Counseling for Infertility

Have you and your partner been trying to conceive for longer than you anticipated?

Do you feel like you’ve lost hope of becoming a parent?

The fertility process can be one of the most stressful times in a person’s life. Whether it’s trying to conceive for the first time, after a previous pregnancy loss, trying to get pregnant for months or years, or managing a medical condition that affects fertility, the process can be draining and unsettling.

Although women and their partners may do their very best to be positive and hopeful, the stresses and challenges of the process leave many feeling out of control, disappointed and ashamed. These stresses can impact mental health and well-being, and can also have negative impacts on relationships.

Same-sex couples or single people often face additional barriers during the fertility process. And on a biological level, the hormone treatments prescribed to help support pregnancy may lead to feelings of depression, irritability and anxiety.

Maybe you’ve been going through fertility treatments that have left you physically and emotionally exhausted. You might be a parent already, but secondary infertility has left you confused and frustrated now. Perhaps you desperately want to open up to someone about what you’re going through, but you worry that no one else in your life will understand.

Infertility can feel deeply isolating, in part because it often seems like other couples have an easy time conceiving. But this is not always the case. In fact, infertility is actually fairly common, with approximately 9 percent of men and 11 percent of women of reproductive age in the United States reporting trouble conceiving.

In therapy, you can share your infertility struggles without shame. An infertility counselor can help you strengthen your relationship with your partner and provide you with a safe place to say what’s on your mind.

You might be skeptical of the value of seeking therapy when you’re struggling with infertility. If therapy won’t change the outcome of your situation, you may question whether it’s really worth your time. Therapy gives you the chance to explore your own identity outside of your experiences with infertility. It can help you learn to manage your stressors so that your struggles do not feel so overwhelming and your therapist will be along side you on your journey.

You are not alone and I want to encourage and be here for you during this trying time.