SBGI April Edition Newsletter
Interview with SBGI PhD Graduate Heather Nicole Thomsen

AR: Heather, why did you choose to study at SBGI?

HT: I chose to study at SBGI after careful consideration, a visit and interview with Marti Glenn and some very auspicious happenings after our meeting. One of them was an experience at Borders on State street. I was reading through a book (that I wish I would have bought) that said I would be a great healer dealing with life, death, birth and rebirth. Also, while I was walking around I felt like every baby and toddler was smiling at me and mouthing, “Go for it!”

AR: You have successfully defended your dissertation, what was the title of your dissertation?  And what the most important thing you learned?

HT: The title of my dissertation was Exclusive Breast-feeding: Is the provision of formula in the hospital related to breast-feeding duration and transition? Hmm. The most important thing I learned… To get it done! Not to make such a big deal out of it. Also, how important semantics can be when using a survey and conducting clinical research.

AR: What are you doing now?

HT: Currently, I am an assistant professor at Five Branches [Institute] in Santa Cruz, California teaching General Biology and Research Methodology. I have agreed to include one full lecture in my research class that addresses how to communicate and interact with both Mom and babe in the clinical setting. The students are graduating seniors and thrilled! They are about to take their board exams and become licensed acupuncturists.

AR:  How does your current work benefit from your specialty in Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology? 

HT: I see that question playing out in two ways really. First and foremost I am a mother. I know Dr. Wendy Anne McCarty would be thrilled to know that my son, Chase Patrick Thomsen just turned 11 months yesterday and I am still at home with him. I am one of the lucky ones. So, my real work this past year has been raising a son and having a ball, applying a lot of what I learned and tweaking it to compliment our family. My job benefits because I will be able to teach licensed acupuncturists how to interact and communicate with moms and babes in a clinical setting. 

AR:  What advise to you have for other students and graduates of SBGI?

HT: Well, enjoy graduate school and take the many gifts you receive home with you each month. I still miss Ken’s poems and the feeling I would get after he recited them twice or when BJ would strum her guitar and sing SBGI melodies. There was such an energy of pure love, unconditional love really.

Another key thing is to apply what you learn from school into your life- once you do that you got it! I learned so much at SBGI. Some of the principles I still use very much today. The most important thing I learned was self-care and how to spend time alone reflecting.

Another important perspective to really keep in mind that I learned after SBGI was that much of what we learn is the ideal. In fact, we do not live in a bubble and the ideal is not always available a lot of the time. It is more important to teach moms to take care of themselves and love themselves each day, wherever they are at. I see so many new mamas mad at how they are doing things and feeling guilty too. We need to teach moms that it is not about perfection but really taking the time to love oneself. The Mom has the ability to totally nourish her family, she just has to take that ability and nourish herself as well.