, and other health professionals using herbs for women’s and children’s health. Aviva's goal is to serve as a bridge between the alternative and conventional medical communities, fostering the growth of a truly integrative, trans-disciplinary health care model. For more information, visit avivaromm.com.
Akal Kaur
Akal Kaur is a Kundalini Yoga instructor and teaches Khalsa Way Pregnancy Yoga teacher trainings with Gurmukh around the world. Akal is also a Registered Nurse at Cedar's Sinai on the Postnatal Unit and teaches Childbirth Education. She live in Los Angeles, CA and began practicing Kundalini Yoga in 2002. She became certified to teach Kundalini Yoga and Khalsa Way Pregnancy Yoga in 2005. She teaches Mommy and Me Yoga, Pregnancy Yoga and Kundalini Yoga. She brings humor, warmth and compassion to all her classes.
Sarah Buckley
Sarah Buckley is a GP/family physician, mother of four home born children, and currently a full-time writer on pregnancy, birth and parenting. Sarah’s work critiques current practices in pregnancy, birth and parenting from the widest possible perspectives, including scientific, evolutionary, psychological and personal. Sarah encourages us all to be well informed, to listen to our hearts and instincts, and to take our rightful place as the real experts in our bodies, our babies, and our families. She lives in Brisbane, Australia. For more information, visit sarahbuckley.com.
Jaiya Ma
Jaiya is one of the most progressive and well educated sexual wellness experts. She works with couples and singles to help them overcome intimacy issues, deepening connection and communication, leading to the creation of more fulfilling relationships. Jaiya holds certifications as a Somatic Sexologist, Sexological Bodyworker, and Tantra Teacher. She is the co-author of the book Red Hot Touch: A Head To Toe Handbook for Mind-Blowing Orgasms and co-creator of the award winning DVD series with the same title. Jaiya strives to eradicate sexual shame and invites those she works with to explore how much pleasure they can possibly experience. Jaiya recently dove into a new frontier of sensuality as she took her own life experience of becoming a mother and is now coaching other women through the journey of orgasmic birth. For more information, please visit newworldsexeducation.com
