Using my knowledge and experience to improve emotional support for patients
Personal Experience
Trying for a baby can be a wonderful and exciting time. But for a number of couples (approximately one in seven) it can be an exhausting, heartbreaking and stressful time, full of ups and downs and feelings of hopelessness, failure and grief.
I was one of these people. I felt the grief every month that I still wasn’t pregnant, the grief for a life I wanted that included children. I felt that my life was at a standstill while everyone around me was moving forwards – babies, new jobs, new homes, holidays….I was putting off doing things ‘in case I get pregnant’. I felt jealousy towards people who were able to get pregnant, which made me feel worse. I just felt that they were living the life I wanted. I was putting extreme pressure on myself and my relationship by my only focus being on getting pregnant.
I’m lucky, our story does have a happy ending – after 6 years of trying to conceive and two cycles of IVF, we were blessed with our little boy Jack. Amazingly, after our struggles first time round, I naturally conceived our second child, our little girl Millie.
Changing the Way Patients are Supported
My core mission is improving the emotional experience of IVF for patients. I strongly believe that people who are having to go through fertility treatment deserve to have a positive and supportive experience.
I partner with organisations to drive a culture of prioritising emotional support and care for patients. I believe that clinics need to create a culture of support that is followed by all members of staff, which makes patients feel supported, important and included in their treatment plan.
I deliver this through staff coaching and training, and creating a support structure that gives patients a range of support options and ensures staff understand their individual responsibility for patient care.
I support those that work with and treat fertility patients to build a reputation as providing an excellent level of emotional support for IVF patients, and in turn increase their market share and turnover.
I consult with clinics to provide an end-to-end patient experience review, providing them with a personalised strategy to give their patients the emotional support they need and ensure they have a point of difference over their competition.
As an Emotional Support Consultant, I also help HR professionals support their employees through fertility treatment and the menopause. I work with organisations to provide training to managers and employees and supply the planners as a support resource and employee benefit.
Exhibiting at the Fertility Show in London
Talking about the importance of emotional support at the Fertility Show
Trusted Expert
I am a qualified personal development coach and have been working in the field of fertility for 7 years, raising the awareness of infertility and the need for support.
Over these years I have developed a reputation as a trusted industry expert, being asked to speak at numerous industry events and conferences, and consulting on numerous support projects.
I am a co-author of the European Fertility Society’s International Fertility Patients Care Guidance and part of the accreditation team, and a regular judge for the Fertility Care Awards.
I have delivered training to and consulted with many large and international organisations, including Nat West, Aviva, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Merck, Nova Fertility, Manchester Fertility, Herts and Essex Fertility and CRGH.
Improving the Experience of IVF and the Menopause
In 2019 I launched the IVF Positivity Planner, a coaching journal that is essentially a coaching programme in a book, combined with a 12-week journal, to help women take control through their fertility journey.
An international best-seller, the Planner is a unique and effective coaching programme in a book, mixing the power of journaling with tried-and-tested coping strategies, expert coaching techniques and goal setting. It has also been endorsed by the Chair of BICA and the Chair of the RCN Forum.
I’m so proud to say that it’s helped women all over the world regain control and feel calmer, more informed and more positive throughout fertility treatment.
I have now taken the learnings and successes of my IVF Positivity Planner and adapted them to help women through their next major life stage, the menopause, creating the Menopause Positivity Planner, to give them the support and guidance they need and deserve.
Get in touch
If you would like any more information about how I can support your organisation, your patients or your employees, just give me a call or send me an email.
I look forward to hearing from you.