I'm Alison, mama to two boys and passionate about supporting women to navigate their story of life as a mum, and as a woman in their own right.

Whether you are nursing a tiny newborn or have been mothering for years, The Mama Circle offers courses, events, workshops and postpartum support to celebrate and support you on this momentous journey that is motherhood.

WHY WAS THE MAMA CIRCLE BORN?
Because when I became a mum I felt lost.

I thought motherhood would come naturally. That I'd be one of those breezy mums who hangs out at late night gigs with a baby on their boob. I'd be me, just with a baby. Then motherhood hit me like a freight train. I'd gone from being this person who was productive and busy to someone who was drowning in the sleep deprivation, the breastfeeding challenges and the self doubt.

I've been a project manager in community arts for 20 years and I realised that at the heart of the communities I'd worked with were the invisible, unsung superheroes… the mamas. Mothers the world over are nurturing their children, often in isolation and often at the expense of their own wellbeing. Trying to be it all and do it all.

BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO BE A SUPERHERO.

I wanted to be held and supported, I didn't want to feel alone. And admitting that felt scary because I'd always felt like I could do anything and be anything without anybody else's help. It took time and healing, its a continuous practice, but I've been lucky enough to build my village and realise the power that being with other women whilst raising our children can hold.

So, I began to question the systems that leave mums carrying the mental load and question the expectations society puts on us to be the 'perfect mother' whilst also earning a living and being a present partner, doing it all without a support network.

HUMANS ARE PACK ANIMALS, WE'RE NOT MEANT TO DO THIS ALONE.
I wondered how I could support mums to feel less of the mum guilt, to feel surrounded by supportive women who get it and to celebrate their momentous rite of passage into motherhood. Becoming a mum is a rite of passage that often goes unnoticed, with all focus on the new baby and mum often being an afterthought.

MOTHERHOOD IS A HUGE RITE OF PASSAGE. IT IS PROFOUND AND IT IS ON MANY LEVELS.

We have lost the art of honouring mothers, of really bearing witness to the incredible, enduring work mamas do. Society doesn't hold in reverence a mum's ability to love and nurture their babies amongst all the pressures of the modern world.

So, I completed training in Motherhood Studies with Amy Taylor Kabbaz and I am now an accredited Mama Rising™ facilitator. I also trained as a postpartum doula (a qualified postnatal support person) with Childbirth International and The Mama Circle was born.

The Mama Circle provides postpartum services for those just starting out on this journey (be it your first or your fifth) alongside holding monthly mama circles, retreats and courses for any mama feeling she needs to find her people... from the new mums to the empty nesters and everything in between.

The Mama Circle is an invitation to nourish your soul and body, connect you with your village and create a little bit of magic in amongst the mumdanity.

In its essence, The Mama Circle is about you being seen for the amazing work that you do, honouring you not only as a mum, but as a woman in your own right and nurturing you in the way you need, at the time you need it most.