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You keep waiting to feel connected to this pregnancy, and instead you feel afraid and unsure. That gap between what you expected to feel and what you actually feel is a common, documented response to carrying hope and grief in the same body after a pregnancy loss.
Matrescence isn't just a word for what happens to mothers. It's the psychological and physiological transformation of becoming a parent process, and it deserves attention and validation. Here are 5 books that offer it.
You've probably been told to reach out if you need help. But what if the research shows it works the other way around, that being reached out to, regularly and reliably, is part of what actually prevents and treats postpartum depression?
When a pregnancy ends in loss, there’s often no culturally recognized way to mark what happened. This post explores why that absence matters, and offers seven simple, non-denominational rituals to help you make meaning in the aftermath of a loss.
You hear the announcement and something drops in your stomach. You might say the right things, but then you spend the rest of the day hating yourself for what you actually felt: envy and anger. That jealousy doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.
EMDR therapy asks your nervous system to do significant work. Here are some ways you can best take care of yourself to integrate your healing.
You've already consulted Chat GPT (probably more than once tonight). You've compared your FSH levels to strangers on a forum at 1 in the morning. And you’re still searching. Why it may be hard to stop and why that matters.
Grieving infertility differently doesn't mean something is wrong with your relationship. It means you're two people with two different inner lives trying to survive one of the hardest things a person can go through. Here's what's actually happening, and what can help.
Fertility treatments ask a lot of your body. When you're also navigating gender dysphoria, they can ask something that feels nearly impossible: to inhabit and cooperate with the very parts of yourself that have felt misaligned. Here’s how to navigate this while building your family.
Nobody told you that having a baby would feel like your ADHD was suddenly running on overdrive (or that having a baby would bring to light an ADHD diagnosis). The ADHD brain can get activated and overwhelmed with all the heightened demands. You’re not imagining it–here’s what ADHD can look like postpartum and how you can plan for a supportive postpartum experience.
The fear of failing a psychological evaluation is one of the most common things intended parents bring into a consultation — and it's almost always based on a misunderstanding of what the evaluation is actually for. Read this post to learn what the mental health professional is looking for and how to handle anxiety about the session.
Everyone expects you to be happy. You expected to be happy. Instead, you're white-knuckling every trip to the bathroom, refreshing your pregnancy app at 2am, and bracing for impact before anything has even gone wrong. This isn't anxiety overreacting. This is your nervous system doing exactly what it learned to do.
Date nights are lovely. And, they are not therapy. Sometimes what's eroding in a relationship during infertility treatment, pregnancy loss, or the postpartum season goes deeper than a restaurant reservation can reach. Here are five signs it might be time for something more.
Nobody warned you that becoming a parent might also mean feeling like you don't quite count as one. The non-gestational parent experience—the invisibility, the role ambiguity, the worry about bonding—deserves support, too.
Most people who come to an intended parent consultation have already done the research. They know the protocol. What they haven't had space to do (until now) is process what all of it actually means for them and how they will parent a child who was conceived with an egg, sperm, or embryo donation.
You used to know how to talk to each other. Then kids arrived, and slowly — almost imperceptibly — everything shifted. If your conversations loop without resolution and the distance between you keeps growing, couples therapy intensives could be a good option for you.
Pregnancy after loss can bring intense anxiety and fear. You thought you’d feel grateful. Instead, you’re bracing for something bad to happen. Learn why it happens, what’s normal, and how to cope—plus support options.
Research consistently shows that early parenthood is one of the most socially isolating times in our lives, particularly in the first year postpartum. Many LGBTQ adults spent years intentionally building affirming queer spaces and chosen family—places where identity didn’t need explanation and belonging felt effortless. Parenthood can disrupt access to those spaces, especially when schedules, priorities, or child-free environments no longer align.
If you’ve gone through fertility treatments, you know the road to pregnancy isn’t linear. So if that pregnancy ends in loss, it’s devastating. It’s not just the loss of a baby–it’s the loss of the future you worked so hard for, the belief that this time things would be different, and the fragile thread of trust you had in your body and in science.
Most expecting couples prepare carefully for the baby’s arrival—but far fewer prepare for what the relationship will actually feel like after the baby comes home. The postpartum period is not just a physical recovery or logistical adjustment. It’s a profound relational transition. Pre-baby couples therapy is one of the most protective things you can do for your relationship.
The end of a meaningful relationship can shake even the most grounded, successful people. This is often when people realize that they could use more than week-to-week therapy and one-size-fits-all coping skills. They want clarity, insight, and a way to prevent repeating the same relationship patterns. For many, a therapy intensive offers exactly that.
Welcoming twins is a profoundly joyful and transformative experience — but it’s also a uniquely demanding one. Developing a postpartum plan in advance is one of the most practical steps you can take to support your whole household’s wellbeing during this intense time.
After a miscarriage, TFMR, stillbirth, or other fertility loss, many parents expect that a new pregnancy will finally bring relief. Instead, it often reawakens grief. The emotional terrain of pregnancy after loss is complex, and your reactions—whatever they are—make perfect sense in the context of your prior experiences.
Whether you’re navigating fertility challenges, early parenthood, or the emotional complexity of balancing career and family, your time and energy are precious. When life is full, choosing the right therapy format can make all the difference.
Whether you’re in the early stages of exploring options, in conversations with your partner to resolve key differences, or ready to take the next step, understanding the routes available and preparing emotionally for the journey can help you feel grounded and connected throughout the process.
While the birthing parent experiences a physical connection through pregnancy and birth, the non-gestational parent may wonder how to step into their role and nurture attachment. The good news: bonding is not limited to biology! With intention, presence, and patience, non-gestational parents can build strong, lifelong connections with their children that start from infancy.
Wondering if a therapy intensive is the right fit for you? If weekly sessions feel hard to sustain with your work schedule—or if you’re craving faster progress—therapy intensives may be the answer. Learn who benefits most, what to consider before booking, and how intensives like EMDR therapy or couples intensives in LA can help you move forward.
As a reproductive therapist, I’ve seen how this season of life can test communication, intimacy, and connection for couples, but also how it can create profound closeness when prioritized as an important source of support.
When you’re navigating the tender seasons of trying to conceive, pregnancy loss, or being postpartum, you may find yourself wondering where to turn for support. You may already know that therapy can help—but choosing between individual vs group therapy can feel like another decision on an already full plate.
Sometimes, when words fall short, metaphors can help us capture the experience. Researcher and RN Cheryl Tatano Beck conducted a qualitative study exploring how parents describe the reality of parenting twins during that first year, and the metaphors they used beautifully reflect the emotional landscape of raising multiples.