About me
Fertility & Infertility Counsellor | Reproductive Trauma and PTSD Therapist | London & Online
If you are going through infertility and fertility treatments you may find yourself experiencing a mix of emotions you never expected such as fear, grief, anger, envy, anxiety, helplessness and uncertainty.
Perhaps you are just about to start your first IVF or have had repeated unsuccessful treatments, a miscarriage or you may be considering donor conception or surrogacy. Perhaps you are trying to come to terms with involuntary childlessness. You may be feeling isolated and that other people don't really understand what you are going through.
You may be thinking
“Why can’t my body do what it is meant to?”
“How much longer can I do this for? Will I ever have a baby?”
“Who am I?”
“What if it never works?”
Supporting you through the fertility struggles
Infertility can affect every part of life. It can change how you feel about your body, your relationships, your future and even your sense of who you are.
I help people through the emotional roller coaster of infertility, IVF, miscarriage, use of donor eggs/sperm, surrogacy, and involuntary childlessness, offering support so that you can feel less alone and a bit more grounded during this often very challenging and uncertain time.
You may be struggling with:
- unexplained infertility
- infertility following an early ovarian failure, azoospermia or cancer treatment
- fertility treatments due to being in a same sex relationship
- IVF and unsuccessful fertility treatments
- miscarriage and pregnancy loss
- baby loss
- donor eggs or sperm
- considering surrogacy
- difficult decisions about fertility treatments
- involuntary childlessness
- anxiety and uncertainty around treatment
- the effect of fertility difficulties on your relationship
- feelings of grief, isolation, anger or loss
Therapy with someone who understands what it's really like can help make sense of all the emotions, questions, decisions, advice; whether you are at the start, in the midst of, or at the end of your treatment.
When fertility experiences become overwhelming
Some fertility experiences can be deeply distressing or traumatic. Repeated procedures, pregnancy loss, unsuccessful treatment and prolonged uncertainty can leave you feeling anxious, disconnected from your body or constantly on alert.
My specialist fertility counselling training, together with my training in Somatic Trauma Therapy with Babette Rothschild, informs the way I support people who have been affected by difficult or overwhelming experiences.
I work gently and collaboratively, respecting that everyone's experience is different.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am a fully trained and qualified Gestalt counsellor and I received specialist training in Fertility Counselling with the British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA). I also had the privilege and honour to train with Babette Rothschild in Somatic Trauma Therapy and now assist Babette in training other therapists in Somatic Trauma Therapy.
I have experience of working with a diverse population of clients as a counsellor for NHS, and for the Camden Council Parent and Carer Counselling Service. I currently facilitate a support group with Fertility Alliance – a group for people struggling to conceive their first child.
I offer counselling in London and online, and I also offer counselling in Polish.
I believe you don't need to arrive at counselling knowing exactly what you want to say or what needs to change. We can begin wherever you are.
Take the first step
If you are considering counselling but are unsure whether it is right for you, I offer a free introductory conversation. It is an opportunity to tell me a little about what you are experiencing, ask any questions and see whether you feel comfortable working with me.
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
£80.00 per session
When I work
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Lunch time sessions may be available please enquire.
