Mind/ Body Program and Infertility

Infertility is stressful: research has shown that the stress levels of infertile women are equivalent to women with cancer, AIDS, or heart disease. In addition, recent research from around the world has shown that the more distress a woman reports prior to infertility treatment, the less likely she is to conceive.  The mind/body techniques I have adopted for my patients help to reduce stress and thus to optimize the chances of success as a complement to infertility treatments.

Having undergone IVF treatment I have a personal understanding of the emotional and physical effects of an intense desire  to have a baby and of prolonged IVF procedures. I was fortunate: I conceived 4 years ago and now have a healthy toddler.

Nevertheless, it was a difficult road getting my baby and I was aware my mental state was having an effect on my physical body, and my psychological well being to the extent that  I felt I was negatively effecting the results of my treatment. As a practicing Psychologist and Hypnotherapist, I decided to use hypnotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming and specific visualisations after my 2nd IVF attempt to combat my negative state of mind. I combined all three techniques and my 3rd IVF attempt worked. I am unable to categorically say the techniques I used directly resulted in this success but the experience from beginning to end was easier as a result of the methods I adopted. I realised the more stressed I was during, before and after the treatment, the more difficult the treatment was for me. Subsequently, the less stress I felt, the easier the process seemed and the more positive I felt.
 
In 2004, I received training in the mind/body program developed by Dr Alice Domar at Harvard University, Boston, USA.  Dr. Domar is currently the director of the Mind/Body Centre for Women's Health at Boston IVF, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.  Research on the clinical outcomes of the mind/body infertility program developed by Dr Domar showed not only an improvement in psychological symptoms, but also an increase in pregnancy rates.  I have since been treating women undergoing, or about to undergo IVF with a programe similar to the one developed by Dr Domar, combining self hypnosis, NLP and various stress management techniques to help women feel more in control of their bodies and to manage the IVF process better.  Recent research has shown that women who participate in mind/body programs like the methods and techniques I advocate have significantly higher pregnancy rates than women who receive medical treatment only.

In 2004, only one other therapist in the UK had received the mind/body training from Dr Domar in Boston.  In addition, not only do I have personal experience of infertility but I have also treated individuals with a range of mental health concerns from depression, bi-polar disorder, OCD and schizophrenia, to confidence building, self esteem, phobias, allergies, addictions and habits.

In assisting with the problems of infertility my treatment is holistic in nature: I use a number of techniques and strategies to effectively help individuals move forward and to feel more in control and able to manage the stressors and strains which go with IVF and the infertility process.

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