By Marcia Clark
The holiday season is officially upon us. At Attain Fertility we understand that the stress and pressure of this non-stop time of year is hard on everyone and is particularly challenging for the 1 in 8 couples in the United States who are dealing with infertility.
The instinct to isolate yourself this holiday season may be strong, but a nurturing social support network might help you cope with infertility as the holidays draw near. “We have almost 14,000 fans in our Facebook community. We asked them to talk about the holidays. One of the most common threads of conversation was about the desire to isolate and avoid gatherings altogether,” said Stephanie Himel-Nelson, Community Manager for Attain Fertility.
Eugenia L. Gullick, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist with Reproductive Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte, NC (REACH), regularly hears these themes of isolation from individuals and couples going through fertility treatments. Dr. Gullick offers advice for friends and family members, saying, “While there is no universal recipe for doing the right thing, I always suggest that people let friends know the elastic nature of their relationship, that boundaries are respected and that they are always there,” she explained. Three suggestions she has for friends include:
1. Stay in touch: Drop a card in the mail, write an email or pick up the phone to say hello.
2. Ask what you can do to help and ask what you should or shouldn’t do (or say).
3. Understand that responses may seem odd and be accepting.
Dr. Gullick continues, “The nature of infertility is isolating and layering that with holidays that are centered on family and the celebration of children amplifies the feelings. While it’s important to acknowledge the feelings, it’s equally important not to give in to them to the point where a person is isolated,” she says.
You may feel that no one understands how hard this journey is, but you are not alone. In addition to Dr. Gullick’s advice, Attain Fertility offers you support and tools to help you get through this holiday season:
- Articles, tips, and resources on coping with holiday stress at AttainFertility.com. Developed with the assistance of mental health professionals who specialize in working with women and men coping with fertility issues, the site offers suggestions on how to deal with grief, how to ask for support from others, how to seek help as a couple, how and when to socialize, and how to maximize and maintain self care, among other important topics.
- A dynamic community of more than 13,800 fans on Facebook who offer support and suggestions to one another throughout their journey to parenthood.
- The Attain Fertility blog, which addresses issues that people facing infertility are challenged with during the holidays, both from the medical and patient perspective
Eugenia L. Gullick, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist with Reproductive Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte, NC (REACH). She has over 23 years of experience in the field of infertility and is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. She has received post-graduate training in sexual dysfunction and has worked throughout her career as a marital therapist. To schedule a consultation at REACH, call (704) 612-7209.
Marcia Clark is the Managing Partner of Shameless Promotions, LLC, a full service Public Relations and Communications firm based in the Lower Hudson Valley of New York. Shameless Promotions provides public relations services to the Attain Fertility Centers division of IntegraMed America, Inc.
