Posts tagged "infertility"

Although 1 in 8 couples are coping with infertility at a given time, the experience can be lonely, frustrating, and downright debilitating. Therapy can provide support for couples struggling with the complexities of infertility depression. Therapy can offer a nonjudgmental space for exploring difficult emotions, and it can also provide valuable coping tools for managing such distress.

Therapy Provides Valuable Safety and Comfort

Infertility in women or men can evoke powerful feelings of shame, fear, anger, and sadness. While some couples may have medical diagnoses related to fertility, others struggle with unexplained infertility. Neither of these circumstances is easy, and many people resort to blaming themselves for the issues.

Unfortunately, infertility depression is often misunderstood and stigmatized. For example, friends and family may have good intentions, but their responses for coping with infertility may not always be helpful or appropriate. Canned reactions like, “your time will come” or “just relax!” or “my friend went through the same thing” may come from a caring place, but they can leave people feeling even more alone and judged.

Therapy provides a secure and professional setting for either couples or individuals to unpack these sensitive concerns. Therapists, on the other hand, use a blend of compassion coupled with objectivity to help you feel more grounded in your journey.

Therapy Offers Practical Solutions For Coping With Infertility

Even though infertility depression is not a clinical diagnosis, it can mirror symptoms of both depression and anxiety. When untreated, these symptoms may worsen over time, and that progression can affect all areas of psychological functioning.

Therapists teach clients how to handle infertility depression using interventions that may include:

• Mindfulness and meditation
• Positive affirmations
• Free association
• Identifying self-care strategies
• Meaning-of-life work
• Dream analysis
• Creative expression via art, movement, or journaling
• Referrals for additional infertility depression help and support (psychiatrists, support groups)

Therapists also create a sacred space for venting, processing, exploring, and grieving. Through this exchange, individuals learn that they are allowed to feel any emotions that arise during this journey.

How Long Does Therapy For Infertility Last?

The length of therapy depends on a variety of factors including:

• The impact of anxiety or depression due to infertility
• Type of therapy modality used
• Frequency of sessions
• Individual and couple treatment goals
• Other co-occurring disorders or issues that need addressing

What Does the Recovery Process Look Like?

There isn’t a perfect answer with regards to coping with infertility. Each situation is inherently unique, and one client’s treatment needs may look very different from another client’s.

Recovery isn’t perfect. Infertility is an exhaustive and complicated process that can take an enormous toll on one’s health. That said, therapy can help reduce some of the burdens. It can help provide reasonable goals for healing, and it can also support clients during the emotional time.

The reality is that some couples will conceive despite unexplained infertility.  Others will experience more delays and problems. Finally, some couples will be diagnosed with permanent infertility. While therapists cannot determine a medical prognosis for their clients, they can help people learn how to accept their outcomes and find a pathway towards healing.

While infertility can feel like the scariest and saddest battle, finding the right support can make a tremendous difference. You deserve a place where you can be honest and candid. And if your struggle makes you feel alone in a dark room, you deserve to have someone who can hold the light.

Contact Lumos Counseling PC today for more information on infertility and therapy.