Challenging Unwanted Thoughts

Utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy after a Pregnancy Loss

Thank you for being here. If you are here, and are experiencing a pregnancy loss, or the aftermath of a pregnancy loss, there are many paths to healing and support that you can take.

Today, I will explore one path from a psychotherapeutic lens. As you read, some aspect might be helpful! But there are many other healing paths you can take as well.

Pregnancy loss is an experience that can shake your emotional foundation and evoke a wide range of responses, from grief and guilt to anger and depression. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)is one therapeutic approach that offers a toolkit for navigating your experience. Here are some ways that CBT can help:

Identifying and Challenging Negative Thoughts

Thought Records: CBT often involves keeping a thought diary or log. Therapists help analyze these thoughts and identify any thought distortions like overgeneralizations (“I’ll never be happy again”) or personalization (“It’s all my fault”). Once thoughts like these are identified, they can be challenged and replaced with more balanced thinking.