INFERTILITY AND PREGNANCY LOSS
Infertility can be a lonely experience and many women feel isolated and misunderstood by their friends and family. It may feel as if everyone around you are pregnant and having babies, while you are not.
This is a disease that affects women to the core, and it can affect their relationships with family and partners. It can be helpful to have an outlet to express feelings, frustrations and anxieties. Many women experience significant symptoms of anxiety and depression during infertility and it can often feel like an emotional rollercoaster ride.
You do not need to go through this alone! I can bear witness to and provide support that will help you survive the experience and make sense of it.
Pregnancy loss is devastating and life altering. To survive the emotional experience of pregnancy loss, you will need to turn to others to support you.
You will experience a whole range of emotions, which may include anger, guilt, symptoms of depression, envy of expectant parents & yearning.
Grieving will take time. The trauma of losing a baby can have a deep impact on the relationship with your partner. Your husband/partner may be experiencing grief in a very different way. It can be very challenging to lean on your partner who is also going through the grieving process. Therapy can be a place where you can share and explore the process in a safe and welcoming environment.
MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH &
INFANT-PARENT PSYCHOTHERAPY
I provide maternal mental health treatment and infant-parent psychotherapy as a part of my practice.
I work with mothers who are experiencing the challenges of the transition into motherhood; pregnancy and postpartum mood disorders.
Infant-parent psychotherapy can address parents concerns with the baby present. This allows careful and sensitive consideration to both the baby and parent’s experience. Infant parent psychotherapy can address concerns about the baby or child, the parent, and the parent-child relationship. I work with parents who have experienced the following issues:
- Infertility and pregnancy loss
- Mood disorders during pregnancy
- Birth trauma
- Sexual abuse survivors giving birth
- Emotional/attachment issues between parent and child
- Intense fussing and crying baby
- Feeding and sleeping issues
- Medical issues, hospitalizations & developmental issues
- Parenting challenges (co-parenting, single parenting, parenting after the loss of a partner)
RESOURCE LIST
Perinatal organizations
PSI of MA (Postpartum Support International of Massachusetts)
MCPAP for Moms provides real-time, perinatal psychiatric consultation, resources and referrals
Mommy Interrupted – Support for women and families facing challenges throughout the perinatal period, including but not limited to infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, and postpartum concerns.
JF&CS Center for Early Relationship Support: offers services for parents of preemies, parents struggling with substance abuse, adoptive parents and mothers suffering from post partum mood disorders.
RESOLVE New England: infertility support, education and advocacy since 1974
Mind-body program for health and fertility at the Benson Henry Institute.
This program teaches women how to regain a sense of control and well-being, develop coping strategies (meditation, yoga and skills to reverse negative thinking) to better manage treatments and optimize chances for success.
www.bensonhenryinstitute.org/services-health-and-fertility/
Mass General Hospital Fertility Center: