Fertile Peace - Counseling for Fertility and Hope

03/18/2022

01/06/2022

It’s my birthday! Someone gave me this sweet sticker 🎉🎉🎉🎉

I read it and did not connect to the fact she thought this sticker represented ME! 😳😳😳

We have no idea how we are seen by other people. It can be really helpful to try to see yourself through the eyes of people who love you. Not to talk them out of how great they think you are, to understand you are pretty great no matter what the chatter in your head might be. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After all, it’s not what your mind tells you, it’s how you react to it. So I’m spending the day trying to see myself as this person does, which feels pretty great so far. 💐💐💐💐💐

Do you have amazing people in your life? There is then a pretty good chance that you also are amazing. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

12/25/2021

Merry Slothmas! I hope you find a way to be merry today.

12/21/2021

Happy Solstice everyone! Like a lot of people I didn’t used to love winter, but with some practice and intention I have found the benefits to this dark time of year. I think my time in the Pacific Northwest definitely helped with that! 🌧❄️🌧❄️🌧❄️

There are lessons for us in the darkness, just like if we sit out at night long enough we might see a shooting star. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read more at fertilepeace.com/wintering-through-infertility

12/21/2021

I didn't used to love the winter. It was a bleak, dark and dreary time where my heating bill went up and friends opted to stay indoors. It seemed hope dissipated with every dropping leaf. One winter I decided to lean in to the discomfort of the winter. I set up a sit spot in my backyard and went the...

11/03/2021

Depression exists in 16% of the population. For women experiencing infertility it’s 30.8%. I’m actually surprised it’s not higher. 🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

Not only will depression get in the way of every part of your life, it will also get in the way of you continuing your efforts to conceive. But what what do you do when the efforts to conceive are what is causing the depression!?!? 🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

Read more at fertilepeace.com/post/managing-depression-and-anxiety-during-infertility
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11/01/2021

Something about a Brie-Ghost to make me fully in the spirit of fall. We are now entering into the time of year where things are dying, ending. 🍁🍁🍁🍁

It’s the end of the growing season, time to harvest what’s worked and get rid of what hasn’t worked. Yes that goes for your internal experience as well. 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

As you get outside this week, notice the shift in nature, the last week of daylight available in the evening, before the time changes. 🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Feel the shift and let it it turn you inward. Just as the trees are letting go, you can figure out what you’ll let go of too. They are willing to stand naked in the cold in order to infuse their trunks and roots with much needed nourishment. I think we can take note from them and (metaphorically) do the same. 🌳🍁🌳🍁🌳🍁🌳

What will you let go of?

10/20/2021

Unexplained infertility is one of the most frustrating diagnoses. There are no answers, so you feel left with just the “kitchen sink” approach that definitely sets you up for exhaustion, frustration, and potentially giving up. 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿

But this study also found that 64% of these couples went on the have an additional child. 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿

Contrary to popular belief, stress does not cause infertility, but the inability to cope with it does make couples stop TTC before they have a baby. 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿

But if you can find a way endure and manage the stress, develop positive coping skills, and learn to thrive through this difficult time, a diagnosis of unexplained infertility may not leave you child free after all. 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿

Get support, you don’t have to do this alone. Keep following these hashtags, find a group through resolve.org, or a fertility specialized therapist through reproductivefacts.org 🌿🌿🌿🌿

10/06/2021

October is pregnancy and infant loss awareness month. So many people are hurting. Even when the loss was many years ago the pain doesn’t go away. 🍂🍂🍂🍂
Grief changes people. But grief is also a part of life. We don’t have to run from it. In fact we can’t. 🍁🍁🍁🍁

So when a couple enduring loss can stay put, turn toward each other and try to figure out what they need as soon individuals and as a couple, a new part of their relationship can come from this sorrow. ✨✨✨✨✨

If you know someone who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss, please let them know you’re thinking of them, thinking of their baby, and they are important to you.

Read more - www.fertilepeace.com/post/2016/07/13/im-grieving-where-did-all-my-friends-go
🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙🌙

10/02/2021

We’re celebrating 16 years of marriage today! We like to laugh about how true these Storypeople drawings are today. (Wedding gift!) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We started our relationship by talking and hiking and we haven’t stopped. (Though sometimes it’s now on mountain bikes or kayaks too). 🚲🛶☀️

Though it wasn’t our preference at the time, we were a family of 2 for a long time before we were a family of 4. Now that our fertility struggles are behind us I can truly say I’m grateful for the extra time. We learned so much about our selves and our relationship that continues to serve us as we navigate parenting together. ☀️☀️☀️☀️

I sincerely hope you can find something enlivening about the life you’re living now, even if you’re in the perpetual “waiting room”. 🚲☀️🛶☀️🚲❤️

09/21/2021

So many things about trying to conceive are exhausting. 🌪🌪🌪🌪

One thing you can do is acknowledge where you might be getting carried away with guilt and shame. It’s just not helpful. 👎👎👎👎👎

Read more about guilt, shame, and resilience when it comes to infertility.
Fertilepeace.com/post/infertility-is-hard-enough-ditch-the-guilt-and-blame
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09/07/2021

I just received this beautiful collection of poetry from a grateful client in the mail. 🌻🌻🌻🌻

The poet Limon struggled with infertility and you can find that pain in nearly every poem, and also joy, and a full experience of living. 🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴

Sometimes after reading all the research, the Facebook groups, the blogposts, and the Reddit pages, it will serve you best to come to the simple and unique beauty of poetry. I highly recommend. ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️