Words of Wellbeing
What would you say?
Whether it’s a letter to yourself, to your partner, a workmate or even someone who cared for you in hospital – what would you like to say about your experience, about what worked for you, what didn’t work and perhaps what to avoid?
We want to open up the conversation for those who feel able to talk about it, tackling the stigma, and remind people that they are not alone, however isolated they feel.
If you’d like to get involved, we would be grateful to you for sharing your thoughts with us.
How to get involved
Getting involved is simple and we hope is a thought-provoking process for everyone:
- Pick who you would like to write to (see ideas below)
- Start your letter with Dear <name>
(please note, real names will not be published by our team, but we know that writing the name can be helpful in this process) - Feel free to be creative – so many of us have chosen different ways to express themselves: song, video, poetry, drawing, art – don’t feel that letters are the only way to do this
- It can be as long or as short as you wish
- Share your letter with our team via kerri@ectopic.org.uk
Words of Wellbeing is a way for you to express yourself as freely as you wish. We aim to use your words to share selected content on our social media channels and website but unfortunately may not be able to share everyone’s experience. We may need to edit for sense/confidentiality and will only use first names or initials for your privacy. Please note that any letters sent to us will not be forwarded to any doctors/hospitals/organisations. Our support services are available and includes information on finding qualified professional counsellors/therapists.
Below we have some ideas for letters that you may want to write each day. Of course, the choice is yours and feel free to write to whomever you feel would help at this time.
Dear Me
What would you say… to you?
So many of us who have experienced an ectopic pregnancy are all too aware of the complex range of emotions felt at the time.
Sometimes it is hard to make sense of them when you are in the midst of it all and that can be overwhelming.
And whilst we know that time and support from friends, family, and organisations like the EPT can help - sometimes the best sense of comfort and wellbeing can come from inside our own selves.
So, what would ‘you now’ say to ‘you then’, if you had the chance?
Dear Care Staff
What would you say… to those who care for us?
When your job is working daily with people going through pregnancy and baby loss, how do you maintain your own wellbeing?
Are you someone who has experienced loss that would like to say something to the people in hospital that cared for you?
Perhaps you are a key worker who wants to share with others how you cope?
What would you like to say?
Dear Siblings
What would you like to say to the children that were there throughout your experience? How do you tell a brother or sister?
Or perhaps the adult siblings amongst us that have supported us in such a way that you would like to acknowledge.
Maybe you have kept some of it from them to try and protect them or maybe you have gone through it together.
Whatever the situation, what would you tell them to help them process their own feelings and confusion?
Dear Partner
What would you like to say to your partner?
Ectopic pregnancy is something that affects everyone and often the partner of the person going through treatment can feel helpless, scared and completely confused.
Maybe you would like to write a letter to your partner? You could tell them your feelings about their support over this time, or all the things you don’t feel able to say out loud yet.
Or perhaps you are a partner who would like to share how you felt or feel about your experience?
What would you like to say?
Dear Each Other
What would you say to the people in your community?
The people you live alongside, work with, the family and friends around you.
Perhaps you are someone who wants to share how your community helped you through your experience.
Or you could be a member of a community wanting to show how you support those who experience loss. Or what can be done better.
Maybe you want to share how someone at work or in your community found it difficult to provide the support you needed and how to get it right?
Dear Baby
What do you want to tell the baby that you had hoped for?
Perhaps your pregnancy was unexpected and you are surprised and confused and want to try to make sense of it all.
This may be one of the hardest letters to write, but it is possibly one of the most important ones to help you express your feelings.
This might be one you choose share with us or others, or not. It might be just for you and that is absolutely fine. It doesn’t even need to make sense - because nothing else about this does - and that is okay too.