INFERTILITY COUNSELING
Are You Struggling With Infertility?
Do you worry that you’ll never be able to have children? Has infertility made you feel broken and put a strain on your relationship? Is the uncertainty and anxiety taking up all of your energy? Are you tired of doctor’s appointments taking up your entire schedule?
Navigating the emotional and physical aspects of infertility can be painful and life-consuming. On top of hormonal injections, bruising, and all the other physical effects, infertility can negatively impact your sense of self-worth and all the doctor’s appointments and medical procedures can create a huge financial burden. As a result, you might find yourself longing to connect with someone who understands what you’re going through.
About Infertility Counseling
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Because your sex life now revolves around trying to get pregnant, intimacy with your partner may become very scheduled and regimented. The spontaneity may be gone from your relationship, as both of you are so laser-focused on trying to have a baby. All the financial demands can put a strain on your connection, too. You might argue about whether it’s worthwhile to spend so much money on something that is far from guaranteed.
Seeking professional help from a therapist specializing in infertility can be incredibly beneficial in managing these issues. My goal is to provide a safe, empathetic space for you to acknowledge and explore your feelings and help you work through the shame, grief, and traumatic loss of infertility.
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Infertility is caused by a variety of factors including age, genetics, illness, hormonal imbalances, and structural issues in the reproductive system. The stats on infertility are sobering—roughly one in six adults worldwide are affected by it ¹ and nearly 20 percent of women in the US can’t get pregnant after a year of trying.²
What’s more, infertility rates have steadily increased over time.³ Part of the reason is the increasing age at which many people are starting families. Many couples are delaying childbearing until later in life due to personal goals or finances. But of course, as women age, their fertility decreases, making it harder and harder to conceive.
¹ Infertility (who.int)
² Infertility | CDC
³ What’s Up with Rising Infertility Rates? | Premier Health -
Because of the lingering stigma around infertility, many couples feel like they have no one to turn to who can understand them or empathize with their suffering. After all, most of the couples they know are probably starting to have kids. This creates feelings of jealousy, despair, and aloneness, as if no one else is struggling with infertility but them.
But you’re not alone—many other couples are in the same spot as you. An infertility therapist can normalize your challenges and give you the psychological and physiological support you need to make your way through this important period.
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In addition to being a therapist, I have experience working at one of the top infertility clinics in New York City. I’ve spent many years helping individuals and couples who struggle with this issue. I’m confident that I can help you, too.
My sessions provide a safe space to talk through the shame, grief, and traumatic loss of infertility. I’ll help you gather valuable resources, navigate the complexities of the medical system, and learn new skills for managing your physical and emotional challenges. You are welcome to come to therapy by yourself or with your partner—it all depends on your situation and what works best for you.
What To Expect In Infertility Counseling
You may experience a wide range of emotions in response to infertility, such as sadness, grief, anger, frustration, and anxiety. In therapy, you’ll have a safe, supportive environment to explore all these emotions and process the loss of infertility. I’ll help you make sense of what has happened and integrate it into a new narrative about your life.
Rewriting your narrative often means understanding that infertility does not define you as a person or a couple. Together, we can focus on the aspects of life that bring you joy and fulfillment, whether that means your career, hobbies, relationships, or something else entirely.
In addition to offering emotional support, I can help you make medical decisions about fertility treatment. I know it’s confusing to navigate the medical system. I can provide counseling on third party reproduction, fertility preservation, and alternative paths to parenthood like adoption and donor conception.
Tailoring Your Treatment Plan
I draw from a wide range of approaches in infertility therapy. I can use Mindfulness to help you cope with difficult emotions, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help you challenge negative thought patterns, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help you accept what’s outside of your control and focus on what you enjoy instead.
If infertility is putting a strain on your relationship or marriage, I may also recommend couples therapy. This is especially helpful if you’re trying to make decisions about fertility treatment. Couples therapy can empower you and your partner to work together as a team and give you the communication skills to solve disagreements about medical care.
Infertility can be a long and arduous path, but it’s important to remember that you are not alone. Hope can come from unexpected people and places. As your therapist, I’m here to provide you with support and guidance and help you find the best path forward for you.
You May Have Some Questions About Infertility Counseling …
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I have worked with individuals and couples going through infertility for many years, both in private practice and at an infertility center in Manhattan. At the infertility center, I provided counseling for women and men who were having infertility related health issues as well as individuals who were using donor sperm, donor eggs, donor embryos, and gestational surrogates. I have the experience and expertise to help you with this issue.
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You should seek therapy when your infertility makes it hard for you to function normally. When it’s starting to affect your relationships or making you feel anxious or depressed, that’s a sign that you should get support. You can also see a therapist if you simply want someone impartial to listen to you and help you work through the daily stress of infertility.
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Not at all. My goal is to help you achieve your dreams of building your family. I want to help you manage the emotional and physical tolls of infertility. This way, you have the skills to stay grounded and feel more at ease.
Infertility Does Not Define You
It doesn’t have to be the main theme of your narrative and it doesn’t have to hold you back from being your best self. If you want to connect with a therapist specializing in infertility and reproductive issues, I would be honored to work with you. To get started, email me or call me at 914-266-2584.