Fertility Counselling at JIVA: Emotional Support for Your Fertility Journey

Introduction: Why emotional support matters on a fertility journey?

Fertility treatment can be one of life’s most hopeful and vulnerable experiences. Alongside medical appointments and practical decisions, people often face intense emotions such as grief, anxiety, relief, confusion and hope, sometimes all on the same day.

Fertility counselling offers a safe, compassionate space to explore these feelings, make informed choices and find practical ways to cope.

At JIVA Fertility, we provide personalised support at every stage of your fertility journey, recognising that emotional wellbeing and medical care go hand in hand.

What is Fertility Counselling and who is it for?

Fertility counselling is a specialised form of support focused on the emotional, relational and practical challenges of fertility treatment and family-building.

It is for anyone affected by fertility issues: individuals or couples. Whether you are considering IVF treatment, exploring egg freezing options, thinking about donor sperm, eggs or embryos, or coping with loss after treatment, counselling can help you process decisions and manage stress.

How can counselling help during fertility treatment?

A counsellor usually creates a confidential, non-judgmental space to:

• Listen to your story
• Explore emotional reactions and coping strategies
• Discuss relationship or communication challenges
• Provide implications counselling where donor gametes are involved
• Work through decision-making

Fertility counselling sessions vary depending on your needs and may include a single session, a short series of meetings, or ongoing support throughout a treatment pathway such as IVF or egg freezing.

What is implications counselling for donor sperm, eggs or embryos?

When donor eggs, sperm or embryos are part of building a family, implications counselling provides a safe space to talk through not just the practical and legal aspects, but also the very real emotions that can come with this choice.

Many people experience feelings of loss or genetic grief alongside hope for the future, and counselling can help you process those emotions.

We’ll explore together:

• How and when to share your child’s story with them
• Ways to navigate family dynamics
• How to approach questions about identity and genetics

At JIVA Fertility, we understand that donor conception is a different but equally valid way of creating a family, and we’re here to support you in making choices that feel fully informed and emotionally grounded.

Is counselling inclusive of LGBTQ+ and solo parents?

Yes. Fertility counselling at JIVA Fertility is intentionally inclusive. We recognise that family-building looks different for everyone and provide a safe, confidential environment for people of all genders, identities and relationships.

Our counsellor is an expert in the specific challenges faced by LGBTQ+ couples and solo parents, from navigating assisted conception options to talking through legal and social considerations.

Can counselling help with relationship strains?

Fertility challenges can put pressure on partnerships. Counselling can support couples to:

• Communicate more clearly
• Manage expectations
• Rebuild intimacy after treatment setbacks
• Make shared decisions about next steps

It can also help where decisions are being made individually, ensuring each person feels heard and supported.

Does counselling replace medical advice?

Fertility counselling complements medical care. While counsellors focus on emotions, relationships and decision-making, the medical team handles clinical treatment plans and advice.

At JIVA Fertility, we aim to provide holistic care, so counselling and clinical teams work alongside each other to support patients’ overall wellbeing.

What about confidentiality and safety? Is counselling confidential?

Counselling is offered in a confidential, respectful setting. Counsellors follow professional confidentiality and data protection standards.

If there are exceptional safeguarding concerns, counsellors will explain limits to confidentiality and discuss how they would proceed.

What if I am not sure I need counselling?

Many people find a few early sessions helpful to set expectations and develop coping tools, while others seek support later if they experience:

• Loss
• Repeated treatment disappointments
• Complex decisions about donor treatment or egg freezing

Counselling is available flexibly and can be tailored to your circumstances.

How can counselling support decisions about egg freezing?

Counselling can help you weigh emotional and practical factors around egg freezing, such as:

• Timing
• Expectations of success
• Financial considerations
• Feelings about future use of stored eggs

It offers a space to align your values and priorities with your choices, reducing future regret and uncertainty.

What kind of support does JIVA Fertility offer?

At JIVA Fertility, we provide compassionate, specialist counselling integrated with clinical services.

Our approach is personalised, whether you are preparing for IVF treatment, exploring donor options, considering egg freezing, or navigating the emotional aftermath of treatment.

We offer:

• One-to-one and couple sessions
• Implication counselling for donor treatments
• Supportive conversations that respect cultural, gender and family diversity

Meet our specialist counsellor

Angela Pericleous-Smith is the Senior Specialist Fertility Counsellor at JIVA Fertility.

She specialises in supporting individuals and couples as they navigate the emotional, psychological and practical challenges of fertility treatment.

Angela brings experience, warmth and sensitivity to counselling sessions, helping patients feel heard, informed and emotionally prepared for decisions about treatment and family-building.

Conclusion: You don’t have to manage this alone

Fertility journeys are mostly straightforward, occasionally they are made up of medical choices, everyday realities and deep emotions.

Fertility counselling offers a steadying presence through uncertainty: a confidential, inclusive space to process feelings, strengthen relationships, and make informed decisions.

Whether you are at the start of your journey, amid treatment, or considering donor options or egg freezing, compassionate counselling can help you move forward with more clarity and emotional resilience.

If you would like to learn more about how counselling fits into fertility care, we are available to explain how support can be tailored to your needs.

‍Book an appointment today.

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