Several months ago I was invited to lead a discussion on "Pregnancy Loss: Unrecognized Grievers", at a conference entitled: "Loss, Bereavement, and Mental Resilience". During the conference, four alumni of the Medical Psychology Master's program, at The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, presented their findings from research they had conducted as part of their thesis projects - qualitative studies on the experiences of loss and grief of disenfranchised groups who experienced pregnancy loss.
Omri Avidan studied experienced of fathers who had lost more than one child (e.g., a second child). Yoav Bar Yosef studied the experiences of prospective fathers who had lost their firstborn child. Eden Godis studied the experiences of grandparents who had lost a grandchild through stillbirth. Adi Dabran Lancry studied the experiences of gay fathers who had gone through pregnancy loss while engaged in a surrogacy process (co-supverised with Prof. Rebecca Jacoby).
These studies took part as participating projects at the "Living with Loss" lab, where my research on loss and grief processes, and the research done by the students I supervise, is conducted and coordinated.
As their supervisor over the last couple of years, it gives me great pride and joy, and I believe these sentiments can and should be shared by our community. For these studies may contribute to raising awareness to these issues and toward improving individual and systemic therapies for people coping with pregnancy loss.
See below a few photos taken during the discussion...
Until next time,
Avital
