The American Fertility Association

Contents

ED Message

Up Front: News In Brief

Advocacy Alert

Feature Well

Back Talk

Op Ed

Support Services

Chat Schedule

The American Fertility Association’s Monthly Newsletter

May 23, 2007

AFA TELEPHONE COACHING GROUP
A Breakthrough Approach To Support Groups
At NO CHARGE TO OUR MEMBERS

What’s a Phone Coaching Group? AFA phone coaching brings our experienced fertility coaches and other individuals throughout the country who are experiencing fertility issues right to your home or office-live!

How Does It Work? Once you call in on a special phone number and use the access code that we will provide to you, you’re connected with all of the other coaching group participants. The sound quality is great and, as in any group, you can ask questions and engage in give-and-take with the coach and other group participants. The only difference is that you’re sitting in your easy chair at home or at your desk.

Designed to Fit Your Schedule. Our phone coaching sessions will last one hour.

All groups are led by mental health professionals with an expertise and often personal experience in infertility treatment and/or adoption.

Special Offer. As part of our No Barriers program, AFA is proud to offer these Phone Coaching Sessions to you, free of charge.

TOPIC: Parenting Donor Gamete Children (Donor Sperm, Donor Egg, Donor Embryo). The Disclosure Issue: If, What, When, And How.

This coaching group is accessible to you via your telephone.

It is appropriate for couples and individuals who:

Are considering the use of donor sperm, egg, or embryo to create their children
Are already parenting children created by donor sperm, egg, or embryo

During this one hour group conference call, you will have the opportunity to receive information on:

The pros and cons of disclosure to children of their genetic origin
What and when to share this information with children if you so choose
If and how to share this information with family and friends

You will also have the opportunity to share information and support one another in making this decision and implementing this aspect of parenting.

WHEN:	Thursday, May 31, 2007
TIME:	9:00 PM to 10:00 p.m. PM, EST
FACILITATED BY:	Joann Paley Galst, Ph.D. and Patricia Mendell, L.C.S.W.

NO FEE for AFA MEMBERS !

For more information, and to register, contact:
Joann Galst (jgalst@aol.com or 212-759-2783)
or Patricia Mendell (pmendell@aol.com or 212-819-1778)

Joann Paley Galst, Ph.D. is a psychologist in private practice specializing in mind-body medicine and reproductive health issues, including infertility, pregnancy loss, and pregnancy and parenting after infertility. She is a past chairperson of the Mental Health Professional Group of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and is currently the co-director of Support Services for the American Fertility Association. She is the author of numerous articles on infertility.

Patricia Mendell, LCSW, BCD, is a clinical social worker in private practice in Manhattan and Brooklyn. She is Vice-Chair of the American Fertility Association (AFA) and the facilitator of the AFA Ovum Donor Seminar Series. She is co-author of the fact sheet for AFA on "Talking to Children about Ovum Donation". Ms Mendell has written and spoken extensively on numerous topics regarding fertility, third party reproduction, parenting after infertility, disclosure, multi-fetal reduction, pregnancy loss and adoption. As an infertility and pregnancy loss survivor, she is well aware of the impact decision making choices have on people’s lives. In her role as therapist and consumer advocate, she gives those seeking her help both practical and therapeutic advice on how to better cope with stress, resolve marital tensions, and select and explore solutions to their family building dilemmas.

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OVUM DONATION SEMINAR
SPRING SERIES 2007

The American Fertility Association is sponsoring a six week Ovum Donation Seminar Series beginning Wednesday May 23rd and continuing weekly for six consecutive weeks. Topics that will be discussed by our distinguished faculty will include:

May 23rd	PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES - Is This Option Right for You? Speaker - Kris Bevilacqua, PhD, Psychologist, Montefiore Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Health; Genesis Fertility; Reproductive Specialists of New York, Mineola, NY
May 30th	THE MEDICAL OVERVIEW Speaker - Dr. Susan L. Treiser, Co-Director of IVF New Jersey
June 6th	FINDING A DONOR PROGRAM AND A DONOR Speaker - Patricia Mendell, LCSW, BCD, Psychotherapist
June 13th	DONOR REGISTRIES AND FINDERS Speaker - Patricia Mendell, LCSW, BCD, Psychotherapist
June 20th	ANONYMOUS DONORS: MATCHING AND CYCLING Speakers- Monica Benson, RN, Nurse Coordinator, Ovum Donor Program, and MD (TBA), RMA of New Jersey
June 27th	PANEL OF DONORS/ DONOR PARENTS Speaker - Aviva Zigelman, LCSW, BCD, Program Director and Clinical Coordinator for Psychological Services, Ovum Donation Program, Long Island IVF
WHERE:	902 Broadway (between 20th and 21st Street) 13th Floor
WHEN:	Wednesdays 7-9 PM
COST:	$200 FOR THE SERIES PER HOUSEHOLD (Must be an AFA Member)
CONTACT:	Patricia Mendell at (718) 230-9383 to register - space is limited

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NEW YORK CITY WOMEN’S IN-PERSON MIND/BODY SUPPORT GROUPS

Come join us and discover the power and benefits of mutual support! Increase your resilience and feel more centered as you learn and use a MIND/ BODY approach to ease stress and gain a greater sense of control over your life.

We are having two groups. One group is for women who are earlier in the process of facing fertility challenges. The second group is for women who have been dealing with these challenges over a longer time span.

Meetings are facilitated by Izetta Siegal Stern, LCSW, BCD, AFA support group leader and coach. Fee is $30 per session (some of which may be insurance-reimbursable). New groups are starting soon and meet near Union Square. Contact Izetta at 212-691-1266 or e-mail ISiegalStern@aol.com.

Izetta began working with women and couples dealing with reproductive issues beginning in l986. She has been a support group leader for the past 10 years. Long interested in the healing dimension of Mind/Body work, she sees this approach leading to important shifts that promote greater centeredness and a capacity to “reset” in the face of stress.

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WEST COAST PROGRAMS

Four Seminars Offered

EGG DONATION: WORKING WITH A THIRD PARTY
CHOOSING SINGLE PARENTING
CREATING A SUCCESSFUL SURROGATE ARRANGEMENT
GAY AND LESBIAN PARENTING

The American Fertility Association is sponsoring separate discussion groups for patients considering alternative family building options. The emotional, medical and practical aspects of each of these arrangements will be explored, such that prospective parents can make an informed decision about whether these plans are the “right” choice for them.

Elaine R. Gordon, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialty in reproductive medicine. She has worked in the field for twenty years helping individuals and couples build families through non-traditional options. She is the author of “Mommy, Did I Grow in Your Tummy? Where some Babies Come From”.

Ellen Speyer, M.A., M.S., MFT. is a psychotherapist with twenty years with working with assisted reproduction, pregnancy loss, surrogacy, and adoption. She is a retired Chair of the Education Committee for the Mental Health Professional Group of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Location: Groups will be offered both in Orange County and Los Angeles
Dates: Call for meeting dates	Phone: (310) 454-0502 or (949) 252-1525
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m	Fee: $30 individual; $40 per couple
*Group Size Limited, Reservations Required*

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The American Fertility Association, 305 Madison Avenue Suite 449, New York NY 10165.
Support Line: 888-917-3777. Fax: 718-601-7722. www.theafa.org