Do I need a therapist who specializes in infertility?

It helps. A generalist may inadvertently say things that don't land well. A therapist trained in reproductive mental health understands the medical timeline, the language, the relationship strain, and the specific kind of grief that infertility produces.

My partner and I are fighting more. Is that normal?

Yes, and it's also something therapy can help with directly. Infertility puts couples under sustained pressure, and partners often process it differently. Individual therapy can help, and sometimes couples work added in is the right call.

I can't handle baby showers anymore. Is that something I just have to push through?

No. Setting limits on what you can attend is a reasonable response to grief, and your therapist can help you figure out how to communicate that without losing relationships you care about. It is not a moral failing to take care of yourself.

Will therapy help me get pregnant?

Therapy is not a fertility treatment. What therapy does is reduce the stress, isolation, and depression that come with infertility, which improves quality of life during a very hard chapter. Some research suggests that lower distress may have modest effects on treatment outcomes, but the primary value is in how you live, not in the outcome.

Can I get therapy online if I live in Washington?

Yes. Phoenix Health provides telehealth therapy to residents of Washington. Sessions are conducted via secure video from your home, office, or anywhere private — no commute required. All Phoenix Health therapists are licensed and authorized to practice in Washington.

What is a PMH-C certification?

PMH-C (Perinatal Mental Health Certification) is awarded by Postpartum Support International (PSI) to clinicians who have completed advanced training in perinatal mental health — covering postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, birth trauma, and related conditions. It represents the gold standard of specialization in this field.

How do I know if I need therapy?

If you're struggling — with your mood, your thoughts, your relationship, or just how you're coping — that's enough of a reason to talk to someone. You don't need a diagnosis. A free consultation is a low-commitment first step.

🌱Infertility

This road is harder than anyone tells you it will be.

Therapists in Bellevue, Washington

"Every month is a cycle of hope and grief. Nobody warns you it's this hard."

Infertility affects 1 in 8 couples — the emotional toll is comparable to a cancer diagnosis.

✓See a specialist this week✓PMH-C Certified Therapists✓Telehealth · see anyone from home✓In-network in Washington

In network with

+9 more

No commitment. We'll confirm your coverage before your first session.

Virtual therapy for Bellevue families

You moved to Bellevue from Hyderabad, Beijing, or Seoul for your spouse's job in tech, you had a baby in a country where your mother could not be at the hospital, and you cannot tell your family back home how hard this has been. Postpartum depression and perinatal anxiety are especially common in this configuration, and especially under-addressed. Families across Downtown Bellevue, Crossroads, Somerset, and Issaquah include large South Asian and East Asian communities where mental health stigma can add a real layer of complexity to an already hard experience. Add in the demanding-career culture of the tech corridor, and the postpartum window becomes a lot harder than the polished surface suggests. Phoenix Health therapists hold PMH-C certification, the specialty credential in perinatal mental health, and see Eastside clients entirely by secure video. We welcome clients from every cultural background and provide nonjudgmental care across language and family-structure differences. We specialize in postpartum depression, perinatal anxiety, birth trauma, and pregnancy loss, and accept major Washington insurance plans. You deserve support that does not require explaining your culture before you can talk about your symptoms.

Bellevue neighborhoods: Downtown Bellevue · Crossroads · Somerset · Issaquah

You might benefit from therapy if…

✓You've been trying to conceive for months or years and the emotional weight is becoming hard to carry
✓You're dreading social events, baby announcements, or pregnancy reveals from friends
✓Your relationship has changed under the pressure, and intimacy doesn't feel like intimacy anymore
✓You feel angry at your body, at your partner, or at people who got pregnant easily
✓You're isolating from people who don't understand, and that isolation is making it harder
✓You're holding it together for work and family and you're exhausted from the performance

Dr. Emily Guarnotta

Psychologist & Founder

From our founder
Infertility is one of the most underestimated experiences in my practice. The cumulative weight of each month, each appointment, each negative test, is enormous, and most people are carrying it without anyone really seeing it. Therapy doesn't shorten the road. It does change what it's like to walk it.

What therapy looks like

Therapy during infertility usually combines CBT, ACT, and grief-informed work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps with the thought patterns that fuel rumination and shame. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is particularly useful because so much of infertility involves uncertainty you can't control. Grief work shows up because each cycle, each loss, and each missed milestone is its own loss that often doesn't get acknowledged. Most Phoenix Health therapists hold PMH-C certification, and several have additional training in reproductive mental health. Sessions might focus on coping during a treatment cycle, processing a recent failed cycle, decision-making around treatment options, relationship strain, or grief about a path that's taking longer or looking different than you imagined. Some clients work weekly during active treatment and then move to less frequent sessions during pauses. A typical course of work is 3 to 6 months, but many clients stay in therapy throughout treatment because having a steady relationship with someone who already knows the picture is itself part of the support. The goal isn't to make the pain go away. It's to keep your life from being entirely defined by the trying.

Your therapist

Most Phoenix Health therapists hold PMH-C certification — the gold standard in perinatal mental health.

Sailys Concepcion
LMHC, LPC, LPCC, PMH-C
Sailys is a bilingual therapist who helps parents navigate the emotional journey of pregnancy, postpartum, infertility, and loss across California, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Washington, and Louisiana.
Licensed in CA, LA, WA, AZ, GA, FL

Real clients. Real relief.

What our clients say about their experience.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“"What nobody tells you about infertility is that it changes how you see pregnant people. I couldn't go to baby showers. I hid from social media. I felt like a horrible person for feeling what I was feeling. My therapist helped me understand that grief doesn't follow rules and that I was allowed to feel all of it without shame."”

— TTC, 2 years

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Two years of treatments and nobody talked about what it does to your relationship, your identity, your sense of self. I felt like my body had failed me. My therapist helped me separate my worth from my fertility, and helped my husband and I find each other again in the middle of it. Still trying. Feeling more like myself than I have in years.”

— TTC, 3 years

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“My emergency C-section left me with nightmares and panic attacks. I couldn't talk about the birth without shaking. Therapy helped me process the trauma and reclaim my story. I'm pregnant again now, and I actually feel ready.”

— expecting mom of 1

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I had stopped telling people we were trying because I couldn't handle one more well-meaning comment. My therapist understood the language and the timing, and I never had to explain a single thing twice. After six months I felt like I had my life back, even though we were still in treatment.”

— Nina, in treatment 2 years

Expert care.
Covered in Washington.

✓Aetna (incl. CVS Health, First Health, & Meritain)
✓BCBS (incl. Anthem, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, & state plans)
✓Cigna / Evernorth
✓United Healthcare (UHC) / Optum (incl. UBH, UMR, Surest, Oscar, & Oxford)

Most clients pay less than $20 per session.

Accepted Insurance Networks

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Ready to start Infertility therapy? Here’s how it works.

The whole process takes about 5 minutes. We handle insurance — you just show up.

1
Book your free call
A quick 15-minute chat to hear what you're going through, answer your questions, and make sure we're a great fit for your needs. No cost, no commitment.
2
Get matched
We'll pair you with the right specialist for your specific situation. We'll also check your insurance, so you know your exact cost per session before moving forward.
3
Start your first session
Meet your therapist from the comfort of home. No commute, no waiting rooms, no judgment. Most clients notice a real difference within just 2 to 3 sessions.

No commitment · Most insurance accepted · Available this week

Common questions

It helps. A generalist may inadvertently say things that don't land well. A therapist trained in reproductive mental health understands the medical timeline, the language, the relationship strain, and the specific kind of grief that infertility produces.
Yes, and it's also something therapy can help with directly. Infertility puts couples under sustained pressure, and partners often process it differently. Individual therapy can help, and sometimes couples work added in is the right call.
No. Setting limits on what you can attend is a reasonable response to grief, and your therapist can help you figure out how to communicate that without losing relationships you care about. It is not a moral failing to take care of yourself.
Therapy is not a fertility treatment. What therapy does is reduce the stress, isolation, and depression that come with infertility, which improves quality of life during a very hard chapter. Some research suggests that lower distress may have modest effects on treatment outcomes, but the primary value is in how you live, not in the outcome.
Yes. Phoenix Health provides telehealth therapy to residents of Washington. Sessions are conducted via secure video from your home, office, or anywhere private — no commute required. All Phoenix Health therapists are licensed and authorized to practice in Washington.
PMH-C (Perinatal Mental Health Certification) is awarded by Postpartum Support International (PSI) to clinicians who have completed advanced training in perinatal mental health — covering postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, birth trauma, and related conditions. It represents the gold standard of specialization in this field.
If you're struggling — with your mood, your thoughts, your relationship, or just how you're coping — that's enough of a reason to talk to someone. You don't need a diagnosis. A free consultation is a low-commitment first step.

From the Phoenix Health resource center

Articles and guides about infertility

The Best Books for the IVF and Infertility Journey

The infertility community recommends books that don't offer toxic positivity or quick fixes. Here are the ones people actually pass around — for understanding what you're going through, processing a failed cycle, and getting through the two-week wait.

Read article →

30 Affirmations for the Infertility Journey (When Hope Is Hard to Hold)

Infertility is a grief that repeats every month. These affirmations are for the sustained emotional toll of not knowing, the body you feel has failed you, and the hope that keeps asking to be held.

Read article →

What to Say to Someone Going Through IVF (A Guide for Friends and Family)

IVF is expensive, painful, and emotionally brutal, and most people supporting someone through it have no idea what to say. This guide covers what not to say and what actually helps.

Read article →