Mental Health Concerns Counselors Should Be Aware of When Working with Women Experiencing Infertility

Authors

Corrina Harris, Keystone Counseling & Evaluation ServicesFollow
Kellie Forziat-Pytel, Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, Lock HavenFollow

Author Biography

Corrina Harris, MS, LPC, NCC, works at Keystone Counseling and Evaluation Services and is a licensed professional counselor. She has researched and presented on working with individuals experiencing infertility as well as supported them in the counseling setting.

Kellie Forziat-Pytel, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, ACS, currently works as an Assistant Professor at the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania-Lock Haven. Her specialty area consists of military, trauma, grief and loss, and their impacts on individuals, families, and the community. She has researched and presented on working with individuals experiencing infertility.

Document Type

Article

Keywords

infertility, women, counseling, cultural competency, pregnancy

Subject Area

Counseling, Counselor Education, Mental Health Counseling

Abstract

Women experiencing infertility (WEI) are a unique group that rarely receives acknowledgment in the literature as such. These women encounter physical, emotional, and financial burdens throughout their infertility journey. Counseling research is limited on information addressing the experiences of WEI. This article highlights this unique group by providing an overview of the infertility journey for women. Counselors will learn the common mental health concerns to be aware of when working with WEI and examine a case example of infertility with a counselor’s approach. In addition, the article will identify the research gaps related to this population. Implications are made for counselors and counselor education programs.

Public Significance Statement

After reading the article, counselors will better understand what infertility is, what treatment looks like, and what common mental health concerns are associated. This article advances the idea that counselors need to be more culturally competent in response to the unique group of women who are experiencing infertility and that research is needed to better support this group in counseling settings.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.70013/gqbxpkkn

Recommended Citation

Harris, C. & Forziat-Pytel, K. (2025). Mental health concerns counselors should be aware of when working with women experiencing infertility. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 19(4), 1-19.