Beyond the Loss: Real Talk about Life and Loss

This week, Aditi and Danyelle welcome Soraya and Zain to the podcast to discuss the loss of their son Amaanat. During his 20 week scan, they discovered that Amaanat had a non-fatal but significant brain anomaly, leading to their decision to terminate the pregnancy. Soraya and Zain talk candidly and openly about their experience, their decision making, and ultimately what it's like to make one of the hardest decisions a parent can make

This week, Aditi and Danyelle sit down with Dr. Loree Johnson to talk about the intersection of race, infertility and grief. We do not all experience the same system of care when we go through loss, and it's important to recognize when others are at the receiving end of systemic societal prejudices that impact their lives. Together we must learn to see this inequity and work to make sure everyone receives the same kindness, support and care during the hardest moments of their lives.

Dr. Loree Johnson started her career in community-based mental health services focused on adolescents and their families but later transitioned to working in the infertility and loss communities after seeing many clients present with issues related to fertility and loss. Clients of color, in particular, expressed to her a sense of isolation and confusion about their fertility journey given how their experience challenged the dominant narrative that infertility and loss did not affect communities of color at the same rate as their white counterparts.

After her first-hand experience with fertility challenges taught her the importance of self-care for managing the physical and emotional stress that come with the fertility process, coupled with the lack of representation she saw of therapists of color in the fertility space, Dr. Loree found her purpose supporting individuals and couples on their path to parenthood.

Dr. Loree has combined her 25 years of professional clinical experience as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with her own personal fertility journey to help others who are going through similar experiences. She currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California. She and her husband welcomed their rainbow in 2021 after 8 years of trying to conceive, three losses, and one TFMR.

If you're interested in contacting or learning more about Dr. Loree, you can reach out to her at @drloreejohnson on Instagram.

For immediate peer support across each stage of the journey text our national Pregnancy & Infant Loss Helpline at 1-888-910-1551 or chat on our website at www.pilsc.org

This week, Danyelle sits down with Sarah Cormier and Gillian Hatto to talk about and demystify the perception around SIDS/SUDI/SUDC. SIDS is a difficult topic with a lot of baggage behind it. How do you find a community afterwards? How do you manage the community you come from, who often don't have the tools or right words to help you? How do you begin the healing journey?

Sarah and Gillian have fought hard to raise awareness to SIDS/SUDI/SUDC, joining the SIDS Calgary Board and creating foundations in memory of their children that support other families suffering the devastating loss of a child. Sarah is now the Helpline Coordinator at PILSC and Gillian looks forward to hosting the next retreat for grieving mothers through Hazel’s Heroes.

For immediate peer support across each stage of the journey text our national Pregnancy & Infant Loss Helpline at 1-888-910-1551 or chat on our website at www.pilsc.org

Today Aditi and Danyelle sit down to talk to Aaron Hoyland about the non-birthing partner's perspective through the fertility journey. Together they discuss elements of traditional masculinity in relation to fertility as well as how fertility issues can obscure and overtake the relationship beneath it all.

If you want to connect with Aaron, you can find him on Twitter at @aaronhoyland

For immediate peer support across each stage of the journey text our National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Helpline at 1-888-910-1551 or chat on our website at www.pilsc.org

When we talk about loss we often focus on the experiences of the birthing person. Sometimes the non-birthing partner is overlooked in the grief and loss that follows. This week, Aditi and Danyelle sit down with Jason Dykstra, father to four children (three who are living) about his experience as a supportive non-birthing partner during loss.

In addition to being a father, Jason is a husband to one and helper to many. For the last decade, he has helped people get comfortable being uncomfortable in the capacity of a coach, mediator, writer, and teacher. As an international speaker and trainer, he specializes in interpersonal communication skills, mental health, and conflict transformation. Jason helps hold the difficult spaces so that you don't have to go it alone.

For immediate peer support across each stage of the journey text our National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Helpline at 1-888-910-1551 or chat on our website at www.pilsc.org

This week, Aditi and Danyelle sit down with their guest, Jena Colpitts, to have a candid conversation about terminating wanted pregnancies for medical reasons.

In 2019, Jena and her husband went to their 20-week ultrasound, and it would change their life.  After the loss of her first child, Isla, at 22 weeks gestation, Jena joined the community of those navigating life after pregnancy loss. She has been active in speaking about her experience of pregnancy loss and believes that creating an open dialogue is the catalyst for change.

For immediate peer support across each stage of the journey text our National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Helpline at 1-888-910-1551 or chat on our website at www.pilsc.org

Content Warning: Mention of suicide 15:30 - 17:11

This week, Aditi and Danyelle are joined by Erin Keable to talk about her struggles of infertility and male factor infertility. Erin and her partner's journey to be parents is a long and ongoing one. For seven years they have made multiple attempts through IUI and IVF. Erin is a volunteer with PILSC doing the social media postings as well as a co-facilitator of the new Peer Support Group for Fertility starting in the Fall.

For immediate peer support across each stage of the journey text our National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Helpline at 1-888-910-1551 or chat on our website at www.pilsc.org

This week is a little bit different. This week Aditi and Danyelle (www.pilsc.org) sit down with Rekha Chugh who immigrated to Canada from India 40 years ago. Rekha has two living children as well as two angel babies. And one of those living daughters is Aditi. This week, Aditi and Danyelle sit down with Aditi's mother to talk about intergenerational experiences of loss and how not knowing what the right thing to say or do has inspired them all to be helpers to others in their situation.

For immediate peer support across each stage of the journey text our national Pregnancy & Infant Loss Helpline at 1-888-910-1551 or chat on our website at www.pilsc.org

This week, Aditi and Danyelle (www.pilsc.org)sit down to talk to guest Maggie McGee about her assisted fertility journey. Maggie reflects on coming to grips with the loss of the life she envisioned and how building a family comes in many ways and shapes, as well as at different times for everyone.

For immediate peer support across each stage of the journey text our national Pregnancy & Infant Loss Helpline at 1-888-910-1551 or chat on our website at www.pilsc.org