birth integration & Ceremony

Birth is always an initiation.

No matter how your birth unfolded, whether easeful or challenging, blissful or traumatic, your birth rite of passage is only complete once your story is witnessed, and your experience is processed and integrated.

It is then that you will claim the initiatory significance of your birth, so that it can become a source of power and growth in your life.

Though processing your birth can be a tender journey, it can have a profound effect on your life, allowing you to gain clarity, insight and acceptance — to emerge more whole and in possession of your power.

For women interested in integrating their births, I offer both Birth Story Integration Coaching Sessions and Closing Ceremonies. See below for details on each.

birth story integration session

Have me hold space for you to process and integrate your birth story, and cross the final threshold of your birth rite of passage.

Gain clarity, insight and acceptance — to emerge more whole and in possession of your power.

One-on-one sessions (online or in person) are 90 minutes long and €120.

A Closing Ceremony can be a beautiful next step after processing your birth story through one-on-one sessions. See below to learn more about this ceremony.

A package of one birth story integration session + a closing ceremony is €380 (discount of €40).

I also host community birth story circles in West Cork — keep an eye on my Instagram or sign up to my mailing list to hear about these.

closing ceremony

A Closing Ceremony, also known as Closing of the Bones, is an ancient, profound and beautiful honouring of the mother as she emerges out the other side of the birth portal, and re-integrates into normal life, transformed.

The roots of this ceremony are found across many cultures, including Mexico, Morocco and Russia. Traditionally performed at the end of a mother’s lying in / postpartum period, a closing ceremony can be held at any time, even years after birth, to complete a mother’s birth rite of passage by honouring and integrating her journey.

The ceremony offers closure on many levels — physical, emotional and spiritual. It gathers a mother back into her body and her centre, landing her back onto the earth and redefining the bounds of her selfhood, after a period of the most profound openness, expansion and giving that is possible in the human experience.

It includes a ceremonial tea and altar creation, story witnessing and intention setting, pelvic steaming (if desired), massage, and wrapping of the full body with rebozo. It may also include a placenta ceremony, and can incorporate some members of your community who would like to be involved. A preparation session ahead of the ceremony is also included in the price.

A ceremony is €300 and typically lasts 3-4 hours.
A package of one birth story integration session + a closing ceremony is €380 (discount of €40).

  • "Jonelle has an incredible ability to create a safe, open, accepting and supportive space. She is so deeply knowledgeable, and her ability to meet you exactly where is needed is quite amazing."

    — Áine

  • “We were so happy to have Jonelle's care and support during pregnancy and birth. She was so invested in making sure I had the birth that I wanted and couldn't have been more helpful and supportive in making that happen. Jonelle brought such a kind and calming presence to my birth and I'm so grateful to have had her there. She is such a lovely person and so invested in what she does. We couldn't recommend her enough!”

    — Edwina & Mark

  • “In our prenatal visits, Jonelle had an amazing ability to create a nurturing and safe space for my husband and I to explore any emotions (fear, joy, excitement, anxiety, uncertainty…) that were coming up around birth and the transition into parenthood. I felt heard, acknowledged, and empowered after each meeting. Jonelle is very knowledgeable about physiological birth and is an advocate for an empowered birth experience... She helps you to find your vision and your voice. Birth is sacred and Jonelle’s approach deeply honors that.”

    — A. M.

  • "Jonelle is an amazing, calming, thought provoking & knowledgeable facilitator. She creates a calm, healing and loving space to share experiences in a free and open way. I have come away able to think of my birth story in a more positive way and feel stronger and more confident in myself."

    — Suzy

  • "I was expecting my first pregnancy to feel all roses and excitement, but it felt strange and unknown. I had so many weird feelings and felt so uncomfortable about so many things. Jonelle was so open minded and accepting, and I felt able to talk to her about all my fears and the weird stuff I barely dared admit to myself. When we sat on the couch for her visits, I felt so at ease it just poured out of me and left me feeling comfortable in my own skin again. Jonelle brought soul to my pregnancy. Going for doctors visits and scheduled midwife appointments made me feel like I was just a number in a clinic waiting room. Jonelle really brought me back to myself and the deep beautiful mystery of having a baby."

    — Nadine

  • "I took part in the Village Birth Circle during my third pregnancy. Even though it was my third time around, I found that the gathering of pregnant women - not to mention a fierce doula passing on information, opinions, experiences and emotions - expanded my knowledge and refreshed my awareness. Jonelle was super professional. She felt the group's needs and combined updated medical information, knowledge of traditional medicine and mind-provoking topics to explore our understandings of pregnancy and birth. Throughout the birth circle there was clear and frequent communication at all times, which made it feel very welcoming."

    — Dana