Infertility Counseling in Westchester, NY

When you set out to start a family, you likely didn't imagine a journey marked by stress, frustration, or loss. Going through any kind of fertility struggle is traumatic. Especially with all its accompanying loss. It affects our mental health in many ways, impacting our sense of identity and self-worth. You and your partner may cope in different ways with these struggles. As a result, this may add relationship tension and strain to an already painful situation. When infertility-related stress becomes too much, even the most well-adjusted may suffer. This might be emotional, physical, or financial.

Why does it feel so bad?

Because there is SO MUCH LOSS. There is traumatic loss on many levels including:

• The loss of a dream to have the family you planned for

• The loss of conceiving in a natural way

• Loss of time (as infertility can last many months and years),

• Loss of quality of life including financial loss,

• Losing friends who might have gone on to become pregnant and have their own children.   

For women who have experienced sexual trauma, infertility may cause flashbacks, fear, and anxiety. Appointments, invasive procedures, and the nature of pregnancy itself may trigger women. Thus, bringing up negative memories and intense feelings.

How do I cope?

1. ACKNOWLEDGE AND FEEL YOUR FEELINGS

Emotions need to be felt, even though it may seem better to avoid feeling them. There are no “right” or “wrong” ways to feel. People react to trauma in different ways and we can stop telling ourselves what we should be feeling. The human body and brain are very good at working through difficult material. But, only when we stop avoiding emotions and allow ourselves to feel full. Allow yourself to grieve the losses and even create rituals to commemorate them. Journaling can create distance and acceptance of your reproductive story and its losses.

2. TAKE A BREAK FROM SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media can be quite triggering for someone who is going through infertility. People love to make pregnancy and birth announcements through social media. Someone experiencing infertility may be much more sensitive to these announcements. They can feel like a reminder of the pain that person is bearing.

3. MINDFULNESS AND STRESS-MANAGEMENT 

Grounding and breathing exercises can be very helpful in managing trauma symptoms. I often show my clients the butterfly hug to help with grounding and calming. It consists of crossing your arms over your chest. You hook your thumbs so with the tip of your fingers, you can touch the area located under the clavicle. Your eyes can be closed or closed part way while looking toward the tip of the nose. 

Next, you alternate the movement of your hands. Slowly simulate the flapping wings of a butterfly. Breathe slow and deep (abdominal breathing). During this time, observe what is going through your mind and body. Identify different beliefs, images, sounds, odors, affect, and physical sensations without changing, repressing, or judging. Imagine that what you are observing is like clouds passing by. This exercise should happen for as long as the person wishes to continue.

4. ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS

Infertility can consume your life. It can impact your emotions, your time, and your relationship. Engage in fun activities that you wouldn’t or won’t be able to do while pregnant or with a newborn. This may include new hobbies or activities you have wanted to try. It is important to find joy and meaning in life, even when you are going through a difficult time.

How Infertility Counseling can help:

First, we will work on re-establishing a sense of safety by providing a safe, empathetic space. Here, you are free to talk through the shame, grief, and traumatic loss of infertility. This will allow you to receive validation in a non-judgmental way. Infertility counseling also will help you gather valuable resources. You will gain the psychological and physiological support to make your way through this important period. We will work together to confirm your experience. This means making sense of what has happened and integrate it into a new narrative. 

I CAN HELP YOU WITH:

• Reproductive Counseling and Education

• Emotional Support during Fertility Treatment

• Processing and Grieving Losses

• Depression, Anxiety, Anger, and Trauma

• Impact of Infertility on Relationships, Sex, Faith, and Sense of Self

• Communicating in Effective Ways to Get Needed Support

• Sharing Infertility-Related Information with Family and Friends

• Counseling on Third Party Reproduction (use of donor egg, sperm, embryo, or surrogacy)

• Single Motherhood by Choice

• Fertility Preservation Concerns for Medical or Social Reasons - Egg Freezing (Oocyte Cryopreservation)

• Parenting after Reproductive Loss

• Connecting with Resources - Support Groups, Trusted Web and Print Materials, and Allied Providers

I will help you to restructure order in a world torn apart by trauma. This means helping you to rewrite old beliefs, and learn new ways of coping.  

Begin Infertility Counseling in Westchester, NY:

You deserve support as you cope during this difficult time. I would be honored to offer you a safe, nonjudgmental space for you to work through our emotions. I offer services from my Westchester County where I see clients from Pleasantville, Chappaqua, Bedford, and Mt. Kisco. To start therapy, please follow these simple steps:

1. Schedule a free 10-20 minute consult

2. Learn more about me

3. Begin coping with your loss, and look forward to the future

Other Services Offered by Joanna N. Rosenblatt

Infertility counseling isn’t the only service offered from my Westchester, NY-based therapy practice. Other services offered include anxiety treatment, therapy for women, online therapy, EMDR therapy, trauma therapy, maternal overwhelm, and parenting stress. I also offer therapy for anxiety and OCD, sexuality, and intimacy issues. For more information, feel free to learn more about me!