Trying to build a family can bring some of the most hopeful and painful moments of your life. Month after month of waiting, treatment decisions, a loss that others may not know about or a new pregnancy that feels more frightening than joyful. If you're searching for fertility counselling, Ottawa has a place where you can talk about all of it. Counselling gives you room to grieve, worry and hope, downtown or online.
This post is general information, not medical advice, a diagnosis or a treatment plan.
Infertility counselling in Ottawa, who it is for
Our counselling is for anyone whose path to parenthood is harder than they expected. That includes:
people who have been trying to conceive for a while
people going through fertility treatment, including IVF
single parents by choice
same-sex couples and LGBTQ+ families
people building a family through donor conception
anyone who has experienced a miscarriage, stillbirth or another pregnancy loss
people who are pregnant again after a loss
people deciding whether to keep trying, or to stop
You can come on your own, with a partner or both. You don't need a diagnosis, and you don't need to be "falling apart" to deserve support. A free 15-minute consultation with our admin team is an easy way to start.
The trying and waiting months
The months of trying can feel like living in two-week chunks. Hope rises, then dread, then disappointment, then hope again. Many people describe feeling:
anxious about every sign and symptom
jealous or sad when others share pregnancy news, then guilty for feeling that way
isolated, because it's hard to explain what you're going through
drained by questions from family and friends
like their body is letting them down
These feelings are common. Infertility counselling in Ottawa offers a private place to say them out loud, without having to protect anyone else's feelings.
During treatment
Fertility treatment can bring its own pressures. There are decisions to make, appointments to fit around work, costs to think about and sometimes long stretches of not knowing.
IVF counselling in Ottawa can help you:
cope with stress and uncertainty during each cycle
make decisions that fit your values, at your own pace
manage anxiety while you wait for results
set boundaries with work, family and friends
look after yourself and your relationship along the way
Your therapist won't give medical advice or tell you what to choose. Their role is to support you emotionally while you make the choices that are right for you.
Telling family, friends and work
Deciding who to tell, and how much, can be hard. Some people want close friends to know so they don't feel alone. Others prefer to keep things private, especially during treatment or early in a pregnancy. Both are valid choices.
Counselling can help you think through:
what you want to share, and with whom
how to respond to questions like "So when are you having kids?"
how to ask for time off or flexibility at work, if you need it
how to handle baby showers, holidays and family gatherings
how to protect yourself from comments that sting
You don't owe anyone your story. Your therapist can help you find words that feel right for you.
After a loss
Pregnancy loss is a real loss, no matter when it happens. Yet it's often a grief that others don't see or know how to respond to. You might feel shock, sadness, anger, numbness, guilt or a mix of all of these. You may also find that people say things that hurt, even when they mean well.
Miscarriage counselling in Ottawa gives you space to grieve your way. There's no timeline and no right way to feel. Some people want to talk about the pregnancy and the hopes they had. Others need help getting through each day, returning to work or handling reminders like due dates.
Pregnancy loss counselling in Ottawa can also help with:
guilt or self-blame, even when nothing could have been done
feeling disconnected from your body
anxiety about trying again
grief that feels different from your partner's
Pregnancy after loss
A new pregnancy after a loss can bring a mix of hope and fear. Many people feel guarded, waiting for something to go wrong. You might find it hard to bond, hard to celebrate or hard to relax at all.
Counselling during pregnancy can help you hold both the hope and the fear, cope with anxious moments and honour the pregnancy you lost. Our page on prenatal and postpartum therapy describes the support our therapists offer during pregnancy and after birth.
Deciding to stop or change direction
For some people, the hardest choice is deciding to stop trying, or to explore another path to parenthood. That decision can bring grief, relief and uncertainty all at once. An infertility therapist in Ottawa can help you sort through what you want, what you can live with and how to grieve the future you imagined.
There's no deadline for this decision, and no right answer that applies to everyone. Some people find it helps to talk through their values, their limits and what a meaningful life could look like on different paths. Counselling gives you room to do that without pressure from anyone else.
Going through it together
Partners often cope in different ways. One person may want to talk about it constantly, while the other goes quiet or throws themselves into work. These differences can lead to distance, even when you both care deeply.
Couples counselling can help you understand each other's way of coping and stay connected through hard decisions.
When it may help to talk to someone
Any point is a good point to reach out. Still, people often book when:
sadness or worry is affecting sleep, work or relationships
they feel stuck in grief, or numb
they're avoiding friends, family or places that bring up reminders
they and their partner feel far apart
they're about to start treatment, or try again, and feel overwhelmed
Getting support doesn't mean you're not coping. It means you're giving yourself care during something very hard.
What a first session is like
Your first session is a gentle conversation about what you're going through, what feels hardest right now and what you'd like from counselling. You decide how much to share. There's no need to explain the medical details unless you want to.
Many people say it's a relief simply to talk to someone who isn't personally affected by their choices.
You'll also talk about what kind of support feels right, such as how often to meet and whether some sessions might include a partner. If the fit doesn't feel right, our admin team can help you find someone else.
Downtown Ottawa or online
In person. Our Ottawa office is at 1 Rideau Street, 7th Floor, Ottawa, ON K1N 8S7, inside the Fairmont Château Laurier. You can reach our Ottawa team at (613) 691-1006.
Online. Online sessions use a secure, encrypted video platform and are available anywhere in Ontario. Meeting from home can feel easier on hard days.
Cost and billing
Here's what to know about cost:
Individual sessions with our therapists range from $130 to $200, depending on the clinician. Couples sessions range from $170 to $200.
Depending on your plan, insurance may cover some or all of the cost. Coverage varies, so it's worth checking your plan.
We accept Health Spending Accounts (HSAs).
We can direct bill many insurers, including for sessions with a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying). Desjardins is the exception: through TELUS eClaims, we can direct bill Desjardins for sessions with an RSW, RP or psychologist, but not for an RP (Qualifying).
Your first step
Book a free 15-minute consultation with our admin team. Let them know you're looking for support with fertility or pregnancy loss, whether you'd like to come alone or with a partner and whether you'd prefer downtown Ottawa or online.
If you're in crisis: call 911 if you're in immediate danger. If you're having thoughts of suicide, call or text 9-8-8 any time, day or night. You can find more options on our crisis lines page.
Whatever your path looks like, you don't have to walk it alone.