Therapist Spotlight: Joan Marshall
Here at Treat we’re delighted to share more about Joan Marshall, our in-house practicing midwife with over four decades of experience. Joan is a registered midwife and when she’s not working part-time for the NHS, she has been part of the team at Treat Norwich for two years now. We’re over the moon to include the wonderful services of such an experienced midwife into our clinic. Here, we find out a bit more about her approach and how she can help parents-to-be with such incredible support as they embark on their pregnancy journey.
Tell us a little bit about your training and areas of interest, Joan?
Initially I qualified as a state registered nurse at Newcastle General Hospital, before I became a midwife. Later, I moved to Norfolk in 1978 where I was a community midwife for 10 years. When I first started out my interest was in teenage pregnancies and I became an advocate establishing teenage-only antenatal group.
I then helped establish the midwifery-led unit at James Paget Hospital. I was part of the core team specialising in natural births and waterbirths, and also supporting couples during caesarean sections.
I became an antenatal educator, training with Judith Schott, and I began leading large antenatal classes in the community. While working as a midwife in the NHS, I became part of the new ‘full team approach’, which consisted of looking after women, their partners and families during the antenatal period, birth - both home and hospital births - and then a full 28-day postnatal period, seeing them through the transition into parenthood.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career as a nurse and midwife?
It was during my nurse training when a birthing mother, surrounded by 20 strangers, whispered ‘thank you’ to me for holding her hand, that I realised the impact it had on her. I have always wanted to stay with the birthing mother since that very day. Around the same time, I noticed two very different groups of women: one group very fearful and in pain, and another very relaxed and “going into herself”. I wanted to learn more about the approach of hypnobirthing – it’s a time-honoured method of birthing practiced world-wide, it just has a new name.
What’s your ethos and approach when working with women?
It’s my mission to enable women to have the best birthing experience they can achieve, whether it’s at home in familiar surroundings or in a clinical, medically-supportive environment. I want to empower birthing partners to be able to assist the woman in relaxation, visualisation and calmness. Inclusivity is also very important to me and I work with gender diverse groups and solo parents and I always ask clients for their preferred pronouns.
What services do you offer at Treat?
Currently I offer a 4-week hypnobirthing course (£350), which includes in-between support over text and FaceTime during the pregnancy. Usually two couples attend the course but it is also possible for a couple to have private sessions. Equally for solo parents to attend with a birthing partner (or two). I also have some exciting new services available (check out the next blog on the Treat website for more).
How has hypnobirthing shaped your career as a midwife?
I qualified as a hypnobirthing practitioner eight years ago and it’s been this training that’s informed her approach in supporting birthing people as a midwife in the NHS. Shortly after her training, she even approached the head of midwifery at a hospital she was working at, and although there was scepticism at first, funding was approved to train a further 35 midwives in hypnobirthing approaches.
Tell us a little bit about what you like to do in your spare time?
I love gardening, especially pottering in the greenhouse, growing soft fruits. I’ve just completed a course learning crochet, and I love it. I also love days out with our much-loved granddaughter who has introduced me to canoeing and fishing which has led to some hilarious moments.
More Info
Joan also offers refresher courses at £75 hour. Couples have found these exceptionally helpful for their second, third or fourth child, as she can focus on your specific requirements and discuss previous experiences. Couples can book as many hourly sessions you might need.
To find out more about Joan’s midwifery, birthing and postnatal offering or to book a session or course with her, call Treat Reception on 01603 514195 or email.
