Ticking Clocks & Unspoken Dreams: Unpacking Our Reproductive Stories

Our personal narratives around fertility, pregnancy, and parenthood— referred to as our "reproductive stories" by clinician Janet Jaffe—are deeply shaped by cultural, familial, and personal beliefs and expectations. These stories can significantly influence how we navigate life events related to reproduction, including infertility, pregnancy loss, and perinatal mental health struggles.

In this post, I delve into the emotional impact that arises when these deeply held expectations are disrupted. Whether it’s the grief of facing infertility, the confusion of an unexpected pregnancy loss, or the emotional upheaval of struggling with perinatal mood disorders, these experiences can leave individuals feeling lost, betrayed by their bodies, and disconnected from their reproductive hopes.

I also explore how therapy can be a powerful tool in helping clients process their pain, grieve what has been lost, and ultimately find a place of acceptance in the midst of uncertainty and hardship.

Read the rest of this essay on Substack!

Photo by Elena Koycheva on Unsplash