Why Seeing An Infertility Counselor Can Actually Help

Infertility isn’t just a medical diagnosis, it’s an emotional whirlwind. One minute you’re hopeful, the next you’re heartbroken, and somewhere in between you’re Googling things at 2am and dodging baby shower invites like emotional grenades.

If you're in the thick of trying to conceive, you might be feeling anxious, depressed, disconnected from your partner, or like you’ve somehow lost your sense of self. You’re not crazy, and you’re definitely not alone. And the good news? You don’t have to navigate this on your own.

I’m a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional (PMH-C) based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I work with individuals and couples facing the emotional toll of infertility and I truly believe that therapy can be a game-changer. Here’s why getting support might be one of the most important (and relieving) steps on this journey.

1. Real Validation from Someone Who Gets It

Infertility comes with a unique kind of grief, and not everyone around you knows how to hold that. But a counselor trained in reproductive mental health? They’ve been in these conversations before.

I understand the heartbreak of another failed cycle, the spiral of waiting for test results, and the overwhelming decision fatigue around IVF, IUI, donor options,—you name it.

Having someone who truly gets it can be a huge relief. You don’t have to explain or justify your feelings. You just get to show up and be heard.

• The grief of failed cycles

• The anxiety of waiting for test results

• The complexity of making decisions about IVF, IUI, or third-party reproduction

Having someone who gets it can bring profound relief and reassurance.

2. Real Tools for the Emotional Whirlwind

Let’s be honest, infertility comes with a nonstop loop of what ifs.

• What if it never happens?

• What if this treatment fails?

• What if I can’t keep doing this?

That kind of mental spiral is exhausting. Therapy can help you hit pause on the overwhelm and start to feel like you again.

Together, we’ll work on:

• Calming the emotional chaos

• Managing anxiety so it doesn’t run the show

• Reclaiming a little sense of control

• Setting boundaries (especially when Aunt Susan won’t stop asking about grandkids)

With tools like CBT and mindfulness, you’ll leave sessions feeling more grounded and better equipped to handle the hard days, without losing yourself in the process.

3. Supporting Your Relationship Through the Hard Stuff

Infertility doesn’t just mess with your body, it can seriously mess with your relationship, too. Even the strongest couples can hit bumps like:

• Communication breakdowns

• Totally different coping styles (one of you cries, the other cleans the garage)

• Guilt, blame, or feeling like you’re letting each other down

Counseling gives you both a safe space to talk it out, reconnect, and figure out how to be a team again. Whether it’s learning how to actually hear each other or just finding moments of closeness in the chaos, therapy can help you feel less alone…together.

4. Support When Big Decisions Feel Too Big

Infertility comes with some huge decisions: IVF, donor eggs, surrogacy, adoption... and none of them come with a clear map or easy answers.

Therapy gives you space to:

• Sort through your values (not your aunt’s, not the internet’s, yours)

• Process all the grief, doubt, and what-ifs that come with these choices

• Explore your options without feeling totally emotionally hijacked

• Make decisions that feel true to you, not just pressure or panic

You don’t have to figure it all out alone…or overnight.

5. A Place to Grieve (And to Hope Again)

Infertility isn’t just about what hasn’t happened yet. It’s also about what’s been lost. The pregnancy that ended too soon. The future you imagined. The ease and innocence you thought would come with building a family.

Therapy gives you space to:

• Grieve those losses, even the invisible ones

• Sit with the sadness without having to explain it

• Reconnect with who you are beyond all the appointments and heartbreak

• Start to find hope again whatever that looks like for you

There’s no timeline, no “right way” to move forward. Just a place where you don’t have to hold it all alone.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

If you’re in the Baton Rouge area and feeling like you’re carrying the weight of infertility on your own, I’m here.

Whether you’re just starting out or have been on this path for what feels like forever, therapy can give you a space to breathe, process, and start feeling like yourself again.

If you're curious about how counseling might support you (or you and your partner), reach out anytime. Let’s talk about what you need and how I can help.

Elizabeth “Beth Anne” Vivian, LPC, PMH-C
Infertility & Perinatal Mental Health Counselor
Baton Rouge, LA | Licensed in Louisiana