Therapy for Miscarriage & Infant Loss in Chicago & Northbrook IL

You lost someone. Or the possibility of someone who was already real to you. That grief is legitimate no matter how early the loss was, no matter how many people knew, and no matter what anyone else says about moving forward.

You do not have to grieve in a hurry. You do not have to grieve alone.

• Profound sadness, numbness, or a sense of unreality
• Intense longing for the baby who was lost
• Guilt, self-blame, and questioning of decisions
• Anxiety about subsequent pregnancies
• Difficulty being around pregnant people or babies
• Complicated feelings about the body
• Strain in the relationship with a partner who may be grieving differently
• Anger, including at a world that seems to have moved on
• Depression and difficulty functioning in daily life
• Post-traumatic stress symptoms, particularly after traumatic losses

Is grief after miscarriage legitimate even if it was early?
Yes, completely. Gestational age does not determine the validity of grief. For many people, the loss of a pregnancy, even a very early one, is the loss of a child they had already imagined and loved. The intensity of grief is not proportional to how far along the pregnancy was.

How long does grief after pregnancy loss last?
Grief after pregnancy and infant loss does not follow a predictable timeline. Many people find that specific dates, anniversaries, and milestones can reactivate the loss even years later. The goal of therapy is not to accelerate the timeline but to support the person through it.

What is TFMR and how does therapy address it?
TFMR stands for termination for medical reasons, referring to the decision to end a pregnancy following a serious fetal diagnosis. Grief after TFMR is often profound and compounded by isolation and stigma. Therapy provides a confidential space for grief that is fully witnessed without judgment.

Should my partner and I go to therapy together or separately after a pregnancy loss?
Both can be valuable. Partners often grieve differently, and those differences can create distance at an already painful time. Individual therapy gives each person space to grieve in their own way. Couples therapy can help partners understand and support each other’s different processes.

Is therapy for pregnancy loss available via telehealth?
Yes. Midwest Counseling offers therapy for pregnancy and infant loss via telehealth across Illinois and many other states. Many people find telehealth helpful when grief makes leaving home difficult.