10-15% of couples are impacted by infertility.

Infertility

Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technologies (receiving infertility treatment) can be a lengthy process. For some, this may lead to failed IVF trials.

If you’re feeling angry, sad, or anxious, I want you know that you are not alone. You may feel like there is “something wrong” with you or like your body is betraying you. It may be a time where you are questioning your purpose and role or maybe you are grieving the loss of the fertility story you dreamt about.

Connecting with other people who seem to have had a much simpler journey to becoming a parent can bring up mixed emotions. For some couples, this is a time that leads to more disagreements due to the high levels of stress they are facing.

I want to help you make space to notice what is coming up for you and also find ways to acknowledge your own journey. You matter. Your journey matters. Your feelings matter.

1-5 women are choosing to not have children.

Fertility

There can be a lot of societal, cultural, and family pressure to have children. In fact, often women are led to believe that motherhood is a requirement of one’s womanhood.

Who you are as a person is defined by so much more than whether you will or will not have children. Saying no to parenthood is a choice that people make for many different reasons. There is absolutely nothing wrong with choosing to be child-free by choice.

Therapy may be helpful in exploring how you feel about your decision regarding a child-free life, delaying having children, your relationship status, not being in a relationship if this is what you had hoped for, or any ambivalence you may feel in regards to your fertility.

If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, or a sense of loss related to your fertility journey, you may find that talking to a therapist can be helpful.

This is also an area that can often bring up conflict for couples; for example, if one partner would like to have children, but the other partner does not agree.