The Paradox of Hope: Navigating Uncertainty and Possibility in Infertility
When we think about maternal mental health, our minds often go to pregnancy and the postpartum period. Far less attention is given to what comes before - the often long, complex, and emotionally-taxing journey of infertility and fertility treatment. Host Elex Simon recently invited me to discuss this topic on the Mental Mixology podcast as part of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. During that conversation, I shared both my professional perspective as a psychologist and portions of my own family-building journey. While my husband and I spent 13 years navigating infertility and exploring assorted options, what stood out most to me in reflecting on that experience were not the details of our story, but the broader psychological lessons it offered.