Emotional Support. ivf.com.au IVF

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1 Emotional Support ivf.com.au IVF

2 Feel like talking with someone who understands what you are going through, will listen and if needed provide support and coping strategies? Sometimes you just want to talk, off load the emotions and thoughts racing through your mind and gain some perspective on whether these feelings are normal. We re here for you.

3 Supportive counselling Embarking on fertility treatment often means coping with a mixture of emotions, from joy and excitement, to grief and great disappointment and for many people this can be a very stressful time. IVFAustralia encourages all patients to access our free counselling service during the treatment cycle. Counselling offers you a forum for discussion which may assist you in making decisions about treatments and help you explore all options available. Talk to a counsellor about your concerns, find out how others cope and be reassured your reactions are normal. For some patients, counselling is mandatory, for example, those donating or receiving donated gametes or embryos during fertility treatment. Our comprehensive and confidential counselling support assists you to understand the range of emotions you and your partner may typically experience during a treatment cycle. Reaction to infertility Normal reactions to infertility may include shock, anger, frustration, sadness, confusion, anxiety, grief and sometimes a desire to withdraw from usual social contact. These are normal reactions people experience when dealing with a stressful situation. It can be helpful to talk to someone about your reactions and seek assistance in developing strategies for managing the symptoms and reducing the impact they have on your life. Experienced fertility counsellors Counselling gives you the opportunity to look at your responses, learn how to cope and develop emotionally, as an individual and as a couple, from your experience. Even with the significant advancements in fertility treatment success rates (almost 3% of all babies born in Australia today are conceived via assisted reproductive technology), it is common that over time uncertainty about if, or when, pregnancy will be achieved may have an impact on your self-esteem. Our team is experienced in supporting individuals and couples manage the emotional impact of dealing with fertility issues. The counsellors at IVFAustralia are all members of the Australian & New Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association with professional qualifications in psychology, social work and counselling. Many patients have felt reassured and strengthened from the counselling process, which is non-judgmental and professional.

4 When to see a counsellor It is important not to wait until you are overwhelmed before seeking counselling support. Our team of fertility specialists, nurses and scientists all provide counsel to patients. However, our specifically trained fertility counsellors can help at any time to: Provide independent, confidential support and someone to talk to about how you or your partner may be feeling Prepare you for your fertility treatments and discuss the options available when making decisions about changing or stopping treatments Work on your relationship with your partner to support your treatment Support you through the emotions involved in trying to achieve a pregnancy Cope with other people s pregnancies and births by providing protective (self preservation) strategies for couples when faced with emotional settings Discuss reactions of families, friends and work colleagues Explore some strategies to help you feel more in control Cope with unsuccessful treatment cycles and/or miscarriage Discuss the anxieties of pregnancy and preparation for parenthood Deal with the specific issues related to donor treatment cycles For those patients undergoing donor cycles or surrogacy, a number of counselling sessions are required for all parties involved prior to commencing any form of treatment. Range of services The IVFAustralia counselling team provides a range of services to suit your individual needs: Free counselling for people undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment cycles Free post cycle counselling session Evening workshops Information and referral advice Access IVFAustralia s exclusive online Fertility Forum available only for IVFAustralia patients at ivf.com.au/forum. Engage in open discussions about fertility issues and treatment experiences or simply observe and read about the experiences of others who are in a similar situation.

5 Counselling appointments Counselling is free of charge for those during and immediately post an IVF cycle. Appointments for counselling can be made with Reception. Your Counsellor Your Counselling Appointment date time Genetic counselling Genetic counselling is also available at IVFAustralia to provide individuals and families with current information and supportive counselling about hereditary conditions. If you have a concern when planning your family about a genetic condition that has affected other family members please make an appointment with our genetic team. For more information please see our brochure called Genetic Services. It is important not to wait until you are overwhelmed before seeking counselling support.

6 IVFAustralia s Network of Care Clinic Consultation & Monitoring Consulting Rooms Bondi Jn 16th Floor Westfield Tower 2, 500 Oxford St Burwood Suite 18 Level 7, Burwood Castle Hill Suite 4, Terminus St Dee Why Level 3, 834 Pittwater Road Gosford Level 2 Suite 24, 207 North Albany St Greenwich Level 2, 176 Pacific Highway Haymarket Level 5 Sussex Centre 401 Sussex St Kogarah Level 3 St George Private Hospital South St Liverpool Ground Floor Bigge St Maroubra Level 1, 225 Maroubra Rd Miranda Suite 4, Gibbs St Newcastle The Heights Private Medical Centre Lookout Rd New Lambton Heights HUNTER IVF NEW LAMBTON HEIGHTS St Leonards 16 Marshall Ave Sydney CBD Level 1, 33 York St Wahroonga Suite 103 Tulloch Building Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Road Wahroonga Westmead Level 2, Mons Rd GOSFORD WAHROONGA CASTLE HILL DEE WHY CHATSWOOD WESTMEAD BURWOOD LIVERPOOL GREENWICH ST LEONARDS. SYDNEY HAYMARKET BONDI JN RANDWICK MAROUBRA KOGARAH MIRANDA COMM-PI-004 8MAY2015