Birthquake Online Conference Transcript

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

Tammy Fowles, the author of BirthQuake: The Journey to Wholeness, and sitemaster at SagePlace, talked about BIRTHQUAKES, where everything in your life is rocked and shifted, where foundations crack, and treasures lie buried beneath the rubble. In the end, those who experience one are, in every case, ultimately transformed.

David Roberts is the HealthyPlace.com moderator.

The people in blue are audience members.

David: Good evening everyone. I'm David Roberts. I'm the moderator for tonight's conference. I want to welcome everyone to HealthyPlace.com. Our topic tonight is "BIRTHQUAKE: Transitioning Through A Crisis in Your Life". Our guest is Tammie Fowles, Ph.D., author of the book "BirthQuake: The Journey to Wholeness". Dr. Fowles' site, SagePlace is here at HealthyPlace.com. You can read more about Dr. Fowles here, and you may read excerpts from her book here.

Good evening Dr. Fowles. Welcome to HealthyPlace.com. Thank you for being our guest tonight. What is a BirthQuake?

Dr. Fowles: Hi David. Glad to be here. A Birthquake essentially is a transformational process that gets triggered by a turning point or crisis, what I call a quake. Quakes occur for most of us when we are standing at a crossroad. They can be precipitated by a loss, a major lifestyle change, or even a new awareness.

David: When you say a "turning point" or "crisis," is this something of monumental proportions or simply a significant change in our life?

Dr. Fowles: Generally, they are of monumental proportions. Ultimately, however, a lifestyle change or even a single awareness can prompt one. Typically, they are painful experiences, but the pain holds promise because they trigger a healing process.

David: Can you give us an example of what you are referring to?

Dr. Fowles: Sure. A man who has worked his entire life for a major corporation loses his job, is devastated, depressed, but ultimately discovers that his life felt empty and enters another career that offers greater rewards.

David: On your site, you say one of the goals of writing "BirthQuake: The Journey to Wholeness" is to help people find meaning and purpose in their life. I think, and this is especially true here at HealthyPlace.com where our visitors deal with many types of psychological disorders and ask, "why did this happen to me?" how does one start on the journey to find meaning and purpose in their life?

Dr. Fowles: Well, the discovery of meaning and purpose is a unique journey for each of us. For myself, it was about no longer looking for the meaning of my life, but instead to do what I could to make my life more meaningful. To create meaning.

David: We have a few audience questions, Tammie, then we will continue:

BlackAngel: I have anorexia. The turning point in my life happened prior to this, and going through the process of anorexia is the transition part, the healing. Is that what you are saying?

Dr. Fowles: Yes, I am saying that the recovery process you are undergoing will lead to healing on a number of levels.

Dottie: About two years ago, I began working through child sexual abuse issues and I experienced what I described as an earthquake. The memories came flooding back, and I felt so alone through all of that. Is that a typical reaction or feeling?

Dr. Fowles: Absolutely, Dottie. In fact, I named my book BirthQuake because this process is initially very much like encountering an earthquake. This healing process, this uncovering treasures buried beneath the rubble, this rebuilding, can lead to rebirth. Jacob Needleman wrote, "When you're in the middle of an earthquake you begin to question what is it that I really need? What is my rock?" I can fully appreciate your feeling alone and overwhelmed. You will also discover your rock, your strength.

David: In essence, what you are saying is-- when going through a BirthQuake you are developing a "new you" and hopefully one finds themself in a more emotionally and spiritually comforting position than even before the crisis happened.

Dr. Fowles: Yes, on some level you are developing a new you David, or rediscovering the real you. You are strengthened through this process. A Birthquake affects the entire person, affects us physically, emotionally, spiritually, and impacts our outer world in most cases.