Episode 39 - Sandra's Story

Today on Finding Space, I'm joined by Sandra who shares her own journey, which included multiple surgeries for endometriosis, IVF, and the devastating turn her life took following a traumatic pregnancy loss that changed her life forever.Recently, as part of her Psychology degree, Sandra completed a qualitative research study exploring the experiences of 11 involuntarily childless midlife women (aged 40–55) living in the pronatalist state of Ireland.We talk about grief that often goes unseen, identity, friendships, and what it means to live in a society where motherhood is often seen as the expected path.Sandra also shares the key findings from her study, including what needs to change, the concept of post-traumatic growth, and the possibility of finding meaning and new possibilities after loss.You'll hear us talk about infertility, IVF, pregnancy loss, hysterectomy, childlessness not by choice, grief, identity after loss, post-traumatic growth, and the lived experiences of involuntarily childless women in Ireland. This is a powerful conversation about, resilience, belonging, and finding meaning after heartbreak.As always, please take care while listening.You will find support links and resources in the show notes below.💛If this episode resonated with you, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments on Spotify.Sharing, rating or reviewing the podcast really helps these conversations reach more people.Connect with Me:Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Findingspace_dk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected]⁠Resources & Support:Music Credit to Purple Planet 55245402