PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING TO COUPLES WITH PSYCHOGENIC INFERTILITY. POSITUM APPROACH IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER THERAPEUTIC MODALITIES
A couple experiences infertility as one of the most stressful life events. Deterioration of reproductive health in general, finding of functional, ‘unexplained’ infertility cases, and, in this connection, increased interest in perinatal psychology explain the need for adaptation and development of special methods to provide psychological support to patients having difficulties with conception and undergoing infertility treatment. The paper deals with the opportunities provided by positive psychotherapy to address the problems of infertile couples. Causes of psychological infertility rooted in the imbalance of areas of life are considered. The role of conflict and the coping methods behind the infertility as a symptom are assessed. Some psychological counseling strategies within the positive therapy approach (particular techniques, sample wordings and questions) as well as some other psychodynamic psychotherapy, art therapy techniques are provided to be successfully integrated into counseling process and to complement the therapist’s toolkit.