Reproductive Loss
Reproductive loss is any attempt at family building that ends without a baby. This could be through infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, termination for medical reasons (TFMR), or death at or shortly after birth. You may have experienced multiple types of reproductive loss.
Grief associated with reproductive loss is complex. The long journey of exploring reasons for infertility can bring about complex feelings of uncertainty, hope, and frustration. Leaving the hospital without your baby in your arms may leave you feeling numb, empty, confused, and hurt. The decision to terminate a pregnancy may simultaneously bring about feelings of relief and sorrow.
The emotional weight of loss can be heavy. You do not have to carry it alone.
How can therapy help?
Whatever you are experiencing is a valid. Therapy can't take away your loss, but it can give you a space to explore the complex feelings you may be having and navigate life after loss.
After a reproductive loss, you may find that those around don't know how to offer support, which can leave you feeling as if your experience has been minimized. Therapy will be a space where you process the deep emotions you are feeling without minimization or judgement. A place where you can speak your child's name without shame or stigma.
At the root of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the belief that two opposing truths can exist simultaneously. For example, balancing pain and meaning. Using DBT skills, we will explore how you can accept your experience without judgement, tolerate distressing emotions that may come and go, and communicate your needs to your support system.
During this time you may find yourself having thoughts about the past ("If only I had just…") or the future ("Will I ever conceive again?"). These thoughts can lead to overwhelming and distressing emotions. Using Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) skills, we will examine any unhelpful thought patterns about your loss that may not be serving you well and causing additional pain. We'll develop a plan to challenge those patterns and keep you focused on the here and now.