Mind Body Institute Treatment of 'Unexplained Infertility' Focuses on Stress Reduction With Impressive Results
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Debra Sussman tried to
have a baby for years. After trying on their own, she and her husband
sought medical intervention. They went through several years of advanced
fertility treatments including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and countless
surgeries.
"It was heartbreaking," says Sussman. "It affected my entire life -- my
work, my relationships, finances and identity ... I felt completely
isolated and broken."
Sussman learned of the program at the Mind Body Institute at UCLA
Medical Plaza. The program is dedicated to helping women deal with
infertility by teaching relaxation techniques, positive reinforcement, and
cognitive restructuring to alleviate stress associated with infertility.
Today Sussman has a healthy baby girl and is the Executive Director of
the Mind Body Institute where she helps many other women through the
challenge of infertility. The Institute has served infertile patients in
Los Angeles since 1999 at UCLA Medical Plaza in Westwood and at its new
clinic in Newport Beach since January.
The 10-week program meets for 2-1/2 hours once a week, blending lecture
and hands-on experience through group support and yoga by alleviating the
psychological and physical symptoms of stress associated with infertility.
The program is modeled after The Harvard Medical School's infertility
program and is medically endorsed by doctors dedicated to encouraging a
more comprehensive approach to women's fertility issues. According to
research studies, infertility patients who attend a Mind Body program
decrease anxiety, depression and achieve a 55 percent increase in
conception rates.
Stacey's Comment
For the last 2 years I have been sending tips to those seeking support while dealing with their fertility issues. Many of these tips deal with the the emotional aspects of fertility issues. We receive countless emails from both our patients and those who are not our patients but have read the tips thanking me for supporting them through a difficult time.
Our Fertile Mind Fertile Body workshops boast a similiar "success rate" to what is listed in the above article. 60% of the participants of our lst year workshops have gone on to have a viable pregnancy within 3 to 7 months of attending. I utilise different techniques than the ones described above but my aim is the same, giving couples the support they need to improve their emotional health and subsequently their physiological health as well.
THe one on one counseling sessions I have conducted with individuals have also yielded fantastic results when all recommendations are followed.
So it is great to hear that in the US there are other clinics that are conducting workshops and have support groups for couples dealing with fertility issues. If you would like more information about our programs here in Australia (soon to be in America as well) please contact jodie@sharkeyshealingcentre.com for more information. This could be the one piece of the puzzle not yet addressed that may make the difference.
