Counselling
The difficulties associated with trying to conceive and a diagnosis of infertility can often be a major life crisis. Many conflicting feelings and strong emotions arise and often their strength and intensity are greater than those we are used to dealing with. These feelings can often be helped with the emotional support of a trained counsellor in assited conception, who will give you the time and space needed to deal with the situation.Some form of medical intervention, assisted conception service or treatment may become necessary to improve your chances of becoming pregnant. In these circumstances, it is particularly important that you have the opportunity to ask all the questions that you may have about assisted conception services, to access information that you need and to feel prepared and ready for whatever lies ahead.
Discussing the emotional implications for yourselves, your existing children and family relationships will ensure that an informed decision is made which feels right for you. Patients considering certain assisted conception services treatments, namely those where donor eggs or sperm are used are usually given a counselling appointment at some stage. Counselling in these instances is to discuss the implications of the proposed treatment. These treatments need careful consideration with an objective counsellor to ensure that the course of action is the appropriate one, to consider the needs of a future child, and to take into account the welfare of any existing children. Counselling for patients wishing to use the long term freezing and storage facilities, including those wishing to store excess embryos from an in vitro fertilisation cycle, focus upon the legal, moral and ethical issues that may concern some people with this process.
It is recognised that some of the treatments and assisted conception services and the time spent waiting for results or further tests is very stressful. Stress can become very debilitating both to ourselves and our relationships. In addition, there are likely to be times when important decisions have to be made, and often these are easier and clearer to make when the situation is talked through with an objective outsider who can offer the necessary time, confidentiality and experience. Support and therapeutic counselling is offered at any stage of treatment, particularly if it is unsuccessful. It is for these reasons that counselling is encouraged Implications and support counselling is free of charge, and is seen to be an integral part of treatment and patient care. Although certain situations have been mentioned where counselling is recommended or might help, they are not the only indications for having an appointment. Anyone at any stage, before, during or after treatment will be seen if they wish, and in most situations the agenda is entirely up to you.
If you are not offered an appointment and you wish to make one, please do not hesitate to mention it to any member of staff. To make an appointment please telephone the clinic on 0207 616 6767 or if you prefer you can call one of the counsellors directly to make an appointment with them personally.
Our counsellors are :
Caroline McLean BACP, UKRC, Accredited Counsellor
Tel: 07930 824504
Sophie Besse, BICA Accredited Psychotherapist, French and English speaking
Tel : 0795 415 3038
