Introducing myself and my journal: Ever Upward

About Me:
MY STORY
My name is Justine Brooks Froelker. In February 2011, my husband and I began our journey in the world of IVF. Gestational surrogacy was the safest way for us to have our children since I had two back surgeries in high school (including a year of my life spent in a body cast). IVF and 3 babies never to be born later, Ever Upward is conceived. After much mourning, confusion, anger and sadness, I got back up and started doing the work. The work to redefine; my life, myself, everything.

MY MESSAGE
A big part of this journey has been telling my story, and ultimately educating people on how difficult, expensive and painful IVF can be and that sometimes you just don’t get the joy of motherhood from it. And telling my story to model, because we need to talk about it! And that yes, sometimes it is okay to say no more. And even more, it is okay to say adoption isn’t for you. And that after the work, you can take the step forward into a fulfilled childfree life and stop being stuck in the childless life, even in this, our child obsessed world. But, mostly we must talk about it in order to embrace it all and practice our recoveries. Because only then will we own it all and find our ever upward.

OUR STORY
Ever Upward is not the typical infertility blog filled with follicle counts, Clomid crazy train side effects and recounts of painful procedures. It is filled with struggle, hope and recovery, it is a blog about life. Ever Upward is my story, and yet every couple’s story; parent or not, because behind the wall of silence, shame, the smile, and the ‘I can do everything’ attitude lies millions of people suffering in silence with the pain of infertility and recovery. And yet our connection to our stories, is the only way back to the truth of who we are, to own ourselves again.

MY PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator (based on the research of Brené Brown) with a private practice in St. Louis, Missouri. For the last 14 years I’ve worked with clients using a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution Focused Therapy in a straight-forward and non-shaming approach to create a safe space for clients to address concerns. I have extensive experience working with all ages on such concerns as anxiety, depression, relationships, infertility, addictions, perfectionism, eating and weight issues and common discontent.

In addition to my private practice, I am an adjunct faculty member at Saint Louis Community College, where I teach General Psychology. Additionally, I write as an expert therapist for the monthly publication St. Louis Health & Wellness Magazine. I also can be seen regularly on the St. Louis KMOV live midday show, Great Day St. Louis.

My Passions:
friends, family, dogs, nature, dance, music, self care

My Challenges:
infertility, shame, recovery

My Vision for the Future:
Women are able to use their voices and own all the parts of their story.

My Areas of Expertise:
mental health, infertility, depression, anxiety, recovery