14-Apr-03 The value of counselling

In Australia it is mandatory of RTAC guidelines that all clinics provide access to counselling, indeed part of the Medicare fee is to cover counselling costs. In America, the situation is different and these support services are provided by clinics as they see appropriate.

However the consumer group Resolve reports that they have seen almost a 60% increase over the last two years in requests for referrals to mental health practitioners and that clinics are increasingly making counselling a priority through hiring psychologist, starting support groups and holding programs and stress-reduction workshops.

Almost half of the 370 infertility centres in the USA now have counsellors. For some, counselling becomes and invaluable tool to help cope with the distress, anxiety, sleep problems, grief, marital stress and loneliness which many infertile couples face.

Source: International Herald Tribune: http://www.iht.com