You've Been Diagnosed With Infertility... Now What?
Posted: March 3, 2016
You've been diagnosed with infertility. It's been a rough journey and you can't stop wondering if you may want to talk with someone. A professional someone. Here are a few ways a fertility counselor can serve you:
1. They will help you work through pain and loss
There's loss that comes with the diagnosis of infertility. The realization that conceiving a child will be met with more challenges than you expected. The possible loss of your time, energy, and resources. The loss of your ability to relate to close friends who complain about their kids. The painful, sinking feeling of a failed round of treatment.
2. They will listen as you weigh tough decisions/hard choices
Choices that you never imagined having to make. Choices that shake your faith and make you question your belief system. They'll encourage you to make decisions that work best for you and your family.
3. They will help you focus on "what's working"
Your internal strength, intelligence, and family/friends (support system) may be overlooked in a crisis situation, but they are still there. You fertility counselor can connect you to resources, provide you with information, and help you see problems from a different perspective.
4. They are ready and willing to listen
You can talk about the fear, ask the "embarrassing" questions, wonder out-loud, and practice saying what you should have said if you could have a do-over. You can build confidence by sharing your feelings with your therapist. Your fertility counselor will want you to feel your best and will give you emotional support. Some women include scheduled meetings with their therapist as a part of their self-care routine.
You can learn more about infertility by checking out these sites: RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)
You can learn more about infertility by checking out these sites: RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)
