After working in the public health sector in NYC (the East Village), Michelle Leclaire O’Neill had the privilege of working in the first PTSD ward (Tavistock) for Vietnam Veterans at the Brentwood, VA Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Later, she was invited to work with O. Carl Simonton MD at his international cancer retreat, “Getting Well Again.”

While working with the Simonton Center, Michelle received a referral in her private practice of a woman who was happily pregnant. Years before her marriage, she had been raped and never told her husband. After dealing with this secret, she told her supportive husband and went on to have a wonderful rest of her pregnancy and birth.

Following this, Michelle received many more referrals from obstetricians to help women deal with a myriad of fears, hopes, and dreams.

At one point, she spoke with Dr. Simonton about this and how the work he developed for cancer patients was really effective in helping women and their partners have calm pregnancies and easy, prepared births. The hypnosis that Michelle used to complement the work was only the icing on the cake.

At that time, she coined the term “hypnobirthing.” She formalized and altered (with his blessing) Dr. Simonton’s method. Thus, hypnobirthing was created. Because so many people were trying to copy the method, thinking that it was only about hypnosis, we now call the original method, “Hypnobirthing Leclaire™.”

We have an international certification program for professionals, MDs, RNs, CNMs, childbirth educators. A hypnodoula program is also available. We trained the first nurse midwives in the UK, and we continue to certify practitioners worldwide.

Our parent Hypnobirthing Leclaire™ classes started out with the usual 2 hours a week for 6 weeks. However, many fathers and working mothers did not like this. It was a different era.

Michelle created the first 1-day, all-day childbirth education class, and it was loved by all. The couples bonded and emotionally opened up in a way they hadn’t during the 6-week class. The beautiful setting was an ancient indigenous Chumash birthing ground. We served a healthy catered lunch and offered one scholarship during each class.

Couples flew in from all over the country to attend the class. As a follow up, they received the creative childbirth and Hypnobirhting Leclaire™ books, along with a tape/CD to play throughout pregnancy and another to play as they got closer to their due date. Thus, a new trend was born.

Because of the pandemic, we have been conducting Zoom classes. Now, we have decided to put our entire affordable program on audio. We have been training and certifying African American professionals in our Respect Black Beginnings method. This is now on audio as well.

In 2008, we received a grant from the A&A Foundation to work with pregnant teenagers from all cultures. We held those classes in the same Chumash Canyon. Some of the teenage programs were only for pregnancy and first year of the infant’s life, and others are still ongoing.

We are still working with the mothers and their now-adolescent children from our first Smart Beginnings/Easy Preventions group. Pregnant mothers, partners (when available), and (later) the babies and children are picked up at their homes by a private van/limo service.

They receive a healthy, organic breakfast when they arrive. An organic lunch is served after the 2-hour morning Hypnobirthing Leclaire™ class, CPR, breastfeeding, infant care, parenting, early childhood education, etc.). The afternoon is for yoga, hiking, playing, talking, singing, and storytelling until it’s time to return home with our door-to-door service.

Due to Covid and the economic downfall of many, Hypnobirthing Leclaire™ has created, priced, made our program accessible, and affordable for all. Hypnobirthing LeClaire™  is now affordable and available for all pregnant families worldwide.