Host: Dr. Rachel Orleck

Guest: Alicia Webber, Reproductive and Perinatal Therapist

Episode Summary:

Infertility can feel like one of the most isolating experiences a couple can face — but it doesn’t have to push you apart. In today’s heartfelt episode, Dr. Rachel Orleck is joined by reproductive and perinatal therapist Alicia Ferris to explore how couples can stay connected and support each other through the emotional, relational, and physical toll of infertility.

After a 10-year journey of wanting to become a mother and two years of fertility treatment, Alicia experienced the joy of having two miracle babies through embryo donation. Inspired by her own path and backed by 20 years of clinical experience, she now specializes in infertility and reproductive health counseling, helping individuals and couples navigate the unforeseen roller coasters of this phase of life. She is trained through the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and uses evidence-based practices to guide her work.

This conversation offers powerful tools for building emotional closeness, sharing the mental load, navigating tough decisions, and protecting intimacy during a time when everything can feel fragile. Whether you're actively facing infertility, preparing for future family planning, or supporting someone you love, today’s episode is filled with insights to help couples feel more seen, heard, and valued through the journey.

What We Cover:

1. Why infertility often leaves couples feeling like they're on parallel tracks instead of working together
2. The pivotal ways infertility can either fracture or strengthen a relationship
3. How to stay emotionally connected during fertility treatments (and beyond)
4. Small but powerful ways to share the mental and emotional load
5. Tools to navigate different comfort levels with fertility treatments, including the "ruler test"
6. How infertility impacts intimacy, and ways to protect emotional and sexual closeness
7. Why it's critical to keep living your life — even while you're hoping for your future family
8. The hidden emotional struggles male partners often face and how to offer better support
9. Tips for deciding whether to seek individual counseling, couples counseling, or a combination
10. How proactively partnering in the fertility process can set the foundation for a stronger future as parents

Connect with Today’s Guest:

Alicia Webber, LPC

1. Website: simplejoycounseling.com
2. Instagram: @reproductivehealthcounselor
3. Facebook: Simple Joy Counseling
4. TikTok: @reprod.healthcounselor

Resources

1. Free Course | Break the Cycle: A self-paced introduction to understanding your patterns and nervous system responses.
2. Private Coaching (Limited Availability): High-touch, individualized support for deep relational pattern change.
3. The Attachment Revolution Membership — Waitlist: Ongoing education, tools, and live support for building more secure relationships.
4. Meaningful Journey Counseling (WA residents only): Licensed therapy services for individuals and couples in Washington State.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for mental health treatment, therapy, diagnosis, or medical advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a therapist-client relationship. If you are experiencing significant distress, please seek support from a licensed mental health professional or medical provider.