You might have heard the word doula in relation to pregnant and new mums, and while it’s true that we support women in the childbearing year, our services are for women at every age and stage, and not just for those in Manchester. We provide 1:1 support to women whatever they’ve been through, and are going through. Nothing is too big or too small to discuss with us, we won’t ever think it’s silly or scary – if it’s important to you it’s important to us.
Holding Space sessions offer women the opportunity to talk to skilled doulas who will listen, hold space, and provide holistic, tailored support. They can be standalone appointments or can form part of a larger package of support, depending on your needs.
How does it work?
Two doulas will spend one hour with you individually, offering you emotional support. Afterwards, we will email you a follow-up, with a summary and any resources we think might be useful.
This can either be over Zoom from wherever you are in the world, or in-person at one of our drop-ins.
Further sessions can be arranged. It may be that you would like another session, or you may wish to continue with our support in one of our longer term packages. We would be more than happy to discuss either, or both.
Find out more about our support plans:
What does it mean to hold space?
Holding space for you first of all means we listen, and no feelings are too big or messy or complicated to share with us. We hold you in a safe, spacious container of compassion and caring, so you can lean into your feelings and be curious, knowing that we won’t shy away and that we think highly of you no matter what. We’ll be there for you whatever you share, think, or feel.
We don’t come with our own ideas about what you need, and we won’t tell you what to do. You are the expert on you and your life, even if you don’t feel like it at the moment. We will reflect that back to you so you can feel more confident.
When we hold space we are completely present with you and your situation, walking alongside you and sharing your journey wherever it may lead.
What kinds of things can I talk about during a session?
That’s completely up to you. You can use our time together to discuss anything you like, in confidence.
We want you to feel safe, in control, and cared for.
Below are topics that women have spoken about during these sessions so far, but we are not limited to these themes, and are open to discussing anything that is on your mind. You can be honest with us, and we will not project our experiences onto yours. Here are some topics women have discussed with us:
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moving house
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grief and loss
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menopause
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difficult relationships or family dynamics
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motherhood
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starting, changing or leaving a career
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sexual exploitation
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trauma
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abuse
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caring responsibilities
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the struggles that come with living under patriarchy
- low in mood
- depressed
- overwhelmed
- lost
- grief
- sad
- angry
- confused
- lonely
- anxious
- guilty
- afraid
- helpless
- doubtful
- empty
- ashamed
- disappointed
- jealous
Where can we meet?
Most Tuesdays we occupy the community room in Eastlands Asda (Sportcity, Ashton New Rd, Manchester M11 4BD) 09:30 – 14:30. During this time we take bookings for in-person holding space sessions. Meeting in a supermarket might sound strange, but it’s a lovely private space, with toilet and kitchen, and nice lighting. You can bring food. We can drink all the tea. There’s loads of parking and the public transport links are excellent.
The community room is at the back, between the pizza counter and Supercuts (it’s a really big Asda!).
Mondays – Thursdays we offer sessions over Zoom.
Fees
The cost for a one-hour consultation with two doulas including a comprehensive follow-up email is £75. We are able to offer full and partial funding for this service if the cost is prohibitive – please email us before booking if you require funding: hello@greatermanchesterdoulas.com
How do I book?
You can easily book a session for either a Zoom or an in-person session.