Director's Welcome
Dear Student of Midwifery;
Thank you for
visiting our web site. Your interest in midwifery is no
doubt very heartfelt and we appreciate the time you are taking to
answer your calling. Licensed by the State of Michigan,
MSTM's programs are a valuable asset both to those
new to midwifery and those with years of experience. The learning
process never ends!
If you are a newly interested student of
midwifery, we welcome you especially. Your success is important to
us. You have an exciting and challenging journey ahead of you that
is unlike anything you have ever done before or will ever do again and there is a great deal for you to consider as you step forward to
accept the torch of experience that will be passed on to you someday.
Ask yourself the following questions:
 Do I feel a personal calling to the service and vocation of community centered Midwifery?
Am I ready to accept one of
life's greatest challenges?
Do I see myself adopting the
personal definition of "Midwife" someday in all of its complexities?
Do I feel motivated to make midwifery my own despite challenges and obstacles?.
Do I have the courage to become the Architect of my education?
If you answered yes to those questions you've already begun your journey and this life quest will be a worthy one!
Midwifery is an evolvement of inner self that requires a
strong character and a willingness to be molded. Midwifery refines
and sometimes even defines ones personality. Persuing midwifery as a
personal calling requires great determination and conviction.
Midwifery is unique for its spiral of complexities.
It will lead you to the highest places joy and the deepest hollows
of human sorrow; those who practice midwifery intermingle with the
marvelous bliss of human existance and the anguish of human frailty.
Where does that leave you? You may be wondering, "Where do I
begin? Which program is right for me?"
If you find yourself
asking that question, the answer is easy; all of them are! There is
no "right" or "best" program of midwifery studies. Indeed, each has
a distinguished place among educational options, each and every
Midwifery school offers valuable resources that will be beneficial
for a lifetime.
The great secret to getting the most
out of midwifery education is to take advantage of any and all
opportunities. Select midwifery workshops and/or programs that draw you and don't limit yourself. Keep your horizons broad and
your mind open. Search for diversity and appreciate different
midwifery perspectives even if they don't agree with your personal
ideals. Glean treasures from every source because there are gems
waiting to be uncovered where you least expect them! All education
is meaningful and important; you should never stop learning.
At MSTM, we encourage all those interested in midwifery to
find a program that suites them best and begin to study - embark on
educational/academic goals! Keep in mind, you can't become a midwife
overnight but you can begin to build a sturdy foundation of resources now
that will serve your midwifery goals for life.
The bottom
line is, your education is very important! Fortunately, there
are more programs of study now than ever before
because the word is out, midwifery matters! Midwifery is gaining
popularity because birthing women are reclaiming themselves, their
bodies and their birth experiences. This has increased the demand
for resources and support for the natural process of birth - indeed, more midwives are needed! Those
seeking to study midwifery will find multiple study options and
programs plus workshops all of great diversity. One could become
overwhelmed by the great variety of midwifery educational
information and there is much to digest and sort. While the process
of choosing the right program can seem daunting at times, it should
in fact take time to make certain your needs will be met.
Personal midwifery goals are certainly influenced by
individual career definition as well as State legislation (in the
U.S.) where the actual practice of midwifery is concerned. State to
state legal definition of midwifery is an especially complex issue.
In some states midwifery is tolerated, legally undefined and
unencumbered by state mandated licensure while in others states the
practice of midwifery is clearly legislated with license
requirements. Unfortunately there is no clear national standard that
is accepted by all U.S. States. Few State to State laws even relate
to one another. So it is easy to become confused. Add to this the
fact that midwifery status frequently changes state to state as well
so what a state mandates today for midwifery may likely change
within just a year or two!
However, what does become clear
in all of this is that freedom of birth choice is important and must be preserved.
In pursuit of this, the midwifery model
of care will always be sought by women on a community level despite the legal
parameters or possible restrictions. This is why the calling to midwifery must be
nurtured in those who hear it.
It is simply a woman's right to choose for
herself the birth attendant that is right for her just as it is her right
to birth with respect and liberty - her choices must be preserved, Midwifery must exist as a vocation - a community resource on behalf of all women who seek it!
You
are very important to the future of midwifery - never forget that! I
encourage you to research your educational options and really search
your heart for the one that is best for you. Just remember,
midwifery is a life long journey, not a point of destination.
Michigan School of Traditional Midwifery offers you exceptional, affordable and flexible programs of study with the distinction of being the very first school in North America to ever offer a vocational Diploma of Traditional Midwifery. MSTM is also licensed by the State of Michigan.
We are certainly here to help and offer free phone consultations Mon- Fri, 9am -
4pm Eastern Standard Time if you have questions about our
programs. Call us, we are always happy to discuss Midwifery & Natural Birth choices!
Kindest Regards;
Casey Makela, MSTM
Director
Michigan School of Traditional Midwifery
Are you doing all that you can to foster sisterhood and welcome new midwifery interest?
Find out why you should - read Casey's article on:
The Art of Nurturing: A Primary Skill of Mothers and Midwives
by Casey Makela
Published in Birth Gazette, Spring 1997
American College of Traditional Midwives
Sign the first petition ever launched to decriminalize birth!
Please sign it and pass it on! Join us and help make a difference.
Michigan School of Traditional Midwifery Home Page
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