Counseling.. who needs it anyways!!
That would be any sane self respecting person's first response to an offer of counseling.
As mature adults we would like to believe we are totally capable of managing our lives! It's true to an extent. But when the issue is a highly intricate specialised one like an ART treatment, the parameters change.
ART counseling is not all about the treatment and clinical jargon, rather it focuses on one to one interaction of the counselor and the couple, their expectations, their understanding and their comfort.
Its a known fact that what you understand thoroughly does not scare or stress you. So when a couple steps in to the seemingly confusing and intimidating realm of fertility treatment, they are in for a whole baggage of doubts, conflicts, half baked information received from the Internet and their own interpersonal issues and insecurities.
The stage is set for a highly stressed out one and a half month of treatment process until it reaches a peak at the time of final results of the treatment. That is some thing we doctors have to absolutely avoid!!
Numerous researches have shown that stress adversely affects the implantation of the Embryo. How to avoid it? It's definitely easier said than done! This is where the counseling steps in to save the situation. It takes a well adjusted understanding and finely tuned balance between the couple and their doctor/counselor to tight walk the rope during this period.
The couple should be offered a session of counseling, to deal with all the issues bothering them and sort out all their conflicts and confusions. Like I said before, what they understand doesn't scare them. They step into the program with realistic expectations of all that can go right as well as wrong at any given point of time. It builds up their confidence in the system and makes them secure. If the treatment does not end favourably also, they have the first hand knowledge of all that was done in earnest good will, and find it easier to accept the failures. the blame throwing is avoided and life is easier for both the couple and the clinician!
Morale of the story is, Counseling is the stepping stone to a successful ART program, not a cumbersome add on!!
As mature adults we would like to believe we are totally capable of managing our lives! It's true to an extent. But when the issue is a highly intricate specialised one like an ART treatment, the parameters change.
ART counseling is not all about the treatment and clinical jargon, rather it focuses on one to one interaction of the counselor and the couple, their expectations, their understanding and their comfort.
Its a known fact that what you understand thoroughly does not scare or stress you. So when a couple steps in to the seemingly confusing and intimidating realm of fertility treatment, they are in for a whole baggage of doubts, conflicts, half baked information received from the Internet and their own interpersonal issues and insecurities.
The stage is set for a highly stressed out one and a half month of treatment process until it reaches a peak at the time of final results of the treatment. That is some thing we doctors have to absolutely avoid!!
Numerous researches have shown that stress adversely affects the implantation of the Embryo. How to avoid it? It's definitely easier said than done! This is where the counseling steps in to save the situation. It takes a well adjusted understanding and finely tuned balance between the couple and their doctor/counselor to tight walk the rope during this period.
The couple should be offered a session of counseling, to deal with all the issues bothering them and sort out all their conflicts and confusions. Like I said before, what they understand doesn't scare them. They step into the program with realistic expectations of all that can go right as well as wrong at any given point of time. It builds up their confidence in the system and makes them secure. If the treatment does not end favourably also, they have the first hand knowledge of all that was done in earnest good will, and find it easier to accept the failures. the blame throwing is avoided and life is easier for both the couple and the clinician!
Morale of the story is, Counseling is the stepping stone to a successful ART program, not a cumbersome add on!!
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