Growing up in a conservative Catholic environment, I always felt like I was navigating a labyrinth of expectations and norms that rarely aligned with my true self. On this special Pride Month episode of the Love and Science podcast, I reflect on my own path to self-discovery and how embracing my authentic identity has shaped my professional journey, especially in the realm of fertility. Through personal stories and professional insights, we delve into the unique challenges and triumphs faced by LGBTQ individuals as they pursue their dreams of building a family. From third-party reproduction to the use of egg and sperm donors and gestational carriers, I shed light on the myriad of options available and the empowerment that comes with making informed choices.

Pride isn't just about rainbows and parades; it's about feeling at home within yourself and honoring those who have paved the way for greater acceptance and rights. This episode is dedicated to exploring the deeper meaning of Pride, advocating for safe spaces, and emphasizing the importance of loving and accepting yourself fully. Join me as we discuss the essence of pride, the necessity of safe spaces, and the power of self-love, all while providing a roadmap for LGBTQ individuals on their unique journeys to parenthood. Whether you're in the beginning stages of family planning or already navigating the fertility process, this episode aims to empower, educate, and inspire.

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://calendly.com/loveandsciencefertility/discovery-call

Also, be sure to check out our website: loveandsciencefertility.com

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Can authentic hope transform your fertility journey? Discover how grounding optimism in evidence and realistic expectations can make all the difference. In this episode of the Love and Science podcast, we unpack what it means to foster authentic hope during fertility treatments. By drawing parallels to structured treatment plans like chemotherapy, we emphasize how clear communication and well-defined roadmaps can help patients feel more informed and less lost. We also discuss tangible factors such as age, embryo quality, and treatable diagnoses, illustrating how they contribute to a grounded sense of optimism.

Facing the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatments can be overwhelming, but maintaining authentic hope can foster both motivation and resilience. We explore how focusing on individual journeys and identifying positive aspects of each unique situation can sustain efforts and guide informed decisions. Delving into the potential pitfalls of despair and apathy, we highlight the profound impact a positive mindset, rooted in evidence, can make on actions and outcomes, creating a bridge for a successful outcome.

Empowerment and evidence-based approaches are pivotal in the fertility journey. We discuss strategies for cultivating authentic hope, such as recognizing personal signs of potential success and seeking expert guidance as well. By adopting an empowered stance and showing up with a positive mindset founded on objective evidence, you can increase your chance for a successful outcome. 

Lastly, we are not meant to be on this journey alone.   Explore how Love and Science can give you a safe, supportive community of women who share authentic hope with abundance and compassion. 

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://calendly.com/loveandsciencefertility/discovery-call

Also, be sure to check out our website: loveandsciencefertility.com

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Navigating Father's Day can be incredibly challenging when you're on a fertility journey.  Join me, Dr. Erica Bove, as I offer heartfelt support and practical strategies to manage your emotions during this tender holiday. From staying off social media to acknowledging your feelings, I guide you through strategies which have helped thousands of patients and clients just like you over the years.  Let’s journey through this Father's Day together, embracing love, support, and resilience.

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://calendly.com/loveandsciencefertility/discovery-call

Also, be sure to check out our website: loveandsciencefertility.com

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Today I discuss how isolation and shame go hand in hand.  We get angry and resentful for not being seen by people in all aspects of our lives, however there are useful tools we can employ to start to change this. We start by understanding and validating our own experience--ie, to "see" ourselves. When we combine this with naming and processing our emotions, we start to take back our agency. Finally, I discuss some useful thoughts for how to move beyond shame and into a more joyful and whole experience of life on the fertility journey. 

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://calendly.com/loveandsciencefertility/discovery-call

Also, be sure to check out our website: loveandsciencefertility.com

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Today we discuss how secondary infertility is similar to primary infertility, but also importantly, how it is different. We discuss differences in feelings, partner relationships (if applicable), the child's perspective, and comments made by family and friends. 

My goal is to arm you with some mindset shifts which will help you with your own thoughts and feelings about your situation, and also to help you navigate the outside world when other people don't seem to get it. 

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://calendly.com/loveandsciencefertility/discovery-call

Also, be sure to check out our website: loveandsciencefertility.com

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Today we discuss how to make values-based decisions when we are stuck in indecision. 

Asking the question "Where am I stuck?" is not always as straightforward as it might seem. However, we often wake up at night paralyzed by anxiety, fear, and often worry about making a wrong decision regarding our fertility journey.  

Starting with awareness of our thoughts and feelings, we can begin to uncover our  deep seated beliefs and decide if they are serving us.  Once we do an inventory of our most important values, we can gently challenge the beliefs which are holding us back, and confidently move in the direction of our next right thing. 

I'm rooting for you always! 

xo,
Coach Erica

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://calendly.com/loveandsciencefertility/discovery-call

Also, be sure to check out our website: loveandsciencefertility.com

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Today we discuss dealing with bad news. I describe some of the possibilities for bad news which can be a part of the fertility journey.  I also suggest a framework for processing feelings, asking deep questions in terms of what you need, what you need to hear, and what you need to know for sure.  I also help you to develop mantras which serve you as you navigate and process the bad news, which unfortunately is part of every person's fertility journey. Empowering you always... 

xo,
Coach Erica 

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://calendly.com/loveandsciencefertility/discovery-call

Also, be sure to check out our website: loveandsciencefertility.com

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Today we explore how to approach Mother's Day, which is this coming weekend. We discuss how our expectations can set us up for additional suffering, and how to handle triggers in the best way possible. 

We invite you to connect with your feminine divine energy and to acknowledge the women in your life who have mothered you, even if you do not share a biological connection. Similarly, we invite you to consider the many ways you may already connect with this energy, nurturing and supporting the people (and sometimes pets) in your life. 

We explore how a coaching lens can take us from feeling complex and negative feelings about this day, to being more in alignment with how we want to feel about this day.  Having awareness of our thoughts and feelings is the first step in deciding whether these thoughts and feelings serve us, and whether we want to make even small shifts to make us feel more calm and grounded.  

Most importantly, we discuss creating space for self compassion and grace during this time, and also leaning on the wisdom of the Serenity Prayer to get us through. 

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://calendly.com/loveandsciencefertility/discovery-call

Also, be sure to check out our website: loveandsciencefertility.com

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

This week we discuss what happens when we are trying to separate fact from fiction, and we get lost going down the rabbit hole of data. On the surface this may seem like a harmless activity, however it kick starts distressing rumination loops and the insatiable quest for the "answer." In addition, when we go down the rabbit hole of data, we galvanize the belief that we are personally responsible for figuring out how best to direct our care, and also the fallacy that we are personally responsible if the cycle does not work. 

In this episode, I provide a framework for how to think about a more fruitful way to get the answers you deserve, determine your next steps,  and how to feel better along the way. 

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://calendly.com/loveandsciencefertility/discovery-call

Also, be sure to check out our website: loveandsciencefertility.com

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove

Today we explore the difficult and insidious ways the fertility journey can mess with our personal self image, and also how it can start to erode our most important relationship--the one with ourselves. I offer five suggestions to get back into our bodies and to rediscover the agency that we lost somewhere along the way. 

As always, please keep in mind that this is my perspective and nothing in this podcast is medical advice.

If you found this conversation valuable, book a consult call with me using this link:

https://calendly.com/loveandsciencefertility/discovery-call

Also, be sure to check out our website: loveandsciencefertility.com

Follow us on social media:

IG: www.instagram.com/loveandsciencefertility

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553692167183

Please don’t let infertility have the final word. We are here to take the burden from you so that you can achieve your goal of building your family with confidence and compassion. I’m rooting for you always.

In Gratitude,

Dr. Erica Bove