Episode Details

Are you curious about the field of reproductive medicine and the evolution of therapy in this space? In this episode of "Quiet the Clock," I interview Sharon Covington, a clinical social worker and director of psychological support services at Shady Grove Fertility, the largest reproductive medical practice in the US.

Sharon shares her personal journey into the field of reproductive medicine, which began with her own experience of reproductive loss and the lack of resources available at the time. She also discusses the use of self-disclosure in therapy and emphasizes the importance of therapists working through their own issues before sharing personal experiences with clients.

We also dive into the emotions and pain points that women experience when considering or undergoing fertility preservation. Sharon explains that the decision is often a gut-wrenching one, as it is not the first choice for most women. She also acknowledges that fertility preservation is not accessible to everyone and discusses the challenges of dealing with uncertainty in infertility treatment.

We even touch on the increase in women freezing their eggs during the COVID-19 pandemic and the complexities of egg freezing. Sharon emphasizes the importance of mental health professionals being well-informed and passionate about this work, and she encourages the next generation to get involved.

I hope you'll tune in to this insightful conversation with Sharon Covington. As she says, "Personal experience is not professional training," and it's important to be well-versed and knowledgeable about the field of reproductive medicine.

About Sharon Covington:

• Shady Groves
• Covington Therapy

Quotes:

• "I try to do everything particularly this point in my career to bring the kind of next generation along and to really make sure that people are well informed."

• "I think that any kind of counseling that someone is doing offers a therapist an opportunity to begin to talk about this as an option and a as a question. One of the things that we see over and over again is how misinformed the public is about their fertility."

• "Fertility preservation, there isn't a guarantee, there's no guarantees in any of this kind of treatment."

• "Therapists really have to work through their own issues and be really very careful about that before they start sharing their own personal experience."

• "70% of both mental health professionals and nurses who were working in the field came to it as a result of their personal experience."

Key Points:

• Feelings and emotions [00:00:00] Sharon Covington explains the emotions and feelings of women who freeze their eggs, including the age range and reasons why women choose to do it.

• Introduction to "Quiet the Clock" [00:00:46] Beth Gulotta introduces her podcast "Quiet the Clock," which aims to provide guidance and understanding for women navigating dating, motherhood, and egg freezing.

• Sharon Covington's background and experience [00:02:41] Sharon Covington discu