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Infertility Counseling
For many couples, having a child is not a simple matter. In fact, infertility affects nearly one in every six couples in the U.S. Life events that are uncontrollable are typically more stressful than those that are not. Since having a child is such an important life event, the stress of infertility is considerable.
The IAC Center offers counseling; support groups, evaluations and psycho-educational workshops for people who are dealing with infertility.
Counseling
Counseling is offered for individuals and couples. In counseling you can learn relaxation techniques, how to build coping skills to deal with the emotional and social issues related to infertility and how to make decisions while under stress and to set realistic goals.
Infertility patients often seek counseling when they first start medical treatment, after a failed cycle or a miscarriage, for grief work and other emotions stimulated by this experience, personal and relationship stress, and when they need to make difficult decisions about their family building options.
Family Building Options Counseling
Counseling offers a non-biased overview of your family building options to help you make timely decisions that are mindful of long term implications. We understand that what constitutes a family is different for everyone. Each family is unique. You may be considering Donor Egg, Donor Sperm, Embryo Donation/Embryo Adoption or a Gestational carrier arrangement; adoption or child-free living.
"These are very clearly not just different treatment options. These are different family building options."
Joni S. Mantell, LCSW |
IAC Center Counselors can help you process which option feels right for you, and to more clearly understand the personal and life-cycle issues that may occur with each choice. If you and your partner are having difficulty agreeing on a family building option, you will be heartened to learn that this process often helps partners to get on the same page fairly quickly.
Support Groups
We have found that most of our infertility clients prefer private individual or couples counseling sessions. If you would like to join a general infertility support groups, contact supportgroups@iaccenter.com and if we do not have a group at the time, we will try to help you to find one.
"There is absolutely no reason to go it alone. Research indicates that the top tool for building resilience to deal with adversity is to 'Get connected' with others. You may find your support within your relationship, with a friend, a Counselor or a support group or each of these at different times."
Joni S. Mantell, LCSW |
We offer the following psycho-educational support groups on a regular basis:
- Egg Donor Recipient Support Group - This program will help to support and educate couples who are planning egg donation pregnancies. The emotional and social issues related to this family building choice, as well as coping strategies will be addressed. You will have a chance to learn about and discuss the following topics:
- Choosing a donor
- Disclosure to friends and family
- Possible issues for children conceived through egg donation
- Concerns about family dynamics
- Embryo Donation/Embryo Adoption Support Group - This program will help to support and to educate couples who are planning or considering embryo donation or embryo adoption pregnancies. The emotional and social issues related to this family building choice, as well as coping strategies will be addressed. You will have a chance to learn about and discuss the following topics:
- Embryo selection
- Processing grief about genetic losses
- Disclosure to friends and family
- Possible issues for children conceived through embryo donation/adoption
- How to talk to children about their origins
Evaluations
- Psychological evaluation and screening for donor egg programs
- Gestational Carrier Evaluations
Workshops
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