Cathy Kreisel, LCSW, PMH-C
Reproductive Mental Health
Starting a family is supposed to be a joyous time in a woman's life but not every woman has such a picturesque experience. One in eight couples struggle with getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy. Reproductive challenges can cause deep heartache. It may seem like the whole world is pregnant and seeing other pregnant women, playgrounds, or walking through a store and seeing baby-related items may trigger painful and emotional feelings. Women with reproductive challenges are at a higher risk of depression, anxiety and parent-child attachment later in life. Therapy can help by giving you the space to process the ever changing range of feelings that come with your unique reproductive journey. While you may grieve in silence, you are not alone. In the U.S.,
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1 in 8 women struggle with getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy
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15%-25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage
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1 in 160-200 pregnancies end in still birth
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Approximately 11,300 newborns die within 24 hours after birth
Infertility
It's devastating to want something so badly but not know how to make it happen. You've seen every doctor and specialist and begin to feel hopeless and lonely. You may feel like your failing yourself or your partner. How can anyone understand what you're going through when it seems like everyone around you gets pregnant so easily?
Fertility difficulties can be emotionally painful and put a strain on your relationship. Psychotherapy can be helpful to work through feelings of grief, anxiety, stress, worry, anger, guilt, hopelessness and other emotions that may result of fertility issues. I can help you process these ever changing feelings that you never imagined would be happening to you.
Grief and Loss
Losing a baby through miscarriage, termination for medical reasons (TFMR), still birth, child birth or after a NICU stay, is one of the most devastating experiences a parent will endure. It takes a toll emotionally and physically. You may feel anger, guilt, jealousy, have traumatic memories or reminiscence in what could have been. Often your emotional experiences are worsened by the physical and hormonal changes in your body and compounded if you were taking medications for IVF.
You may have never shared your pregnancy with others so you grieve in silence. Or others may not comprehend your grief because the baby was unborn. You might be wondering how you'll ever move on after losing a pregnancy or following the loss of a baby. Grief and mourning can last anywhere from less than a month to a year or more. Grief is a natural process that everyone experiences differently. Early psychotherapeutic intervention can help you heal faster by easing the pain of your loss and help prepare for triggers that may induce feelings of sadness and loss.
