Support Groups

New cycles of our infertility support group start regularly at the YinOva Center, and we are always eager to welcome new members. Nell Shanahan Schwartz wisely and compassionately leads groups of women who together explore their experiences – with infertility, yes, but also pregnancy, miscarriage, marriage, work, relationships and all the many intertwining strands of our lives.

As women come together to find strength, support, and hope, one common theme of discussion is loss — loss of the understanding or expectation of how things would be, how life would look, how becoming a parent would play out. Sometimes acknowledging this and sharing it in a safe space can allow for new awareness, for new strengths to be discovered and actualized, and for new bonds and relationships to be forged that help us feel full of life, despite the challenges of conceiving. Another common topic is love, and specifically, love of oneself, and one’s body, in the midst of this difficult process, when our bodies aren’t always doing what we want them to do. Bringing these feelings out into the light of day is instrumental in finding and nurturing peace and love within, and not solely with another (be it a partner or a child).