Prepare parents to grow through—rather than struggle through—the 'transition' into parenthood.

Becoming a parent is the most significant emotional and relational transformation people experience, yet most parents prepare only for birth. The mental, emotional and relational changes that follow often take mothers, fathers and partners by surprise, leaving them feeling overwhelmed, disempowered, disconnected and at increased risk for perinatal mental health challenges.

Imagine being able to guide parents through this time with more clarity, confidence and compassion. Imagine having simple, powerful language and frameworks that instantly help parents understand what’s happening to them — and to each other — even in brief appointments. Imagine being able to lay out the landscape of early parenthood, so instead of feeling lost and alone, parents can orient themselves and feel prepared for what comes next.

That’s exactly what the Becoming Us Level I Training offers.

Your new learning journey starts here.

Becoming Us supports you to strengthen individual wellbeing, the couple relationship and the whole family system, even if you work solely with one parent. This training gives you the tools, insights and confidence to guide parents through the predictable transitions and relational terrain of early parenthood, no matter your professional background. Once you can see the landscape yourself, you'll know exactly how to help families navigate it.

This training is ideal for you if you want to...

  • Feel confident naming, normalising and working with the predictable stresses of early parenthood.

  • Support both parents—even when you only see one.

  • Integrate relational micro-interventions that strengthen the couple and protect infant wellbeing.

  • Reduce overwhelm by giving parents simple, powerful concepts they can use immediately.

  • Work in a more preventative, whole-family-centred way without adding to your workload.

Begin Your Learning Journey

to help parents to find their feet - and find their way.

Reserve My Space

Because every parent’s wellbeing is shaped by the professionals who walk beside them, Becoming Us is designed for:

Those who prepare families before birth — midwives, childbirth educators, doulas, OB/GYNs.

Those who steady families after birth — paediatricians, child & family health nurses, health visitors, lactation and sleep consultants, postpartum doulas.

Those who listen deeply — perinatal psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, counsellors, social workers.

Those who support the body and nervous system — physiotherapists, prenatal yoga teachers, massage therapists, body-based and natural therapists.

Those who guide and educate — early childhood teachers, parenting, relationship and life coaches.

Those who care for parents within workplaces and communities — managers, spiritual leaders, and community organisers.


Can you say that a training is beautiful? Because this training is beautiful!

Dr Diane Speier, Birth Professional and Psychotherapist, Cheshire, UK

What you'll learn inside the Becoming Us Level I Training

Each module is designed to strengthen your insight, confidence and capacity to support mothers, fathers, parents and partners through the most transformative time of their lives.

  • 12 Transitions of Parenthood

    You’ll learn how to organise this stressful, overwhelming and chaotic time into 12 clear transitions, giving parents instant relief and a simple map to follow.

  • Matrescence and Patrescence

    You'll explore the stages of identity development and how to support parents - as individuals and partners - as they grow into who they're becoming.

  • The Science of Learning

    You’ll understand two major discoveries about the perinatal brain that change how parents learn — and how you can adjust your approach to make information land and stick.

  • A Simple Relationship Model

    You’ll gain a simple but powerful model that explains perinatal relationship changes, along with a practical handout that helps couples shift from conflict to connection.

  • A Single, Big, Life Lesson

    You’ll explore one essential emotional skill that transforms couple communication, complete with an exercise and handout that make this life-changing insight easy to share.

  • Intersections with Mental Health

    You’ll learn the key links between relationship satisfaction and perinatal mental health, giving you targeted, gentle ways to support parents without overstepping your role.

  • Intimate Communication Guidelines

    You’ll learn how to guide parents through differences in a way that helps them find middle ground, grow closer and strengthen their family foundations.

  • The Art of Seed Planting

    You’ll discover how to plant simple but powerful seeds that support coping, growing and thriving — tailored to each parent’s unique situation and your own professional wisdom.

This is a gigantic missing piece of the big picture. This knowledge really adds depth and a new dimension, opening up all kinds of possibilities for educating and supporting parents so they get the best possible start.

Sally Placksin, Author, Mothering the New Mother, NYC



I love this course. It's really rich and essential training for birth workers. I discovered so many ways we can help couples before they become parents!

Barb Suarez, Childbirth Educator, Legacy Hospital, Portland, OR

Feb 2026 Level I Immersion Dates & Times

Each week of this four-week immersion contains one 60-90-minute self-paced online session, followed by a 60-minute live Zoom discussion and Q&A.

Live Zoom calls are on Thursdays at 10 am Sydney time, which is Wednesday 3 pm PST or 6 pm EST. Please check this time zone converter for your local date and time and allow for any time changes. 

Our February Live Level I Zooms will be:

Week 1: starts Jan 31. Live Zoom Feb 4 (US/CAN) or 5 (AU/NZ)

Week 2: starts Feb 7. Live Zoom Feb 11 (US/CAN) or 12 (AUS/NZ)

Week 3: starts Feb 14. Live Zoom Feb 18 (US/CAN) or 19 (AUS/NZ)

Week 4: starts Feb 21. Live Zoom Feb 25 (US/CAN) or 26 (AUS/NZ)

This course counts for 10 Continuing Education/Professional Development Units and is eligible for the Postpartum Support International PMH-C Advanced track.

Please Note: Level I Immersion only runs two times per year. Spaces are limited to keep live discussions intimate. Please book early to avoid disappointment.

The Becoming Us Story


Hi, I'm Elly. When I became a relationship counsellor and a new mother at the same time, I realised there was a unique and crucial gap in perinatal care. Parents were well prepared for birth, but no one was helping them understand the emotional and relational landscape that follows — a landscape that shapes the wellbeing of their whole family far more than they expect.

Over two decades of working closely with parents and partners, I discovered that early parenthood isn’t just intense — it’s developmental. Families move through predictable personal and relational transitions that were unnamed, unspoken and unsupported. By bringing together adult development, attachment, couple dynamics and emerging perinatal neuroscience, I created Becoming Us: a simple, compassionate framework that lays out the unique map of early parenthood so parents can understand what’s happening to them and to each other.

The model is practical enough to use in moments, with one parent or two, yet powerful enough to transform how families navigate this time. Today, my passion is equipping perinatal professionals with the tools that help parents grow as individuals, grow closer as partners and grow a family that thrives. I would love you to join the next Level I Immersion and see for yourself the difference this “giant missing piece” can make — for you, and for the families you support.

Your Becoming Us Level 1 Immersion includes:

1. Four Self-Paced Learning Modules

For deep clinical clarity

  • Understand the predictable emotional and relational shifts of early parenthood

  • Normalise what parents are experiencing and reduce anxiety from the get-go

  • Gain language you can use immediately, even in brief appointments


2. Four Live Zoom Discussion + Q&A Sessions

For personalised guidance + integration

  • Learn directly from Elly and a multidisciplinary group of peers

  • Bring real cases and get practical advice you can use the same day

  • Leave feeling confident, supported and ready to apply the framework


3. Reflective Exercises, Readings + Grounding Practices

For embodied professional growth

  • Strengthen self-awareness to prevent emotional overload or burnout

  • Integrate the Becoming Us approach into who you are as a practitioner

  • Create deeper attunement with the parents you support


4. Client-Ready Handouts (Including Our Most Popular One!)

For tools you can use from Day 1

  • Reduce overwhelm for parents with simple, powerful visuals

  • Shift couples out of conflict and into teamwork within minutes

  • Make your sessions more impactful, memorable and effective


5. 10 Hours CPD Certificate

For recognised professional development

  • Build credibility

  • Meet registration or workplace requirements

  • Demonstrate specialised training in perinatal relationship support


6. Private Training Facebook Community

For ongoing ideas + support

  • Get inspiration from colleagues around the world

  • Troubleshoot tricky cases

  • Never feel alone in your work again


7. Lifetime Access to All Materials

To keep growing forever

  • Revisit modules anytime

  • Refresh before client sessions

  • Access updates at no extra cost


8. FREE Monthly Peer-Support Zooms

For continued learning + connection

  • Receive mentoring and case discussions

  • Maintain confidence and momentum

  • Stay grounded in community, not isolation

For You: A fully integrated, whole-family support framework

Skills you can use with mothers, fathers, partners and whole families — immediately.
Support that reduces overwhelm, strengthens relationships, and promotes wellbeing for the entire family system.


Want to hear more from past participants?

An Amazing Experience!

Kathy Kerr, Florida

I recently had a couple in difficult circumstances and I thought I was in over my head. But after this training, I felt comfortable and the husband actually continued longer with me because he really wanted to support his wife. It ended up being a highlight of my time in private practice!

A New Superpower!

Judy Massey, Sydney

After this training, I changed a few slides in my childbirth class to include the father/partner. I also asked them more direct questions and the answers were delivered with great enthusiasm! Afterwards, all the dads thanked me for the information and how important it was to them. It was awesome!

Inspiring!

Barb Suarez, Portland

I think Aussies lead the way in birth, so I found this course really rich. It fits so well with what I think and reinforces so many ways that birth workers can help couples before they become parents. I loved the ideas and new twists and the statistics stunned me. I was even inspired to write about something for my blog in the middle of the night!

Facing the Unknown

Sally Placksin, New York

This new knowledge is a golden gateway for me. One thing most moms want me to address with them and their partners is how they can best work as a team after baby arrives. I can be more responsive to this now. They also express anxiety about facing the unknown, including how their relationship will change. I can't think of a more positive message to give them than what I've just learned.

Totally Ground-Breaking

Trish Everett, New South Wales

As a wellness coach, I love helping parents find the places in their lives where they feel like an ugly duckling and support them on their journey to fully swan. There are three really big places I find this is needed by new mothers; in their relationships, their bodies and their parenting. I am so excited to be part of this training as this work is totally ground-breaking and needed. I can clearly see how this work can help my clients.

Investment options:

Please Note: Price is in US dollars. Please check your local currency conversion rates before committing to this personal and professional investment.