What Type of Therapy Should I Seek?
How Dialectical Behavior Therapy can help after a pregnancy loss
I’m excited to present The Miscarriage Therapist’s first guest post, written by one of our new providers, Danielle Tal!
Over the next few weeks, we will be doing a deeper dive into the various therapeutic modalities that might be helpful for you after a pregnancy loss. It can be incredibly hard to find a therapist, let alone a therapist who can provide the therapy that will be effective for you. My hope in offering these therapeutic explanations is that you will be able to find a therapist a bit more easily.
But, before we begin:
Don’t forget that our live event is coming up! October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. I will be holding a live event for all paid subscribers of The Miscarriage Therapist.
From 5:30 EST to 7:30 EST, we will talk about the nuances of this day, connect with other loss parents, invite guest speakers, and hold a memorial for our babies.
To register, simply become a paid subscriber. A Zoom link will be sent out closer to the event date.
Navigating Pregnancy Loss Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy
By Danielle Tal
Pregnancy loss is a profoundly painful experience, filled with emotions that can feel overwhelming and complex. The emotional toll can leave you struggling to cope with feelings like grief, guilt, sadness, anger, and shame. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to coping after pregnancy loss, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an effective form of therapy that can help you learn to manage these difficult feelings.
What is DBT?
Dr. Marsha Linehan developed DBT to help people who were engaging in self-destructive behaviors learn how to regulate their emotions and handle distress. Since its creation, DBT has been proven effective for many issues, including the aftermath of pregnancy loss. DBT helps you learn to accept your emotions, thoughts, and reality while teaching you practical skills that you can use to help yourself feel better. DBT teaches people for main skill sets:
1. Mindfulness skills teach you to be fully present in each moment, observing your emotions and thoughts without judgment.
2. Distress tolerance skills teach you strategies to cope with emotional pain and intense distress without turning to harmful behaviors.
3. Emotion regulation skills empower you to understand, manage, and deal with your emotions in a healthier way.
4. Interpersonal effectiveness skills help you communicate better about your emotions and needs and help you build and maintain closer and stronger relationships.
How Can DBT Help with Pregnancy Loss?
1. Mindfulness skills can help you accept what you’re feeling without judgment, which can help reduce anxiety and depression. Learning to accept your emotions and thoughts can help you process your grief without feeling overwhelmed by them.
2. Pregnancy loss can often lead to intense and fluctuating emotions. The emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills that DBT provides can help you handle those feelings effectively so that they don’t spiral out of control.
3. After a pregnancy loss, it’s common to blame yourself for what happened, leading to feelings of guilt and shame. DBT can help you challenge those self-critical thoughts with self-compassion.
4. Through interpersonal effectiveness skills, DBT gives you tools to communicate effectively with partners, family, and friends, who may deal with their grief and feelings differently. These skills can help you foster understanding and connection in your relationships.
Recovering from pregnancy loss is a deeply personal and challenging experience. DBT offers a comprehensive approach to helping you navigate the emotional ups and downs that you’re going through. Through mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation, DBT gives you the space to process the loss while giving you the skills you need to cope.
If you’re struggling to cope…
Consider reaching out to a mental health provider trained in DBT, like the therapists on our team, or joining one of our support groups. Our support groups give you a space to build connections with other parents who are going through loss and to learn skills to navigate your experiences.
Starting September 27, Wednesday at 12pm
6-week Pregnancy Loss Support Group
Facilitated by Erin Iwanusa
Cost: $300 for all 6-weeks
Starting September 28, Thursday, 7:30pm
6-week Pregnancy Loss Support group
Facilitated by Danielle Albetta and Danielle Tal
Cost: Free
If you’re interested in joining a support group, email: erin@themiscarriagetherapist.com
Check out our website for more information on individual therapy with a member of our team: https://www.themiscarriagetherapist.com/psychotherapy-services.html