I first became aware of Heather’s work through my midwifery clients who would talk about this amazing wise woman who helped with hyperemesis, pelvic discomfort, low lying placenta’s, fertility etc. I was invited to attend her teaching an Arvigo Self Care course which then led to her Gentling Way Reconnecting Bao Mai and the Living Ligaments I workshops, plus the online offerings as we became a bonded group.
During these trainings I started to see the subtle changes to my body and my life. But the biggest gift I received through this training was the changes that I started to see in my clients. By introducing just a few of Heather’s foundational moves to these birthing women I seen easier births, less tearing, improved breastfeeding and healthy babies. With my Yoni Mapping clients I started to see their pelvis’s loosen and gain increased sensation even without any internal work. Deb, Qld
As a birth keeper, offering traditional and natural ways of being maiden to mother, I had burned myself out, not giving myself the same care and nourishment that I was so passionate about providing! But my near-death experience in 2018, (due to an unknown stomach ulcer bursting, resulting in emergency surgery and months of recovery) was in itself a tremendously huge gift… It brought me to my master teachers, Heather Bruce and my Aikido master teacher Michael Williams. With Heather’s multi-modality, multi-dimensional, multi-lineage approach and her +40 years of alternative medical experience, I was able to learn how to heal myself and learn new skills to add to my years of birth wisdom. I was driven by a fascination and passion to integrate this new knowledge to assist others on their healing journey to live in a state of pure homeostasis.
The Chinese medicine, Maya abdominal alignment, pelvic care, Heather’s Living Ligaments, Gentling Trauma relief, energy work and much more continues to ignite my love for providing Wombyn and their families with keys to a happy life and great health. Having studying Heather’s Gentling Way, I love offering whatever feels right on these holistic healing sessions. It is a delightful privilege to assist people on the road to health and happiness with simple solutions, heartfelt hands and natural remedies. – Sita, Northern NSW
I have been called to serve women during this lifetime who have experienced early childhood sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and those who have experienced a traumatic birth. As a midwife initially, homeopath and womb worker, I do this now by sitting with women and listening with an open heart, counseling, and coaching them as well as when indicated assist women in writing a birth and post-partum plan. I begin this by helping the women to ground, so they can be in their bodies and numerous activities such as art exercises and help those to address their physical challenges using multiple modalities inclusive of body work from Heather Bruce’s Gentling Ways, Abdominal and Womb Massage steeped in the lineage of Rosita Arvigo, ND, Shaman Don Elijio Pante, and numerous healers from Central America and Jennifer Mercier of Mercier Therapy.
I became a Gentling Way Practitioner because I was searching for a valuable tool to assist my client base to heal. I have witnessed women go from entering my office door, sitting down, and not looking at me, nor answering questions audibly, to sitting on a vaginal steam pot to receiving a Gentling Way treatment inclusive of womb massage end their session asking for hug on their way out of the office, and thanking me for collecting my knowledge, and providing such a healing treatment. This is what the provider in me receives. My heart is full because I am able to do the work I have been called to do. The care that I provide is working here on Earth and in Heaven! – Trish, USA
LIVED EXPERIENCE
Studying Heather’s Gentling Way whilst building my business as a traveling birth keeper, companion, doula, ‘sacred space holder’, I have walked alongside women that are very close to my heart that have endured incredible sufferings and grief surrounding birth. Myself – I have had 2 C-sections, quite a few health issues and variations of normal (cholestasis, preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, pubic symphysis pain to the point of not being able to walk, issues with spinal / epidural resulting in severe needle phobia, 4 breech babies, … ) .
Followed by an incredible healing and redemptive pregnancy and natural birth, my home birth in a hospital setting. I had the privilege to experience what really should be a normal experience for every woman. A pain free pregnancy and an ‘easy birth’ . I believe that the difference between my first 2 pregnancies and my last was continuity of care with a birth worker, releasing fears and trauma and the work Heather did on my body.
DECADES OF HOME AND HOSPITAL MIDWIFERY
I am one of eleven children, raised on a remote island off Queensland Coast. Being one of the eldest, nurturing was fostered within my life at an early age as I helped my mother with the raising of my siblings. This then led me to nursing and midwifery careers. I have worked both in Australia as well as overseas.
While working as midwife and nurse I found there were areas of deficiencies. This directed me to search for other ways of helping women. I have 3 children all naturally born. The last was born at home. The experience was so rewarding I wanted all women to experience this type of birth. When my children had grown up, and left home, I worked as a homebirth midwife. I worked in NZ as LMC (Lead Maternity Carer). This was an extremely rewarding experience. I have 45+ years’ experience in many different settings both in Australia and overseas, covering rural, remote, urban, to tertiary, secondary and primary units. The toll of shift work and been constantly on call with no days off eventually led to ill health. This is when I turned to Heather for help with my health. She was able to help me restore my health to an acceptable level and learn about the basic self-care.
During this time, I also referred some pregnant women with health problems to Heather. The results were amazing. I became more fascinated and eventually took Living Ligaments courses I & II. This flowed onto the Gentling Way as Heather started to form this course. The results for my own body have been fantastic. I share this with pregnant women and often see some amazing helpful results for them, after they have seen Heather.
I chose Gentling Way is because I see the great outcomes. I like the ideal teaching that has women taking responsibility of their own health. This practice is reinforced by sending home the mother with skills for self-care to help maintain her health at optimum level. – Yvonne, Qld