As well as providing emotional support, counselling can contribute to the reduction of symptoms related to stress, anxiety and low mood/depression.
What is the fertility counsellor’s role?
You can explore and discuss any difficulties, distress or uncertainty that you may be experiencing in a confidential setting.
The implications of fertility treatment or gamete and embryo donation/storage on your health and well-being can also be explored.
Who can access the counselling service?
Our counselling is available for everyone.
For people who are undergoing certain treatments, providing counselling is required part of the centre’s licence conditions and is built into treatment.
These include:
- Surrogacy arrangements as an intended parent
- Surrogates
- Egg sharers
- Treatment with donated eggs, sperm or embryos, including mitochondrial donation.
All of the above patients will have at least one counselling session prior to signing consent forms. This is to ensure that all psychological impacts are explored and patients are fully informed before proceeding.
Counsellor details and access to the service
Our counsellor is Sean Lowden (BA Hons) Counselling, MBACP (Accredited), BICA Foundation (Cert)
His working hours are 9.30am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday. Appointments are currently available at 10am, 11.30 am, 2pm or 4pm each day.
You can ask the fertility team to refer you for counselling or self-refer by emailing: [email protected]
We offer up to 3 counselling sessions. You may attend the session alone or with your partner. Each session lasts up to one hour.
We aim to be as flexible as possible by providing face-to-face, telephone or video appointments.
Confidentiality
What you talk about during your counselling session is private and confidential between you and the counsellor.
There are however, situations when the counsellor cannot hold information you share as private and confidential.
The counsellor has a duty of care to contact the appropriate authorities if any of the above surface during your session(s).
They may discuss your case information in the confidential setting of their clinical supervision.
The counsellor keeps digitally secure brief notes on your session(s). You and the courts/police have a legal right to access these notes. If these notes were requested, we would seek your permission to release them.
Have you used our fertility counselling service?
We value your opinion. This short survey is designed to learn about your experience with our counselling service.
Your feedback will help us improve the quality of care we provide to you and other patients.
The survey takes only a few minutes, your responses are completely anonymous and it’s entirely voluntary.
Support and resources
Donor Conception Network
Daisy Network (Premature Menopause Support Group)
The Miscarriage Association
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)
Visit the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) website
Childlessness Overcome Through Surrogacy (COTS)
The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
Visit The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust website
HIMFertility (Male Infertility Support)
Social media
Instagram: @NewcastleFertility
