The Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority and King’s Fertility consider counselling to be a key element in the provision of fertility services for the wellbeing of patients.
The journey to fertility can be exciting, joyous, hopeful. However, discovering you have fertility problems may be very difficult to come to terms with. Many patients and couples experience feelings of distress, loss, anxiety, sadness, isolation, frustration – all feelings that can seem overwhelming and difficult to deal with. These feelings may affect relationships with others – your partner, relatives, friends and colleagues at work. They may also affect self-esteem and sexual feelings. The counsellor is available to give time, support and provide therapy to patients who experience these feelings and want help in dealing with them.
Before starting your fertility treatment, you will have access to one of our BICA accredited counselling specialists. One session is included with your fertility cycle. Should you want to continue counselling, further sessions can be directly booked with the counsellor of your preference on a private basis. Counselling is available on an individual basis or if you are in a relationship you may wish to see the counsellor together. Counselling also gives time, outside the medical setting, to help you understand treatment options and their implications, consider whether to go ahead with treatment or not or perhaps to reflect on other options such as adoption.