Susan Crowther – författare

This book explores how, why and when hermeneutic phenomenology can be used as a methodology in health and social research. Providing actual examples of doing robust hermeneutic phenomenology and a focus on praxis, the book demonstrates how philosophical or theoretical notions can inform, enrich and enhance our research projects. The chapters offer examples of many different research designs and interpretive decisions in order to illustrate the unbounded and creative nature of this type of inquiry, whilst also demonstrating the trustworthiness of the scientific processes adopted. The chapter authors invite the reader on a unique journey that highlights how they made individual and tailored decisions throughout their projects, emphasising the challenges and joys they encountered. This book is a valuable resource for all students and academics who wish to explore the meaningfulness of human lived experiences across the multitude of phenomena in health and social care.

Mindfulness in the Birth Sphere draws together and critically appraises a raft of emerging research around mindfulness in healthcare, looking especially at its relevance to pregnancy and childbirth. Divided into three parts, this reflective book:· Investigates the phenomena of mindfulness through discussions of neuroscience, an indigenous worldview and research methods.· Develops the concept of mindfulness for use in practice with women/and babies across the continuum of childbirth. ​It includes chapters on birth environments, intrapartum care, mental health, fertility, breastfeeding and parenting among others.· Explores mindfulness as a tool for birth practitioners and educators, promoting self-care, resilience and compassion. Each chapter discusses specific research, evidence and experiences of mindfulness, including practical advice and an example of a mindfulness practice.This is an essential read for all those interested in mindfulness in connection to pregnancy and childbirth, including midwives, doulas, doctors and birth activists, whether involved in practice, research or education.

Mindfulness in the Birth Sphere draws together and critically appraises a raft of emerging research around mindfulness in healthcare, looking especially at its relevance to pregnancy and childbirth. Divided into three parts, this reflective book:· Investigates the phenomena of mindfulness through discussions of neuroscience, an indigenous worldview and research methods.· Develops the concept of mindfulness for use in practice with women/and babies across the continuum of childbirth. ​It includes chapters on birth environments, intrapartum care, mental health, fertility, breastfeeding and parenting among others.· Explores mindfulness as a tool for birth practitioners and educators, promoting self-care, resilience and compassion. Each chapter discusses specific research, evidence and experiences of mindfulness, including practical advice and an example of a mindfulness practice.This is an essential read for all those interested in mindfulness in connection to pregnancy and childbirth, including midwives, doulas, doctors and birth activists, whether involved in practice, research or education.

To be at the birth of a baby is special, yet there is an increasing secularisation and reliance on technology in contemporary maternity care, particularly in the western context. Through exploration of experiences at birth this book explores joy at birth, which is often ignored and overlooked beyond the activities that help to ensure survival. This book draws on a collection of stories of birth from mothers, birth partners, obstetricians and midwives, that demonstrate joy at birth across professional groups and in different types of births and locations with or without technological interventions. Each chapter introduces stories of joy that highlight embodied, spatial and relational meanings. Employing the Heideggerian notion of a human being, it sketches out an ontological focus that draws our gaze to the everyday taken-for-granted ways of being at birth. Based on phenomenological experiential data and rigorous interpretive analysis underpinned by seminal philosophical writings, this book calls for readers to attend to the wholeness of birth in all situations and at all births in ways not attempted before. It will be of great interest to midwives, and those working in and studying maternity, obstetrics and neonatology, as well as social and medical anthropology, sociology, cultural, organisational and clinical psychology and spirituality.

This book explores how, why and when hermeneutic phenomenology can be used as a methodology in health and social research. Providing actual examples of doing robust hermeneutic phenomenology and a focus on praxis, the book demonstrates how philosophical or theoretical notions can inform, enrich and enhance our research projects. The chapters offer examples of many different research designs and interpretive decisions in order to illustrate the unbounded and creative nature of this type of inquiry, whilst also demonstrating the trustworthiness of the scientific processes adopted. The chapter authors invite the reader on a unique journey that highlights how they made individual and tailored decisions throughout their projects, emphasising the challenges and joys they encountered. This book is a valuable resource for all students and academics who wish to explore the meaningfulness of human lived experiences across the multitude of phenomena in health and social care.

Highlighting aspects of birth often taken for granted, ignored or left silenced, this book questions the art and meaning of childbirth. Addressing spirituality in and around the start of life from a variety of thought-provoking perspectives, it examines the apparent paradox of impersonal biomedical-technocratic systems operating alongside the meaningful experiences encountered by those involved. Themes covered include: Notions of holism and spirituality, culture, religion and spirituality Childbirth significance at societal level Spiritual care in maternity care provision Birth environment, mood, space and place Spiritual experience of all those involved, including health professionals Spiritual experience when birth is complex and challenging When birth and death are juxtaposed.Although there is considerable literature on spirituality at the end of life, this is the only book that draws together a global and multidisciplinary selection of academic researchers and practitioners to reflect on spirituality at the start of life. Each chapter explores the relevant theoretical background and makes links to practice, using case studies from research and practice. The chapters conclude by discussing: how spiritual care is, and should be, provided in this context; what practice approaches are beneficial; cross-cultural perspectives; and future directions for research. It is an important read for all those interested in childbirth, maternity care, social science perspectives on health and illness, and spirituality.

Highlighting aspects of birth often taken for granted, ignored or left silenced, this book questions the art and meaning of childbirth. Addressing spirituality in and around the start of life from a variety of thought-provoking perspectives, it examines the apparent paradox of impersonal biomedical-technocratic systems operating alongside the meaningful experiences encountered by those involved. Themes covered include: Notions of holism and spirituality, culture, religion and spirituality Childbirth significance at societal level Spiritual care in maternity care provision Birth environment, mood, space and place Spiritual experience of all those involved, including health professionals Spiritual experience when birth is complex and challenging When birth and death are juxtaposed.Although there is considerable literature on spirituality at the end of life, this is the only book that draws together a global and multidisciplinary selection of academic researchers and practitioners to reflect on spirituality at the start of life. Each chapter explores the relevant theoretical background and makes links to practice, using case studies from research and practice. The chapters conclude by discussing: how spiritual care is, and should be, provided in this context; what practice approaches are beneficial; cross-cultural perspectives; and future directions for research. It is an important read for all those interested in childbirth, maternity care, social science perspectives on health and illness, and spirituality.

To be at the birth of a baby is special, yet there is an increasing secularisation and reliance on technology in contemporary maternity care, particularly in the western context. Through exploration of experiences at birth this book explores joy at birth, which is often ignored and overlooked beyond the activities that help to ensure survival. This book draws on a collection of stories of birth from mothers, birth partners, obstetricians and midwives, that demonstrate joy at birth across professional groups and in different types of births and locations with or without technological interventions. Each chapter introduces stories of joy that highlight embodied, spatial and relational meanings. Employing the Heideggerian notion of a human being, it sketches out an ontological focus that draws our gaze to the everyday taken-for-granted ways of being at birth. Based on phenomenological experiential data and rigorous interpretive analysis underpinned by seminal philosophical writings, this book calls for readers to attend to the wholeness of birth in all situations and at all births in ways not attempted before. It will be of great interest to midwives, and those working in and studying maternity, obstetrics and neonatology, as well as social and medical anthropology, sociology, cultural, organisational and clinical psychology and spirituality.

Certified Master Chef Roland G. Henin has been our nation's top culinary mentor for the past fifty years, training such prestigious chefs as Chef Thomas Keller of French Laundry and Per Se and Certified Master Chef Ron DeSantis. For the first time, his story is being told—from his own perspective and through the lens of some of America’s most prominent chefs. Read about how Certified Master Chef Rich Rosendale was inspired by Henin to turn a decommissioned nuclear bunker into a training kitchen. Discover Thomas Keller’s motivation for becoming a chef—a philosophy he learned from Henin. This fascinating memoir includes more than fifty interviews from mentees and colleagues who were shaped in some way by Chef Henin. Full of humorous anecdotes and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the elite culinary world, this is a rare and fascinating look at the life and legacy of a culinary genius. Chef Henin was among the first European chefs to cross the Atlantic and bring classical cuisine to American culture. Pioneering chefs like Roland Henin and Jean-Jacques Rachou were subversive radicals of their Old World. You won’t be disappointed by this unique memoir. As Chef Henin says, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.”

60 classic and unique recipes for probiotic-rich ferments such as sauerkraut, pickled veggies, salsas, kimchi, sourdough, jun tea, and more!Fermenting, in the simplest definition, is changing food into a healthier version of itself—a version that basically stays fresh, forever. Sounds kind of magical, doesn’t it? It kind of is.Fermenting is what happens when you mix two things together: food and salt. As soon as food and salt are combined, they wake up microbes—bacteria and yeast that are living in and on the food. This book explores a specific type of fermentation: raw pickling or live-fermentation. Live-fermented foods are the healthiest to eat and easiest to make. Live-fermentation is simpler than canning and the food lasts longer than freezing. This technique saves time and energy, as it cuts down on heating and cooking. Live-fermented foods do not require refrigeration. Plus, they can stay fresh indefinitely.  In addition to saving energy costs, fermenting increases a food’s health benefits. Live-fermented foods are healthier than their original raw products. Vital nutrients and vitamins—often destroyed with heating—are not only kept alive, but improved. And other nutrients are actually created during fermentation.Susan Crowther and Julie Fallone offer step-by-step instructions for pickling and fermenting all kinds of produce from carrots to garlic to sweet potatoes, plus offers recipes for Live-Fermented Hot Sauce, Fermented Hot Honey, and more unique and healthy goodies. Readers will also find recipes for kombucha, jun tea, and other probiotic drinks. Finally, there's an abundance of recipes for incorporating your probiotic-rich ferments into other recipes, such as Healthier Hummus, Jun Sourdough Bread, Cultured Muffins, and even . . . wait for it . . . Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake!

What has happened to cooking? Where has it gone? For most people, it is left to the experts in restaurants and on television. Thanks to the constant availability of takeout, frozen dinners, and fast food restaurants, for the majority of Americans, cooking has become a spectator sport—an entertaining activity you watch on television, but not something to try at home. The No Recipe Cookbook is a warm and funny instructional guide that addresses this issue head-on. Rather than simply collecting recipes, author, chef, caterer, and nutritionist Susan Crowther offers people something even more useful—an understanding of how to cook. The No Recipe Cookbook is a commonsensical and creative approach to preparing delicious meals, focusing on principles, intuition, and integrity. Cooking is also explored holistically, incorporating aspects such as local ingredients and “green cooking.” Each page explores culinary virtues of patience, adaptability, and love next to principles, utensils, and procedures.From preparing simple salad dressings to simmering soup stocks to kneading dough for bread, Crowther takes the intimidation factor out of cooking by giving readers the basic information and tools they need for culinary success. Once you understand a few basic rules and generally what ingredients in what proportions are necessary for certain dishes, you’ll be free to confidently experiment with all sorts of culinary creations. With a handful of easy-to-follow cooking time charts and shopping lists, plenty of warm advice, and a pinch of humor, Crowther welcomes aspiring cooks on a fun and exciting culinary adventure.