Addressing Concerns with Lesbian Couples Experiencing Fertility Treatment: Using Relational Cultural Theory

Meredith A. Rausch, Haley D. Wikoff

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Legal changes and increasing research surrounding the positive influence of lesbian parenting have spurred a resulting increase in lesbian couples pursuing parenting through various fertility measures. Increasing counselors' multicultural competence regarding the experiences unique to the lesbian population with fertility will strengthen the counseling process when working with lesbian couples interested in adding children to their family. Through the lens of relational cultural theory, this article uses the constructs of mutuality, empathy, and reciprocity to provide counseling implications for work with lesbian couples during the decision making and stressful process of fertility treatment, while focusing on strengthening the relationship.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)142-155
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of LGBT Issues in Counseling
Volume11
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 3 2017

Keywords

  • Counseling
  • infertility
  • lesbian
  • relational cultural theory

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Gender Studies
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Applied Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Addressing Concerns with Lesbian Couples Experiencing Fertility Treatment: Using Relational Cultural Theory'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this