Fertility Counselling

Fertility Counselling includes anyone affected by the subject of fertility as they endeavour to have a baby and the struggles that can be experienced.

Fertility Counselling

What is infertility?

Infertility during reproductive years is classified as ‘a disease of the male or female reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Infertility may occur due to male, female or unexplained factors. Treatment of infertility often involves in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other types of medically assisted reproduction.’ (HFEA 2024)

Infertility can be a result of medical intervention or medication.  Infertility is also a stage of the ageing process for women when they reach the menopause and lose the ability to conceive, and for men, when they reach an age when their sperm is no longer viable to create babies. There is however a physiological gender imbalance as for women, this stage can be much earlier in the life span than men. Navigating the physiological changes brought on by loss of fertility should not be underestimated as it can cause emotional distress in the readjustment when moving to elder years.

Infertility is categorised as either ‘primary’ or ‘secondary’. Primary infertility when a pregnancy has never been achieved by a person, and secondary infertility is when at least one prior pregnancy has been achieved.

In the latest WHO (World Health Organisation) report it was estimated that approximately one in every six people of reproductive age worldwide experience infertility in their lifetime. One third being diagnosed as male infertility, one third women and the remaining third unexplained.

What is Fertility Counselling?

Fertility Counselling can benefit anyone affected by the subject of fertility as they endeavour to have a baby and the struggles that can be experienced.  Counselling could be helpful for individual women and men, same sex couples and transgender people considering storing eggs and sperm.

The mental health impact of in/fertility is a key element which is often overlooked. Counselling can help within a family group for relatives and friends who need to process the impact of infertility as they support someone affected. This is particularly important for those who need to use donor gametes to create a family and the complexity this evokes.

Fertility counselling is multi-layered and relational work is implicit in the support. Navigating infertility is one of the biggest challenges an individual and couple can face. In society it can feel a natural assumption that couples will have babies, but when this is difficult or impossible it is an extremely challenging time.

Our fertility counsellor is mindful of the impact that infertility has on a couple. Whilst working with the presenting difficulty of having a baby, attention is also focused on the relationship and the impact that infertility has on each partner individually and together.

Fertility counselling can be short or longer term, depending on the needs of clients.  The focus is on the emotional impact of infertility for the individual, their partner (if there is one), close family members or friends and all this encompasses. The therapeutic process supports the client to process and come to an informed choice of the path they wish to take as they navigate through potential complexities.

 

Our Expertise

  • Dealing with the emotional impact of infertility on individuals and couples
  • Coping with unexplained infertility and the inability to conceive
  • Accepting and processing a diagnosis and exploring the potential for fertility treatment and the complexity this brings
  • Support for relationships and the wider family
  • Loss and grief counselling for early miscarriage, neo-natal death and still birth
  • Emotional management of physiological and medical reasons for infertility
  • Loss of fertility due to medical procedures/treatments
  • Consideration of social egg freezing
  • Consideration of using donor egg or sperm
  • Post menopausal support and the subsequent of loss of fertility

Our Fees

£130

Fertility Counselling 60 minute Appointment

£65

Fertility Counselling 30 minute Appointment

Welcome back to another #fridaycheckin! This Friday, Dr Alex checks in with our boundaries over the Christmas Period 🎄
 
🌟Setting and communicating boundaries with your friends and families over the festive period can help reduce stress and ensure you spend your time in a way that doesn’t negatively impact your wellbeing.
 
Dr Alex reminds us that:

1. It’s okay not to go home for the holidays.
2. It’s okay to need a break if you’re hosting.
3. It’s okay to need alone time if you’re visiting.
4. It’s okay to disengage from controversial conversations.

We encourage you to practice setting boundaries this Christmas period to give yourself the gift of feeling joyful, peaceful and empowered 🎁 
 
#boundaries #fridaycheckin #theedinburghpractice #mentalhealth

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Welcome back to another #fridaycheckin! This Friday, Dr Alex checks in with our boundaries over the Christmas Period 🎄   🌟Setting and communicating boundaries with your friends and families over the festive period can help reduce stress and ensure you spend your time in a way that doesn’t negatively impact your wellbeing.   Dr Alex reminds us that: 1. It’s okay not to go home for the holidays. 2. It’s okay to need a break if you’re hosting. 3. It’s okay to need alone time if you’re visiting. 4. It’s okay to disengage from controversial conversations. We encourage you to practice setting boundaries this Christmas period to give yourself the gift of feeling joyful, peaceful and empowered 🎁    #boundaries #fridaycheckin #theedinburghpractice #mentalhealth

This week is National Grief Awareness Week.

🔦 We are supporting @thegoodgrieftrust campaign, with this year’s theme being ‘Shine a Light’.

🫶 It’s important to normalise grief and make those around us aware that it’s often not something that will ever completely go away. It’s often about finding ways of coping with the grief. This week is about encouraging empathy, compassion, and support for those who are grieving, emphasising that grief if universal and often a challenging part of the human experience.

🎄 Grief can feel especially heavy during the festive season, a time often filled with memories of those we’ve lost. Let’s acknowledge the pain that can come with Christmas and offer compassion to ourselves and others. It’s okay to miss them, to feel it all, and to take the season at your own pace and do it in your own way. You may want to think of meaningful ways to remember the person, or people, you have lost this festive season.

To participate in National Grief Awareness Week, we can:
💛 Support a grieving friend
💛 Practice self-care if you are grieving
💛 Educate others - The Good Grief Trust’s website have a lot of short video clips offering support as well as sharing stories of those that have lost a loved one (https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org). Another resource is The Good Grief Project, which offer a range of different workshops for bereaved parents and siblings (https://thegoodgriefproject.co.uk)

#ShineALight #GriefAwareness #YouAreNotAlone #TheEdinburghPractice

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This week is National Grief Awareness Week. 🔦 We are supporting @thegoodgrieftrust campaign, with this year’s theme being ‘Shine a Light’. 🫶 It’s important to normalise grief and make those around us aware that it’s often not something that will ever completely go away. It’s often about finding ways of coping with the grief. This week is about encouraging empathy, compassion, and support for those who are grieving, emphasising that grief if universal and often a challenging part of the human experience. 🎄 Grief can feel especially heavy during the festive season, a time often filled with memories of those we’ve lost. Let’s acknowledge the pain that can come with Christmas and offer compassion to ourselves and others. It’s okay to miss them, to feel it all, and to take the season at your own pace and do it in your own way. You may want to think of meaningful ways to remember the person, or people, you have lost this festive season. To participate in National Grief Awareness Week, we can: 💛 Support a grieving friend 💛 Practice self-care if you are grieving 💛 Educate others - The Good Grief Trust’s website have a lot of short video clips offering support as well as sharing stories of those that have lost a loved one (https://www.thegoodgrieftrust.org). Another resource is The Good Grief Project, which offer a range of different workshops for bereaved parents and siblings (https://thegoodgriefproject.co.uk) #ShineALight #GriefAwareness #YouAreNotAlone #TheEdinburghPractice

This Friday we are checking in with our brain health! 🧠✨
 
Dr Julia is here to share insights from the 2024 update to the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care. The updated study reveals that nearly half of all dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors throughout the lifespan.
 
In Midlife these include:
👂 Hearing loss
🫀High LDL cholesterol
😔 Depression
🧠 Traumatic brain injury
🛋️ Physical inactivity
💊 Diabetes
🚬 Smoking
📈 Hypertension
🩺 Obesity
🍷 Excessive alcohol
 
In Late life these include:
👤 Social isolation
🚗💨 Air pollution
👁️ Visual loss
 
Taking steps to address these risks could make a significant difference in brain health and dementia prevention!
 
Explore the full article here:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01296-0/abstract
 
Or have a look at the infographic here:
https://www.thelancet.com/pb/assets/raw/Lancet/infographics/dementia-2017/image-1721911723223.pdf
 
#BrainHealth #DementiaPrevention #TheEdinburghPractice

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This Friday we are checking in with our brain health! 🧠✨   Dr Julia is here to share insights from the 2024 update to the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care. The updated study reveals that nearly half of all dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors throughout the lifespan.   In Midlife these include:
👂 Hearing loss 🫀High LDL cholesterol 😔 Depression 🧠 Traumatic brain injury 🛋️ Physical inactivity 💊 Diabetes 🚬 Smoking 📈 Hypertension 🩺 Obesity 🍷 Excessive alcohol   In Late life these include: 👤 Social isolation 🚗💨 Air pollution 👁️ Visual loss   Taking steps to address these risks could make a significant difference in brain health and dementia prevention!   Explore the full article here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01296-0/abstract   Or have a look at the infographic here: https://www.thelancet.com/pb/assets/raw/Lancet/infographics/dementia-2017/image-1721911723223.pdf   #BrainHealth #DementiaPrevention #TheEdinburghPractice

Welcome back to another #fridaycheckin! This week we are introducing our YouTube channel (@TheEdinburghPractice1)!
 
🎥 Head on over to our YouTube channel to watch videos about our mental health practice including videos on how to make a self-referral, our different assessment processes, the neurodiversity support we offer and meet a handful of our lovely clinicians as they speak about important mental health topics!
 
Don’t forget to like and subscribe! Link in bio 💛

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Welcome back to another #fridaycheckin! This week we are introducing our YouTube channel (@TheEdinburghPractice1)!   🎥 Head on over to our YouTube channel to watch videos about our mental health practice including videos on how to make a self-referral, our different assessment processes, the neurodiversity support we offer and meet a handful of our lovely clinicians as they speak about important mental health topics!   Don’t forget to like and subscribe! Link in bio 💛

November is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to bring much-needed attention to the unique struggles men face when it comes to mental health. Despite growing conversations about mental health, men can often struggle to seek support, sometimes this may be due to societal expectations or fear of stigma.

🙏 It’s important to remember that mental health challenges don’t discriminate based on gender, and being open about these challenges is a sign of strength, not weakness. This month, let’s break the silence and make it known that it’s okay to talk, ask for help, and support one another.

💛 If you’re struggling, know that you are not alone. Whether it’s speaking to a friend, family member, or a professional, reaching out is a brave and powerful step. And if you’re not sure how to support a loved one, sometimes just listening and being present makes all the difference. Let’s work together to create a world where men feel safe to share, heal, and grow.

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November is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to bring much-needed attention to the unique struggles men face when it comes to mental health. Despite growing conversations about mental health, men can often struggle to seek support, sometimes this may be due to societal expectations or fear of stigma. 🙏 It’s important to remember that mental health challenges don’t discriminate based on gender, and being open about these challenges is a sign of strength, not weakness. This month, let’s break the silence and make it known that it’s okay to talk, ask for help, and support one another. 💛 If you’re struggling, know that you are not alone. Whether it’s speaking to a friend, family member, or a professional, reaching out is a brave and powerful step. And if you’re not sure how to support a loved one, sometimes just listening and being present makes all the difference. Let’s work together to create a world where men feel safe to share, heal, and grow.

This Friday we are checking in with our Speech and Language Therapist Michelle!
 
Michelle is one of the lead clinicians for our child autism assessments, she is passionate about improving outcomes for individuals who have neurodevelopmental differences. Michelle’s clinical work holds individuals and their families at the centre to help them understand their neurodevelopmental profile and provide supports to reduce the impact of any challenges.
 
At TEP, we provide ‘gold-standard’ autism assessments, ensuring that individuals and families can access expert clinical assessments in a timely manner.
 
Check out our new practice videos on our YouTube Channel to find out more! (link in bio)
 
#fridaycheckin #theedinburghpractice

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This Friday we are checking in with our Speech and Language Therapist Michelle!   Michelle is one of the lead clinicians for our child autism assessments, she is passionate about improving outcomes for individuals who have neurodevelopmental differences. Michelle’s clinical work holds individuals and their families at the centre to help them understand their neurodevelopmental profile and provide supports to reduce the impact of any challenges.   At TEP, we provide ‘gold-standard’ autism assessments, ensuring that individuals and families can access expert clinical assessments in a timely manner.   Check out our new practice videos on our YouTube Channel to find out more! (link in bio)   #fridaycheckin #theedinburghpractice

This week, TEP are supporting #antibullyingweek!
 
The theme this year is ‘Choose Respect’ which has come about following consultation with teachers and pupils by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) who are the official organisers of this important week. Teachers and children wanted a theme that empowered them to do something positive to counter the harm and hurt that bullying causes.
 
We know that the term ‘respect’ can mean different things to different people. When we talk about respect, we talk about showing that you value someone, including valuing their feelings, views, and opinions, even if they differ from yours. We also talk about accepting and understanding others, giving others the same consideration you would expect for yourself.
 
We also want to highlight that bullying does not end in the playground, but can continue for adults within the workplace and at home.
 
How to actively ‘Choose Respect’:
 
⭐️Actively listening: making effort to listen to other’s perspective without interrupting
⭐️Use “I” statements: Frame your thoughts and feelings using “I” statements to avoid accusing others
⭐️Stay calm and take breaks if you feel overwhelmed
⭐️Focus on behaviour not character
⭐️Seek common ground
⭐️Reflect and learn
 
We encourage you to always ‘Choose Respect’ even if you don’t always agree with others or even like them.
 
#antibullyingweek #ChooseRespect #mentalhealth #theedinburghpractice

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This week, TEP are supporting #antibullyingweek!   The theme this year is ‘Choose Respect’ which has come about following consultation with teachers and pupils by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) who are the official organisers of this important week. Teachers and children wanted a theme that empowered them to do something positive to counter the harm and hurt that bullying causes.   We know that the term ‘respect’ can mean different things to different people. When we talk about respect, we talk about showing that you value someone, including valuing their feelings, views, and opinions, even if they differ from yours. We also talk about accepting and understanding others, giving others the same consideration you would expect for yourself.   We also want to highlight that bullying does not end in the playground, but can continue for adults within the workplace and at home.   How to actively ‘Choose Respect’:   ⭐️Actively listening: making effort to listen to other’s perspective without interrupting ⭐️Use “I” statements: Frame your thoughts and feelings using “I” statements to avoid accusing others ⭐️Stay calm and take breaks if you feel overwhelmed ⭐️Focus on behaviour not character ⭐️Seek common ground ⭐️Reflect and learn   We encourage you to always ‘Choose Respect’ even if you don’t always agree with others or even like them.   #antibullyingweek #ChooseRespect #mentalhealth #theedinburghpractice