Infertility defined is the inability to conceive after a year of regular, unprotected intercourse if a woman is under age 35, or 6 months if a woman is 35 or older. In Canada today, 1 in 6 couples go through infertility.  Infertility can affect many areas of your life, there are emotional, physical and financial aspects to it.

Psychotherapy can help with the emotional aspects of infertility.  To have your story heard in a safe place can be very therapeutic and ease stress and anxiety.  Infertility is a journey that can be very stressful and all consuming, it can also be very isolating as it may appear everyone around you is getting pregnant very easily and they don’t understand your pain.

With the support of a therapist, clients can learn skills and tools to navigate their personal journey in infertility.  Sessions are personalized based on individual clients wants and needs.

Pregnancy loss

Pregnancy loss at any stage hurts – a lot.  It is normally accompanied by intense physical pain (the actual pregnancy loss) and intense emotional pain (the hopes for a future that includes a new baby are now gone). The grief from pregnancy loss can be monumental and confusing – it can also be isolating.   Regardless of the stage of pregnancy in which the loss occurs – losing a baby hurts, it is a loss that deserves to be grieved. Everyone grieves differently but no-one should grieve alone. Families and friends can be very helpful and can provide tremendous support – or in some cases bereaved parents can feel they don’t help at all and in fact add to their grief.  

Psychotherapy can help. Meeting with a therapist in a safe, confidential environment to share your individual loss story can help in the grieving of your baby and help healing begin.  It can also help with the feelings of isolation, loss, grief and despair. Clients can learn skills and tools to navigate their personal journey pregnancy loss. Sessions can be personalized based on individual clients wants and needs.

Pregnancy Decision Making

You may have received news that you are pregnant or suspect that you are. Perhaps you are feeling unsettled about being pregnant and are not sure if your want to have a child (or another), consider adoption or terminate your pregnancy. Maybe you are pretty sure you don’t want to be pregnant but you have unresolved feelings about having an abortion. Some people feel guilty just for considering terminating a pregnancy while others might not require counselling. Perhaps you are worried about how you will discuss your feelings with your partner or other important people in your life. Maybe your peers are having difficulty getting pregnant and you worry about what they would think of your decision. If you are looking for non-judgemental support to explore your pregnancy decision you can find that with a pro-choice therapist.