    |
||||||
Programs & Services -Complementary CareComplementary Care Program at RMA… to help you through the journey. At RMA, we understand that the process of trying to have a baby when things are not going "according to plan" can be extremely stressful and upsetting. Very few couples anticipate that they will ever need to see a specialist to help them become pregnant, and coming to a fertility center is usually a very difficult step for couples to take. Fertility treatment has been referred to as riding an "emotional rollercoaster". That's why RMA has developed a Complementary Care team… to help you through the journey. Our Complementary Care team is comprised of a group of professionals who are dedicated to helping our patients maintain their emotional, marital, and physical well-being while they are undergoing fertility treatment. The Complementary Care Team consists of one psychologist based in Norwalk Lisa Tuttle, PhD, one licensed clinical social worker based in Danbury, Jane Elisofan, LCSW, two acupuncturists Amy Matton, MS, LAc, and Jing Zhang, MS, LAc and one yoga instructor Lisa Rosenthal. These professionals are available for consultation or treatment at any time during your fertility journey. We strongly encourage patients to consider meeting with Dr. Tuttle or Jane Elisofan early on in their treatment to develop a "treatment plan" for maintaining your well-being throughout the course of infertility treatment. Together with them, you will have a chance to review your current support systems, behavioral habits, stressors, and coping skills, and develop a specific plan to improve or modify any areas where you may benefit from making some changes. They will be able to provide you with referrals to programs within the Complementary Care program which may be of use to you, and also to programs outside of RMA. Below is a list of programs offered by our Complementary Care team. These activities have been proven to help both women and men to improve their coping skills, decrease their stress, and achieve an overall improved sense of well-being while they are going through the rigors of fertility treatment. We encourage you to try as many of the following as you can, figure out which ones work for you… and then do them as much as possible.  SUPPORT GROUPS
INDIVIDUAL/MARITAL THERAPY Many patients will find that at some point during their fertility journey, they will benefit from counseling by a professional who understands the emotional complexities and challenges of fertility treatment and related issues. Sometimes this is done individually, and sometimes as a couple, depending on your specific issues and areas of concern. Often this is done when couples are at critical "decision points" in their treatment, i.e. whether or not to do IVF, use a donor, give up treatment, or pursue adoption. Dr. Lisa Tuttle is a clinical psychologist who sees many of our patients in the Norwalk area, and she can be reached at 852-9099. Jane Elisofan, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker who sees many of our patients in the Danbury area, and she can be reached at 431-3830. ACUPUNCTURE
Her areas of interest include infertility, anxiety, menstruation disorders, weight control and gastrointestinal problems. To make an appointment or obtain additional information about Jing or acupuncture in general, you may call her at 981-5439 or 329-9048.
Her clinical internships included the De-tox Acupuncture Program at the Fortune Society's Youthful Offender Program, and The Hospital of Joint Diseases, where the focus was on disabled women and issues of pain management, sleeplessness, medication side effects and depression.
For the past six years Amy has maintained a private practice in Westport with a focus on women's health, pain management and adjunctive cancer care. For more information or an appointment, please call Amy at 858-6286.
YOGA Yoga is an excellent way to reduce stress and muscle tension, induce relaxation, improve the clarity of your thinking, and improve your overall feelings of well-being (not to mention it improves flexibility and muscle tone). In addition to feeling less stressed, patients who do yoga regularly are often able to communicate more clearly with their doctors, make more satisfying decisions, and are able to sustain treatment with a more positive perspective. Lisa Rosenthal will be offering yoga classes at the RMA facility in Norwalk, and also in her yoga studio near Danbury. In addition, there are yoga studios in almost every town, and they are often available at your local YMCA or JCC. Look for a "gentle" style of yoga, such as Hatha yoga, and avoid the "power yoga" or "hot yoga" classes during this time. In addition to programs provided by the Complementary Care team, there are other activities which can be done at home which can also help patients tremendously to cope with the daily stress of fertility treatment: Meditation/Relaxation Exercise |
||||||
Support groups are incredibly helpful because they give you an opportunity to meet with others who are facing fertility challenges, and to learn coping skills that will help you through the process. Throughout the year, support groups are offered here at RMA free-of-charge. Norwalk-based groups are facilitated by Dr. Lisa Tuttle, clinical psychologist. Danbury-based groups are facilitated by Jane Elisofan, LCSW. Ask your nurse about any groups that might be helpful for you. There are also ongoing support groups offered free-of-charge by RESOLVE. These groups are "peer-run", i.e. there is not a professional running the group. You can find out about these groups by visiting 
Jing Zhang
Amy Matton
