Why see a therapist who specializes in infertility?
Reason #1: Disenfranchised Grief
Infertility often leads to disenfranchised grief, which is grief that is not openly acknowledged, socially accepted, or publicly mourned. The losses suffered by women and couples facing infertility can be invisible to family and friends and, all too often, are unacknowledged in the therapy space. Infertility losses can include:
Miscarriage and Stillbirth
Loss of trust in one’s body as healthy and capable
Loss of ability to plan for the future
Loss of the belief that, “If I work hard and do things ‘right,’ I can achieve my goal.”
Loss of ability to share the experience of parenthood with peers and loved ones
Loss of ability to announce pregnancy (ever, or as a surprise)
Loss of genetic ties to children if third-party reproduction or adoption is chosen
As a therapist who specializes in infertility, I am trained to recognize, name, and validate all types of losses associated with infertility. Furthermore, as a woman who navigated infertility personally, I know firsthand the importance of not minimizing, glossing over, or looking for the “silver lining” of infertility losses. I am dedicated to providing a safe and supportive space to grieve and to heal- your story matters.
