Navigating Infertility: The Power of Therapy in a Challenging Journey
Helen Attridge (MBACP) discusses her work with men and women facing fertility challenges.
Infertility can be an incredibly isolating and emotionally exhausting experience. When I personally faced fertility struggles in my early 30s, I quickly realised just how limited the support options were in the Newcastle area. It was a time filled with uncertainty, frustration, and grief—emotions that felt overwhelming and, at times, impossible to navigate. While I’ve always found deep fulfilment in my role as an Assessment Therapist at Peel, my own experience led me to specialise in working with women facing fertility challenges. I wanted to create the support network I had struggled to find, ensuring that others didn’t have to go through this journey feeling alone.
The Emotional Impact of Infertility
Infertility is not just a medical condition; it affects every part of life. The rollercoaster of hope and disappointment, the strain on relationships, the emotional toll of medical treatments—all of it can leave individuals feeling depleted and lost. Through my work as a therapist, I’ve seen just how much these struggles impact self-worth, mental health, and even daily functioning. Many of my clients come to me feeling unheard, exhausted, and unsure of how to move forward.
Therapy provides a crucial space to explore these feelings. It offers a supportive and non-judgmental environment where women—and their partners—can express their fears, frustrations, and grief openly. By working together, we can develop coping strategies to manage the stress and anxiety that often accompany fertility struggles, making the journey feel more manageable and less isolating.
How Therapy Can Help
Psychotherapy and counselling are not just about talking—they are about transformation. Through various therapeutic approaches, we focus on:
Managing stress and anxiety – Infertility treatments can be physically and emotionally taxing. Therapy helps in developing tools to reduce stress, which can also have a positive impact on overall well-being.
Processing grief and loss – Whether it’s the loss of a pregnancy, an unsuccessful IVF cycle, or the grief of unmet expectations, therapy offers a space to acknowledge and process these emotions in a healthy way.
Fostering resilience and hope – One of the most challenging aspects of infertility is maintaining hope. Therapy helps shift perspectives, build emotional resilience, and create a more balanced outlook.
Improving relationships – The strain infertility can place on a relationship is immense. Couples therapy can provide tools to improve communication, strengthen connection, and navigate this journey together.
Creating a Safe Space for Healing
One of the most important aspects of therapy is creating a space where my clients feel truly seen and heard. Every individual’s journey is unique, and my goal is to offer tailored support that meets each person where they are. Whether it’s working through grief, preparing for next steps, or simply finding a way to cope with the uncertainty, my approach is compassionate, holistic, and focused on empowerment.
I have been privileged to work with incredible women who have faced infertility with courage and vulnerability. One of my clients recently shared her experience:
"The first time I met Helen, I felt instantly comfortable, which is something I have struggled to find with other therapists in the past. She has a quality that is warm and trusting, and she has always allowed me the space to just be me... Helen has supported me primarily with grief and bereavement following baby loss, a difficult and unsuccessful IVF journey, and unexplained infertility (and all the mixed emotions that come with that)... Her advice and guidance have been invaluable. I leave feeling lighter after spending time with her."
If you are struggling with infertility, please know that you don’t have to navigate this alone. Whether you are in the midst of treatment, processing loss, or unsure of what comes next, therapy can provide the support and tools you need to move forward with strength and clarity.
If you’re looking for a space where you can feel heard, validated, and supported, I am here to help. Together, we can work towards healing, resilience, and whatever the future may hold.
Get in touch to book a session or learn more about how therapy can support you on your journey.
