Support for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

Are you considering whether to utilize Assisted Reproductive Technology? In the process of receiving treatments? Finding the process more taxing than expected (or just as taxing as expected)? Experiencing depression, anxiety, traumatic stress secondary to the process? Been at this a long time and just need support?

ART refers to medical procedures and treatments designed to achieve pregnancy, including:

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
Donor assisted ART (sperm, egg or embryo donation, surrogacy)
Egg, Sperm or Embryo Freezing

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) can be challenging for many reasons:

Emotional Strain: The process can be emotionally taxing due to the uncertainty of outcomes and the emotional highs and lows involved.
Physical Demands: Procedures often require multiple interventions, including testing, medications, repeated appointments, cycle tracking, invasive exams, blood draws (ohhh so many blood draws), all of which can be physically demanding.
Financial Costs: Treatments can be/are expensive, and not all insurance plans cover them, making it financially burdensome for many.
Personal and Social Considerations: Some individuals or couples may face societal or cultural pressures or personal dilemmas related to ART, such as the use of donor eggs, sperm, or surrogacy.

“You cannot, you cannot use someone else's fire. You can only use your own. And in order to do that, you must first be willing to believe that you have it.”
― Audre Lorde

How Can Psychotherapy Help With ART?

Psychotherapy can be a valuable tool for managing the emotional strain associated with ART. Here's how I can help:

The psychological impact of ART: Treatment plans for managing increased mental health symptoms or the development of depression, anxiety, traumatic stress through the process.
Emotional Support: Providing a safe space to express feelings like stress, anxiety, or grief.
Coping Strategies: Therapy can teach techniques to manage the emotional ups and downs of ART.
Relationship Strengthening: ART can strain relationships, but therapy can improve communication and understanding of partner’s experience and aid in staying connected.
Building Resilience: Therapy can enhance emotional resilience, supporting meaning making of your experiences, identifying and tapping into your support networks, building new support networks, exploring new sides of yourself.
Processing recommendations/decisions: Your treating providers will make suggestions, recommendations and treatment plans that all require decision making, and processing these options is important. Our work can support understanding your own wants, wishes, desires, limits, needs, and staying connected with your own essential inner self and personal/partnership values.
Processing outcomes: There will be many outcomes along the way of your ART journey, results from the decisions you made or did not make, from the actions of others, outcomes differing from what you hoped or expected, or better than you dreamed. Outcomes you have to reconcile, and outcomes that lead to more choices.
Navigating all the people: A non-exhaustive list of other people you may want support interacting with ~ loved ones who mean well (or don’t!) and you would like to enact boundaries. Navigating relationships, differences or needs with known donors. Interacting with clinic or medical staff regarding their behavior or clinic policies. Feelings regarding other’s experience with ART and how it differs from your own.