Counseling for Perinatal Loss Can Help

In the first weeks after a miscarriage or loss, just getting out of bed can be difficult and for some people, the emotional experiences of loss continue to interfere with their ability to work, take care of themselves or other children, or engage in other parts of their life. Some women have intrusive night mares or flashbacks about the loss. Some engage in destructive behavior or have suicidal thoughts.  Others feel stuck in their grief and need help moving forward.

Therapy provides a healing space for you to work through your sadness and other intense feelings.  I will guide you through this process in a way that feels safe, that is uniquely tailored to your needs, and that honors the loss of your loved one.

Common Responses to Miscarriage and Infant Loss

When you experience any type of pregnancy loss, you are faced with the devastating loss of your baby, and also with the loss of a dream. Pregnancy loss can cause you to question your body, your identity, your faith, and your hopes for the future. There is no right or wrong way to feel during this time. Everyone grieves and heals differently, even among partners.

Some of the things you may be feeling if you experienced a miscarriage or pregnancy loss include:

• Overwhelming sorrow and sadness
• Guilt
• Preoccupation with what you think you did “wrong”
• Anger
• Hopelessness
• Isolation and feeling like no one understands
• Anxiety about getting pregnant again
• Shock and numbness, including difficulty concentration
• Distress associated with memories of the physical loss
• Tension in your relationship with your partner
• Tension in your relationship with family and friends
• Suicidal thoughts (including suicide as a means of being with your baby)

Mourner’s Bill of Rights by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D

1. You have the right to experience your own unique grief
2. You have the right to talk about your grief and your loved one
3. You have the right to feel a wide range of emotions
4. You have the right to make use of a ritual that is comforting to you
5. You have the right to listen to your body and be tolerant of your physical and emotional limits
6. You have the right to let the tears flow
7. You have the right not to be rushed through your grief
8. You have the right to search for meaning
9. You have the right to your memories
10. You have the right to move towards finding personal healing from grief