Reproductive Counselling

REPRODUCTIVE COUNSELLING WITH THE RELATIONSHIP RESOURCE

While there are a variety of ways to create a family, the process of transitioning into parenthood often brings a mix of emotional experiences.

Whether you find yourself unexpectedly expecting or going through a carefully planned and medically assisted pregnancy or surrogacy or adoption, the process of building a family, alone or with a partner, can be overwhelming, frightening, isolating, and even lonely. I offer therapy to individuals and couples to support the emotional, psychological, and relational aspects of the journey to parenthood.  

For some people, the journey to parenthood is complicated with infertility, pregnancy loss, medical complications, and or mental health concerns. The decision-making around such complexities can be heart-wrenching. 

You may be…

  • Noticing a shift in your emotions and sometimes feeling multiple intense emotions simultaneously

  • Feeling quite down or highly anxious or both

  • Navigating a sense of loss and grief

  • Disappointed by the way others aren’t understanding the support you need

  • Missing your partner and your pre-parenthood relationship

  • Adjusting to all of the many physiologic and body changes that occur through these reproductive experiences

  • Struggling to connect to your pregnancy or your infant

  • Confused about your life purpose 

  • Worried about the impact of parenthood on your career 

  • Unsure if you should have another baby if you’ve had a past of perinatal emotional distress

“This is a moment of suffering. suffering is part of life. May I be kind to myself in this moment. May I give myself the compassion I need.”

– Kristin Neff

Through therapy, we can work towards…

  • Integrating your parent or parent-to-be or hopeful parent identity with your previous identity

  • Processing previous or recent losses 

  • Nurturing yourself with self-compassion through these most significant life transitions

  • Feeling more positive emotions towards yourself, your body, your pregnancy, or your baby

  • Finding ways to talk about nontraditional family building with family and friends

  • Building self confidence in your new role

  • Mood regulation and management of anxious or scary thoughts

  • Acceptance of help from those who are available to care for you while you care for your pregnancy, your baby, or your fertility

  • Exploration of non-traditional options for family building e.g. egg donation, sperm donation, adoption, or surrogacy

If any of these concerns resonate with you, let’s talk.

It’s important to have a space where you can talk openly and unapologetically about your experiences related to your reproductive experiences. Therapy can be a way of nourishing your well-being and strengthening your mental health during these complicated experiences.