Infertility and grief belong together. For many people in the midst of efforts to conceive, it can feel strange, or even wrong, to acknowledge this fact. After all, hope has not been lost and you are actively fighting for the future you imagined for your family. However, the presence of hope does not cancel out…
Infertility
10 Things to Say to a Friend Going Through Infertility
Infertility can bring profound grief, depression, anxiety, and isolation – and can impact nearly all realms of someone’s life. Even well-meaning friends and family often don’t know what to say or how to support someone going through this. As a perinatal psychotherapist, I’ve heard both sides of this – people who feel unsupported by…
Compassion in Action: Supporting LGBTQ+ Loved Ones on Their Fertility Journey
Happy Pride Month from all of us at Wildflower Center for Emotional Health! This Pride Month, we are shining a light on how to be an effective ally and friend to people in the LGBTQIA+ community going through infertility. Infertility is a deeply emotional experience, and for LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples, the journey to parenthood…
National Infertility Awareness Week: Compassion, Education, and Advocacy
During National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) we join with many leading organizations in a campaign to shed light on the deeply personal and often misunderstood experience of infertility that impacts millions of individuals and couples worldwide. Infertility can be an isolating journey, filled with emotional, physical, and financial challenges, yet it remains a topic that…
Male Infertility: The Emotional Impact and What You Can Do About It
When it comes to conversations about infertility, men often remain in the shadows. The fertility conversation often defaults to women, making it easy to assume infertility is a “women’s issue.” That’s a misconception – male-factor infertility is a significant part of the equation, despite it lacking the attention it deserves. While male infertility isn’t exactly…
Understanding Infertility: A Guide for Psychotherapists
Infertility has become one of the most common reasons that women between the ages of 20 and 45 seek medical treatment in the United States. According to the CDC, 19% of women experience physiological (medical) infertility. Additionally, many more people experience social infertility (infertility caused by social relationships and circumstances). Given this significant portion of…
Understanding Social Infertility: An Evolving Term in Reproductive Health
Engaging in allyship with the LGBTQIA+ community entails, among other things, educating ourselves about the unique challenges they face. One significant issue is the often complicated journey to parenthood for those who choose that path. Social infertility is a new and evolving term describing this process. In recent years, infertility has gained awareness, resulting in…
10 Things You Need To Know About Infertility During Infertility Awareness Week
1. Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant after one year of unprotected sex for heterosexual couples. With this said, many physicians recommend that women over the age of 35 seek specialized fertility care after six months of unprotected sex in heterosexual partnerships. 2. Infertility is not uncommon. In the U.S., one…
Virtual Infertility Support Group Starting August 2020
No person feels prepared to confront infertility and the grief, isolation, and fear that may follow the diagnosis. COVID-19 created unprecedented disruptions in daily living and medical care, including fertility treatment. You may have felt even more uncertain and hopeless. You are not alone. We are excited to announce the launch of our virtual Infertility…
Breathe: A mind/body workshop for women facing infertility will be held on June 2, 2019
Breathe: A Mind/Body Workshop for Women Facing Infertility will be held at Wildflower on Sunday, June 2nd, 2019 from 10 am to 2pm. No woman feels prepared to confront her infertility diagnosis and treatment. It is impossible to anticipate the shock, grief, isolation, and exhausting cycle of hope and fear that characterize the experience of…
