When You Feel Like Your Body Has Betrayed You

You couldn’t get pregnant easily, and needed fertility treatments. You had a miscarriage. Or several. You developed complications during your pregnancy. You delivered your baby preterm. Every single one of Parijat Deshpande’s clients feels like their bodies have betrayed them because of the above reasons. Deshpande, MS, is a perinatal mind-body wellness counselor and high-risk pregnancy expert, who helps women navigate stress so they can manage pregnancy complications and give their baby a strong start to life. Psychologist Julie Bindeman, PsyD, works with women struggling with reproductive challenges, depression, anxiety and body image. She hears statements from her clients like: “I can’t give my husband the baby that I should be able to,” or “I hate my body because it’s not doing what it was built to do.” Because our society doesn’t normalize infertility, loss and complications the same way it does birth stories, women are left feeling “other” and “deficient,” she said. “They feel broken because they don’t see or hear a lot of stories like the ones they are living.” Many of Daniela Paolone’s clients who have chronic pain or chronic illness also feel that their bodies have betrayed them. They, too, feel broken. They feel devastated that they’re not able to do the things they used to, said Paolone, LMFT, a holistic psychotherapist who specializes in working with people with chronic illness, pain and anxiety, and...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Addiction General Grief and Loss Health-related Mental Health and Wellness Self-Help Stress Women's Issues Betrayal Fertility miscarriage Parenthood Pregnancy Source Type: blogs