Ep 13: Infertility, PTSD, and Trauma with Joanna Flemons

Infertility is related to the body, which means that it deals with one of our most basic human needs. As long as you are struggling with it emotionally, it will have knock-on effects and hamper your ability to fully work on other parts of your life. Joanna Flemons, our guest today, is a seasoned Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been in the field since 1998. She runs Highlands Ranch Counseling and Coaching and specializes in individual, family, couple counseling, and Highlands Ranch relationship counseling. Additionally, she is a Certified Professional Coach, helping people personally and professionally. Having worked in the infertility space for numerous years, her work seeks to provide clinical validation and a roadmap for those suffering. She has even authored a book, Infertility, and PTSD: The Uncharted Storm, which we highly recommend to anyone going through trauma around infertility. In this episode, we learn more about what PTSD is and how it relates to infertility. Joanna sheds light on some of the symptoms that can manifest when the body perceives an active threat. As PTSD is a stress disorder, it means that the body does not feel safe, which can then collide with other issues. Joana also talks about different kinds of trauma and how it’s difficult for our bodies to get ‘rid’ of recurrent trauma.