Why Seeing An Infertility Counselor is Beneficial
Infertility is more than a medical diagnosis; it’s an emotional rollercoaster filled with uncertainty, grief, and isolation. If you're facing the challenges of trying to conceive, you may find yourself struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship stress, or even a shaken sense of identity. You're not alone and you don’t have to navigate it alone, either.
As a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional (PMH-C) based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, I specialize in helping individuals and couples cope with the emotional weight of infertility. Here’s why working with an infertility counselor can be one of the most valuable steps on your path to healing and hope
1. Validation and Understanding from a Specialist
An infertility counselor trained in reproductive mental health understands:
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. Tools to Manage Anxiety and Emotional Stress
The infertility journey often comes with a constant state of "what ifs."
What if it never happens?
What if the treatments fail?
What if we run out of hope?
Counseling can help you:
Regulate your emotions
Reduce anxiety and overwhelm
Rebuild a sense of control
Set emotional boundaries (especially helpful during baby showers or holiday gatherings)
Therapeutic approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness techniques can help ground and empower you.
3. Strengthening Relationships
Infertility can take a toll on even the strongest relationships. It's not uncommon for couples to experience:
Communication breakdowns
Differences in coping styles
Feelings of blame or guilt
Counseling offers a safe space to reconnect, communicate openly, and rediscover partnership and intimacy.
4. Support for Complex Decisions
Whether you’re considering IVF, donor eggs, surrogacy, or adoption — infertility comes with heavy decisions.
Counseling helps you:
Clarify values
Process grief and uncertainty
Explore options with less emotional overload
Make confident, informed choices
5. Space to Grieve and Find Hope Again
Infertility often includes loss: of pregnancies, of imagined futures, of a sense of ease in family-building.
Counseling provides space to:
Honor those losses
Work through grief
Reconnect with yourself and your dreams
Rediscover hope in whatever form your journey takes
You Don’t Have to Go Through This Alone
If you're in the Baton Rouge area and looking for compassionate, specialized support, I’m here to help. Whether you're early in your journey or have been trying for years, therapy can offer relief, clarity, and healing. Reach out today to schedule a consultation or learn more about how infertility counseling might support you or your relationship.
Elizabeth “Beth Anne” Vivian, LPC, PMH-C
Infertility & Perinatal Mental Health Counselor
Baton Rouge, LA | Licensed in Louisiana