Mind-Body Fertility Workshop at Pacific Fertility Center

On Saturday, November 22, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Pacific Fertility Center (PFC) will host their next free Mind-Body Fertility Workshop at 55 Francisco Street in San Francisco. The workshop is open to women and men—gay, straight, single, or partnered—who are experiencing feelings of isolation or stress related to attempts to conceive. Marriage and family therapist Peggy Orlin, MFT, and certified yoga instructor Lauri Black, who is also PFC’s licensed certified genetic counselor, lead the monthly workshop. The final workshop of the year will be held on December 13, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, it is not clear exactly how stress impacts fertility, or whether high levels of stress can prevent pregnancy or affect a woman’s chance of conceiving. Although studies haven’t proven how stress impacts fertility, said Orlin, it is known that it affects bodies in many ways. “Regardless,” she said, “stress reduction helps people feel better, may help them tolerate the stress of infertility treatment, and may help them to get pregnant.”

The goal of the workshop is to create an environment where people can voluntarily share their feelings and experiences of infertility, said Orlin, who specializes in infertility counseling and has been affiliated with PFC for more than a decade. “The workshop provides coping strategies for dealing with everything from partner issues around money or sex to others’ expectations about family creation and the challenge of socializing in circles where babies abound.”

Orlin said this is the first time many participants have an opportunity to talk freely about these kinds of issues. Simply sitting in a room where others silently nod their heads is deeply affirming, said Orlin, who also shares a personal history of infertility. If desired, participants have the opportunity to network with each other following the workshop.

Couples attending the workshop can benefit a great deal, said Orlin, because each person in a couple tends to respond to infertility differently. They get a chance to bond with other individuals who are partners and to get validated for their role as partner.

The workshop reviews a wide range of relaxation and stress-reduction techniques, including deep breathing, exercise, and healthy eating. In addition, participants are taught strategies for changing obsessive thought patterns.

The workshop includes an hour of gentle yoga, which is appropriate for men and for women at any time in their cycles. In addition to being very relaxing, said Orlin, the practice may increase blood flow to reproductive organs. So, too, can acupuncture, which complements PFC’s mind-body program and is also discussed at the workshop.

Caylie See, LAc, leads PFC’s acupuncture program and has collaborated closely with PFC for about five years. She works with a team of 20 acupuncturists specializing in infertility who are all board certified by the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine (ABORM).

“Acupuncture treatment at PFC is highly individualized to the needs of each person,” said See. In addition to providing another layer of support for the fertility patient, she said, “acupuncture may help with ovulation and impediments to fertility including fibroids or endometriosis. “It can benefit those being treated for infertility in so many ways, both emotionally and physically.”

Learn more about PFC’s Mind-Body Fertility Workshop.

About Pacific Fertility Center

Pacific Fertility Center is an international destination for male and female fertility treatment and care. It provides an extensive array of fertility treatment options ranging from intrauterine insemination (IUI), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) to cutting-edge technology such as vitrification and genetic testing of embryos. For more information: www.pacificfertilitycenter.com.

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