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Holding Space with Dr. Barker
Welcome to Holding Space with Dr. Barker—a podcast dedicated to fostering personal growth, emotional healing, and professional development. Hosted by Dr. Christopher Barker, a seasoned psychologist with over two decades of clinical experience, this podcast offers a thoughtful, compassionate space for meaningful conversations about mental health and psychotherapy.
Whether you're on your own path toward greater self-awareness and well-being, or you're a fellow therapist committed to deepening your clinical skills, you’ll find insightful discussions, evidence-based strategies, and expert guidance to support your journey.
Each week, Dr. Barker draws on his extensive training—including a Ph.D. from Seton Hall University, a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Radford University, and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from The New School for Social Research—to explore topics like trauma recovery, emotional regulation, therapeutic techniques, and the art of holding space for others.
Join us for educational series, interviews with leading voices in the field, and practical tools designed to inspire personal discovery and professional transformation.
This is your space for reflection, learning, and connection.
Welcome to Holding Space.
Holding Space with Dr. Barker
From Fear to Trust: Reframing Childbirth Through Physiology and Mindset
In this episode of Holding Space, Dr. Christopher Barker (licensed clinical psychologist in New Jersey) sits down with Laura Carina (aka @natural_lau), a natural birth coach living in Peru, originally from Germany and raised in Canada. Laura shares how her background in birth photography and her own motherhood journey led her into holistic birth work—and why she believes birth is not a medical event first, but a physiological, hormone-driven process the body is designed to do.
Laura unpacks how fear-based cultural conditioning (movies, TV, scary birth stories) can prime the body for tension and pain, creating a cycle of fear → tension → more pain. She explains her approach to natural birth preparation: understanding the body, learning how birth hormones work (including oxytocin, endorphins, and adrenaline/epinephrine), reducing distractions, and practicing nervous-system regulation so the body can do what it’s built to do. She compares birth preparation to athletic training—like preparing for a marathon—emphasizing mindset, visualization, meditation, and partner support as key tools for a calm, empowered experience.
The conversation also explores the emotional intensity of labor, how unresolved fears or stress can surface during pregnancy and birth, and why supportive people in the room matter. Laura describes birth as something that can be powerful, connected, and even pleasurable for some—while still being intense physical work. The episode closes with Laura’s passion for postpartum bonding, breastfeeding physiology, and the “biofeedback loop” between mother and baby—highlighting how informed support and a safe environment can shape the birth and early motherhood experience.
Note: This episode is educational and inspirational and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals for personal medical decisions.
Find out more and check out her retreat here: https://naturallau.com
Instagram: Instagram.com/natural_lau
Listen to her new podcast — Sacred Flourishing Feminine:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sacred-flourishing-feminine/id1821026886
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0HRjrK9leCYGJUAgr19Gu8?si=13U3fnyfREWeIpZM_AnumQ
Holding Space For You