Lori Metz, lcsw

04/27/2026

On International Donor Conception Awareness Day, we honor the many ways families are formed and the importance of supporting donor-conceived people throughout their lives.

In this conversation with Brittany Kelly, LCSW, we talk about what it means to parent with openness, honesty, and intention in donor conception.

From the beginning, the goal is creating space for your child to understand their story in a way that belongs to them, without carrying the weight of what you went through to bring them into the world.

We explore:
- How to talk to children about donor conception in age-appropriate ways
- The difference between secrecy and privacy
- Making room for curiosity, questions, and identity over time
- Why open communication matters more than having all the answers

There is no single roadmap for this journey. What matters most is building a relationship where your child feels safe to ask, explore, and come back to you again and again.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: More Than DNA
https://www.lorimetz.net/life-podcast/more-than-dna

04/24/2026

More Than doesn’t end when this week does.

For many, this experience becomes more than something you move through. It becomes something you carry forward. Not just personally, but in how you show up for others.

Advocacy can take many forms. It might look like sharing your story, advocating for more inclusive care, or helping someone else feel less alone in a space that once felt unfamiliar.

Education is part of that too. The things you’ve learned—about your body, your options, your needs—matter. And when you share that knowledge, you help create a path that’s a little clearer for someone else.

You are more than this journey.
And what you carry from it can make a difference.

04/23/2026

Fertility care is not equally accessible.

Access to care isn’t just about treatment. It’s about affordability, inclusion, education, and being seen.

For many people, the barriers show up immediately. The cost can put treatment out of reach. Insurance coverage is often limited or nonexistent. There may be few providers in certain areas. The care that is available does not always feel inclusive or affirming.

These barriers shape what care people are able to access, how long they wait, and what options are actually available to them. They shape what is possible and what is not.

Advocacy is about acknowledging that reality and fighting for something better. It means working toward care that is more accessible, coverage that makes treatment possible, and systems that reflect the full range of people and families navigating this.

Because this experience is already complex enough without the systems around it making it harder.

04/22/2026

🧡 Today we wear orange.

To bring visibility to infertility.
To challenge the idea that this experience should be hidden or minimized.
To remind people that they are not the only ones moving through this.

Infertility impacts so many parts of life—emotionally, physically, relationally—and yet it’s often something people navigate in isolation.

Visibility doesn’t solve that. But, it can open the door to more understanding, more connection, and more compassion.

However you show up today, whether that’s wearing orange, sharing something, or simply noticing, you are part of that shift.

04/22/2026

Orange represents warmth, hope, and forward movement. Today, it also represents something incredibly important: visibility.

Infertility is often a silent experience. Many people walk this path without others fully seeing the emotional weight they carry. By wearing orange, we help bring these experiences into the light and remind those who are struggling that they are not alone.

Wear orange in any way that feels right to you — bold or subtle, bright or simple. An orange shirt. A scarf. Socks. Lipstick. A ribbon. Every expression matters.

Big or small, every act of visibility helps challenge assumptions, reduce stigma, and foster understanding.

Most importantly, it sends a powerful message to others on this journey:

🧡 I see you
🧡 You are not alone
🧡 Your story matters

04/21/2026

Support often begins in spaces where you feel safe enough to be honest.

Sometimes, that space is a room where you can speak openly about what you’re carrying and be met with understanding instead of explanation.

Over time, something shifts. What starts as a shared space can become real connection. And those connections don’t always end when the fertility journey changes or comes to a close.

Many people stay in touch—checking in, sharing holidays, and remaining part of each other’s lives years later in ways they may not have expected.

Support groups offer something many people don’t find elsewhere: a place to feel seen, to feel less alone, and to build meaningful, lasting connection—during the journey and beyond it.

04/20/2026

🧡 National Infertility Awareness Week® (April 19–25) 🧡

Infertility is so often discussed in clinical terms, but for those living it, the experience is deeply personal. It touches relationships. Identity. Emotions. Finances. Hopes. Grief. Resilience.

This year’s theme, , is a powerful reminder that people facing infertility are more than a diagnosis, more than a statistic, and more than a single chapter in their lives.

Many individuals and couples silently carry the weight of trying to build a family. The feelings can be isolating. The uncertainty can be exhausting. The emotional toll is real, valid, and deserving of care and understanding.

National Infertility Awareness Week exists to create conversation, reduce stigma, and remind anyone struggling that they are not alone. One in six people worldwide experiences infertility. Every story is different. Every path matters. The week is empowering to all those involved.

I work closely with those on fertility and family-building journeys, and I see the courage it takes to move through this experience. I also see how transformative it can be when people feel supported, informed, and given space to process the many emotions involved.

If you are on this path:

🧡 Your feelings are valid
🧡 Your story matters
🧡 Support is available

Whether you are trying to conceive, considering donor conception or surrogacy, taking a break, or simply seeking understanding, you deserve compassion — from others and from yourself.

You can learn more about National Infertility Awareness Week and helpful resources here:
🧡 https://infertilityawareness.org

04/02/2026

✨ New Episode Alert: The LIFE Podcast ✨

If you’re looking for insight, support, expert information, and honest conversations about fertility, relationships, and family building, I’d love to invite you to listen to LIFE: Love, Insight, Fertility Experiences.

I created this podcast to answer questions my patients had as they were building their family, to support people wherever they are on their fertility journeys, whether you’re trying to conceive, exploring donor conception or surrogacy, coping with the emotional ups and downs of treatment, or simply looking to feel less alone in the process.

As a therapist who has spent more than two decades working with individuals and couples on fertility journeys, I know how layered and emotional this experience can be.

My goal is to provide a space that is informative, supportive, and reassuring, a place where important topics can be explored openly and thoughtfully.

🎧 Listen here: https://www.lorimetz.net/life-podcast

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and more.

03/22/2026

03/10/2026

Education and support don’t always fit neatly into a schedule, especially when you’re navigating fertility care, donor conception, or the emotional aspects of family building.

That’s why, coming soon, I'll be offering workshops and a library of educational podcasts designed to provide accessible, expert-led guidance.

These workshops will offer thoughtful, clinically informed insight into topics such as:

• Emotional wellness during fertility treatment
• Donor conception and family communication
• Coping with uncertainty and stress
• Relationship dynamics and decision-making
• Psychosocial considerations in family building

Whether you’re a patient, intended parent, recipient parent, or professional seeking deeper understanding, these sessions provide practical tools and supportive perspectives.

Explore available workshops and resources:
https://www.lorimetz.net/all-services

03/03/2026

Healthcare providers working in reproductive medicine increasingly support patients building families through donor conception, surrogacy, and other third-party pathways. These journeys carry not only medical considerations, but also meaningful psychological, relational, and identity-related dimensions.

Provider education plays a critical role in optimizing patient care.

We are currently developing specialized workshops and training for clinics and care teams so they can strengthen their approach to:

• Inclusive and clinically appropriate intake practices
• Communication strategies for donor-assisted family building
• Psychosocial considerations for intended and recipient parents
• Accurate documentation and family history awareness
• Creating environments where patients feel understood and supported

These educational sessions are designed to complement clinical expertise, improve the patient experience, and support providers in navigating nuanced, sensitive conversations.

Learn more about Provider Education opportunities:
https://www.lorimetz.net/provider-education-1

02/26/2026

Fertility treatment is often discussed in medical terms, protocols, timelines, test results, and success rates. But the lived experience is emotional, relational, and deeply personal.

Many people feel suspended between hope and uncertainty, planning a future while waiting for news that can change everything. Even after a child arrives, the experience does not simply disappear. It becomes part of your story.

You are not doing it wrong if you feel grateful and grieving, relieved and anxious, or hopeful and exhausted at the same time.

Support is not only for a crisis. It is a place to make sense of what you went through and carry it in a way that feels steadier.