Mental Health Care Supports Patients on Fertility Journey To help weather ups and downs, Sanford integrates emotional support during care. BY SANFORD HEALTH
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ntegrating concern for mental health, along with attention to the root causes, is a point of emphasis for those who are hoping — and waiting — to have a baby. “It’s about focusing on the whole person,” said Tiffany Von Wald, M.D., who specializes in Fertility and Reproductive Medicine at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. “There is a mind-body connection that is a super-important piece of the fertility journey. Susan Wicks, a Sanford Health therapist, knows firsthand the struggles that surround challenges when trying to conceive. Based on her own personal experience, she can verify it can be difficult to cope. Effective care can go well beyond seeking
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physiological answers to questions about fertility. “It’s a unique situation,” she said. “I really look forward to being able to talk to women and help them build coping strategies, even in really difficult situations.”
Help is Down the Hall As part of that effort, Wicks now has an office down the hall from Sanford doctors who provide fertility care. She serves a vital role within a Sanford Health Fertility and Reproductive Medicine program that offers services, support and resources at every phase of starting a family.
