Freya Dawson is the mother of two boys. She speaks to other parents, not as an expert, but as someone who has learned through her own experience about the challenges and joys of raising children.
Before she had children Freya spent 15 years as a university lecturer in Law. Her life was turned upside down when she had her first child at 35 and another 4 years later and faced the intense challenges of raising two highly spirited children. She was completely unprepared for the angry outbursts, vulnerability and anxiety that welled up from within her in the early years of her children's lives. She wanted desperately to be the best mother she could be and yet she struggled every day. The intense emotions that engulfed her during those years turned out to be a wonderful gift. She found a willingness to explore her own inner world and applied her skills in research to finding a peaceful way to live with her children.
In the last 10 years she has developed a deep and trusting relationship with her children who are now 15 and 11 years old and are both home educated. Freya does not use any form of punishments or rewards and her children live their lives free of rules. She has developed an approach to communication and problem solving that make these conventional parenting tools completely unnecessary.
Freya has experience in finding creative solutions to a wide variety of parenting, family and relationship problems. She has explored and taught practices of self-realization and self-inquiry such as “The Work” of Byron Katie and facilitated support groups, taught courses in parenting skills and mentored other parents. She has a down-to-earth and practical approach to her work while also maintaining a deeply spiritual perspective. She has recently published her first book “Joyful Parenting: The five skills to take your family from Conflict to Connection.”
The focus of Freya Dawson's writing and teaching is on helping people experience the peace of presence and bring more joy and wellbeing into their lives. Her path has been a gradual spiritual awakening that is deeply grounded in relationships with friends and family and connection with the natural environment. Her journey has been guided by many others including Thomas Gordon, Marshall Rosenburg, Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Adyashanti and Bentinho Massaro.
Freya has a PhD in Law, a passion for bushwalking, an adventurous spirit and a love of good food. She lives in Wollongong, NSW with her husband, children and some lovely pets.
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