Fertility Care in Northern Ireland
Counselling at Origin aims to help you make decisions based on your own unique circumstances and is distinct from discussions with doctors and other clinical staff
FREE
To make an appointment contact Patricia directly on
Counselling is a form of talking therapy that offers you a chance to change how you feel and to live better. It is a positive, caring process and offers a planned time and space for you to talk about what is troubling you and explore difficult feelings. Counselling at Origin aims to help you make decisions based on your own unique circumstances and is distinct from discussions with doctors and other clinical staff.
“Counselling is a key element in the provision of any fertility service”
(Government White Paper, Human Fertilisation and Embryology, 1987).
At Origin we invite every patient to avail of the free counselling service. Counselling is a fundamental part of our care for patients.
Origin especially encourages:
No, the counselling service is free of charge and is intended for your wellbeing and reassurance.
If you wish to have some therapeutic support, you can come on your own or with your partner, which ever you choose. If you are attending for Implications Counselling, ie you are thinking of using donated eggs or sperm, you should attend with your partner. However, not everyone attending Origin has a partner and, in this instance, you are welcome to attend on your own.
No, not at all. Indeed, because the counselling service is independent and outside of Origin, the Origin team will not know that you are attending unless you share this information with them. However, the Origin team are fully supportive of counselling. They recognise that going through fertility tests and treatment is generally stressful and therefore encourage everyone to avail of the service.
Yes, you choose what you bring to Counselling.
The Counsellors at Origin work in accordance with certain professional codes of ethics. These codes are from BACP, IACP, BPS and PSI.Additionally, Origin Counsellors will be a member of BICA and will either have their specialist infertility accreditation or be working towards this. Anything you bring to Counselling will remain within the Counselling relationship unless certain limitations apply. Your Counsellor will explain this in detail at your 1st counselling appointment. Information will only be discussed with the medical team with your agreement.
Patricia is HPC registered and practices as a Counselling Psychologist in the field of Health Psychology in a local Trust. She has a special interest in infertility and mental well being and is accredited by the British Infertility Counselling Association. She played a key role in establishing the counselling service at Origin and continues to manage this in an independent capacity.
She has practiced in the fields of counselling and psychology for over 18 years and has assisted people live life better in a number of work environments including the public, private and voluntary sectors. She has a long history in adult mental health and has run clinics in both the Royal and Musgrave Park Hospitals.
Information on availability and booking of counselling appointments can be obtained by contacting the counsellor directly. Counselling sessions last for 50 minutes and are held off-site from Origin. Contact details are as follows:
Patricia McCrystal
25 Knockvale Park
Belfast, BT5 6HJ
