I recently had the good fortune of being interviewed by the website Dreaming of Baby for a string of articles they are doing about male infertility. We were able to talk particularly about how couples can better manage the shame and pain of not being able to get pregnant and how to move beyond that shame to seek needed help.
Some of the takeaways were:
- Seeking comfort in each other
- Developing compassion (and self-compassion)
- Learning to not take it personally or place blame
- Having people outside of your partner to talk this through
- Finding a doctor who doesn’t sugar coat, but is also kind
- Seeking outside help when necessary
You can read the whole interview here: Dealing with Male Infertility: Tips for Men & Couples.
Let me know if you have any questions or want to talk further about this often neglected issue.
Justin Lioi, LCSW is a men’s mental health and relationship expert. He is a Brooklyn therapist (as well as also seeing clients online throughout New York State and internationally.) He received his degree from New York University and has been working with men and their families for over 10 years. Justin is on the Board of the National Association of Social Workers and writes a weekly column for the Good Men Project called Unmasking Masculinity. He can be found on local and national podcasts talking about assertiveness, anger, self-compassion, all with the goal of becoming the man you want to be.