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Join me and Dr. Nisa Darroux for a conversation about her PhD dissertation focused on the disenfranchised grief of childless women.

About the Dissertation

Based on the interviews with the 10 involuntary childless women in my study it was shown that the disenfranchised grief they experienced affected several areas of their lives such as family relationships, friendships, and relationships with work colleagues.

One participant noted that she could not think of one single human interaction that her involuntary childless grief did not affect.

This study also showed that involuntary childless women were affected psychologically as they questioned their identity and experienced feelings of low self-esteem, as well as grieved the loss of the opportunity to become mothers.

Effects of involuntary childlessness can persist for prolonged periods. One participant has been grieving her involuntary childlessness for 24 years.

This study also showed the difficulties that women had in finding belonging in their churches. Several participants noted that the programs in their churches are focused on children and families, as such they felt as if their needs are not being considered.

Adverse mental health issues can result from involuntary childlessness as it was shown that the women in the study experienced grief , anger, sadness and loneliness among other emotions.

When these negative emotions are not given the attention that is needed, they can lead to more complicated issues.

It is important for persons in the professions of mental health, counseling, and clergy to be educated that non-death loss produces grief. As such there is loss and grief that can come from involuntary childlessness. The hope is that having this information will help them to better serve the involuntary childless women in their clinics and congregations.

Medical personnel especially those who administer fertility treatments should aim to work from a more comprehensive approach so that their outcomes are not only to ensure that a woman gets pregnant but that her emotional health is taken into consideration.

About Dr. Nisa Darroux

Dr. Nisa Darroux has a diverse background in child welfare operations, counseling, and financial management. She currently works with the Department of Health and Human Services. Nisa has a doctoral degree, an Ed.D in Community Care and Counseling with an emphasis in Marriage and Family. She is also a Certified Public Accountant. Nisa has a passion for helping women and has been a mentor and counselor to many women struggling with issues such as identity, self-esteem, self-care and creating healthy boundaries. Her dissertation topic for her doctoral degree was An Analysis of the Disenfranchised Grief of Involuntary Childless Women. As an involuntary childless woman, Nisa felt that it was important to create awareness of the loss and grief experienced by women who are childless not by choice, seeing that their grief is often ignored, invalidated, and minimized. She loves orchids and has a number of them in her home. She is also a big music lover, especially instrumental jazz.

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