Addressing Concerns with Lesbian Couples Experiencing Fertility Treatment: Using Relational Cultural Theory

Legal changes and increasing research surrounding the positive influence of lesbian parenting have spurred a resulting increase in lesbian couples pursuing parenting through various fertility measures. Increasing counselors' multicultural competence regarding the experiences unique to the lesbian population with fertility will strengthen the counseling process when working with lesbian couples interested in adding children to their family. Through the lens of relational cultural theory, this article uses the constructs of mutuality, empathy, and reciprocity to provide counseling implications for work with lesbian couples during the decision making and stressful process of fertility treatment, while focusing on strengthening the relationship.