Connection and Support
Better Care for LGBTQ+ Families Everywhere
Build community
Support groups for single parents by choice
Liam Kali has been facilitating support groups as a community-based care provider for over 25 years and currently leads all groups at Maia. Our groups are made up of people of all genders and family structures. The goal is for participants to connect with others going through a similar experience, building community and experiencing mutual support. All offerings are held on Zoom to increase accessibility. Groups meet monthly on an ongoing basis. Registration opens and renews every three months. $120 per 3 month session on Zoom
Get the info you need
LGBTQ+ Family Building Class Series
Our family building class series is a way to get current information specific to your family's circumstances and needs. Guest speakers are vetted to ensure expertise and a gender inclusive, queer centered approach. This class series is open to everyone, whether you are in the planning stages or you are already a parent. All sessions are held on Zoom at 5:30pm Pacific time, and we welcome families from across the US and beyond. $50 per family on Zoom
View the current course schedule and sign up!
SERVE LGBTQ+ FAMILIES WELL
Courses for Clinicians and Childbirth Professionals
PROVIDE BASIC FERTILITY CARE & IUI
Queer Conception Provider Course
The most comprehensive course for clinicians seeking current, evidence-based practice in basic fertility care and donor insemination that meets American Society for Reproductive Medicine guidelines.
Online, asynchronous learning activities offer a clear pathway for utilizing the basic knowledge you already possess as reproductive healthcare provider while incorporating in-depth information specific to managing donor insemination. Author and course instructor Liam Kali draws upon two decades caring for LGBTQ+ families to illustrate the material and expand course participants' awareness of psychosocial aspects of care. This course includes current scientific literature, lectures and video demonstrations as well as practice tools, live Q&A sessions, and opportunities for ongoing consultation as you begin caring for conceiving families.
Read Liam's recently published paper in Fertility & Sterility, Therapeutic Donor Insemination for LGBTQ+ families: a systematic review.
20 continuing education credits have been applied for through the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Anticipate spending at least 20 hours studying and integrating the material in this comprehensive course. Cost: $1800 per provider – email to inquire about group practice discounts.
WELCOMING & AFFIRMING
Providing Culturally Sensitive Care for LGBTQ+ Families
Deepen your understanding of the uniqueness of conception, pregnancy, birth and postpartum for LGBTQ+ people who are building family through pregnancy. Learn at your own pace and become a better informed care provider, educator or doula, with the confidence to offer insightful and culturally sensitive care.
This course explores the diverse nature of LGBTQ family structures and examines issues that commonly arise for gestational parents, nongestational parents, and in relationships from conception through early parenting. It walks you through the steps involved in getting pregnant, including deciding who will conceive, choosing a donor, interacting with fertility clinics, inseminating, and undergoing IVF. You will identify ways that gender identity and expression may shift throughout pregnancy, birth and infant feeding, and the interplay between sexual identity, gender identity, pregnancy and birth. This course offers guidance for creating a welcoming and affirming practice and CEU's through the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (7 contact hours).
Topics covered:
LGBTQ+ Conception and Pregnancy
Caring for Transgender and Genderqueer Clients with Cultural Humility
Specialized Content for Doulas
Specialized Content for Childbirth Educators
Specialized Content for Midwives
Specialized Content for Midwifery Educators and Leaders
BOOK LIAM FOR YOUR EVENT
Public Speaking
Liam Kali, LM is a warm and engaging speaker who delivers professionalism and expertise with a down-to-earth, personable style. Liam has a knack for breaking down complex topics into an easily understandable form. Liam is an authoritative resource on LGBTQ+ conception and pregnancy, single parenting by choice, midwifery model fertility care, and donor insemination. See Liam's past speaking events.
Liam is available for public speaking to a broad variety of audiences, including university courses, local organizations, national conferences, and keynote presentations. Book midwife, author, fertility specialist, and queer family building expert Liam Kali, LM for your next event.
BENEFITS & VALUE
Learning that will enhance your practice for years to come
Celebrate LGBTQ+ Families
Many providers make the mistake of thinking queer and trans families are just like any other family, which is an extremely limited view that ultimately leaves us feeling erased. Find out what makes our experiences of conception, pregnancy, birth and parenting unique. Do your part to center the queer and trans folks in your practice by learning how to serve us well, no matter your role in the birth community.
Cultivate Gender Inclusivity
Gender inclusivity is not just for transgender people, although a gender inclusive practice is absolutely necessary if you intend to care for LGBTQ+ families. For instance, when we use the word “mother” to refer only to pregnant and birthing individuals, we marginalize nongestational lesbian mothers and transgender mothers, as well as those who are pregnant and do not identify as mothers at all. And given that family acceptance is the single most protective factor for transgender youth, modeling trans positivity and using gender inclusive language throughout your practice can benefit any family in your care.
Earn Continuing Education Credits
Our online courses are an accessible way to earn CEUs! Providing Culturally Sensitive Care for LGBTQ+ Families is approved for 7 hours of CEUs from the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council and satisfies the “cultural awareness” requirement for CPM certification through the North American Registry of Midwives. The IUI Provider Course is approved for 20 hours of CMEs from the American College of Nurse-Midwives.
Improve Patient Outcomes
Queer Conception Provider Course participants will learn how to provide the best in evidence-based care for LGBTQ+ families seeking pregnancy via donor insemination.
Become a Preferred IUI Provider
Those who successfully complete the Queer Conception Provider Course will be added to our Preferred Provider referral list. You will benefit from the broad outreach capacity of Maia Midwifery and Fertility Services, as well as reaching families who are encouraged to seek providers through our website in Liam Kali’s book, Queer Conception: The Complete Fertility Guide for Queer and Trans Parents-to-Be.
Build a Network of Professional Peers
Course participants practice in various settings across the United States and become colleagues in this important work.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m a student midwife. Can I attend the IUI Provider Course?
The IUI Provider Course is only for practicing midwives who have completed their midwifery education. Focus on getting through school, then take this course. You will get so much more out of it when you are no longer juggling the demands of midwifery school!
We have a group practice. Can we get a discounted rate on your courses?
Yes, we will provide a group discount on Providing Culturally Sensitive Care for LGBTQ+ Families. The IUI Provider Course is priced per provider, and discounted rates are available for BIPOC midwives only. There are no group discounts on the IUI Provider Course.
Are the courses designed to go at your own pace?
Providing Culturally Sensitive Care for LGBTQ+ Families is completely self-directed and at-your-own-pace, however you will need to complete the course within one calendar year. The IUI Provider Course includes specific readings to complete over each two week period between live sessions, as well as assignments that must be submitted on time. Anticipate dedicating 5 hours per week to the course, with scheduled live sessions every other week.
Visit our FAQ to find answers to more of our commonly asked questions
Queer Conception: The Complete Fertility Guide for Queer and Trans Parents-to-Be
This groundbreaking guide by trusted fertility midwife Kristin Liam Kali includes sidebars with guidance for reproductive healthcare professionals.
LEARN MORE
You will glean a great deal of insight by witnessing the transmission of information provided for families in this book. Consider this the preceptorship you never had.