Fertility Counselling Service

We provide a counselling service which offers support, understanding and information for all our patients.  Our Counsellors offer a professional, reliable service, are fully qualified and have specialist additional training in fertility issues.

Counselling offers you time and space to safely explore difficult thoughts and feelings in a confidential and supportive setting.   We can help you gain insight and understanding, find new ways of coping emotionally, help you to manage bad news and support you with difficult decisions about future options.

Counselling is available to every couple or individual before, during and after treatment and you may be referred by your Doctor, Nurse, Embryologist or can request an appointment yourself.  Donor patients are routinely referred to the counselling service to discuss implications of treatment and these should always be attended with your partner.

Our counsellors:

Beverley Loftus –  Lead Counsellor

Beverley has worked at St. Marys Hospital as a Fertility Counsellor since 2008 and has experience in several other areas or practice including mental health, bereavement, and general private practice.  Beverley qualified as a Person-Centred Counsellor in 2007 and received her Diploma from Salford University. Beverley continues to develop her skills by attending ongoing training courses and supervision to meet professional standards.

Beverley is a member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapy (BACP) and accredited by the British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA).

Rachel Stanners – Counsellor

Rachel has joined the Reproductive Medicine Department from the Early Pregnancy Loss Unit at St Mary’s Hospital. She has experience counselling adults and young people in Hospital, University and School settings experiencing a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, termination of pregnancy, miscarriage, infertility, sexual assault and abuse. She also works as a Horticultural Therapist in a secondary school.

Rachel qualified as Person-Centred Counsellor and Psychotherapist from University of Salford in 2023. She takes a non-judgemental view to each client’s unique life experience and approaches them with curiosity, openness, and warmth. She considers it a privilege to work as a counsellor and witness human resilience and growth. Rachel is a registered member of The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and engages in training to meet professional standards, including working towards her accreditation with the British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA).