Ottawa Fertility Centre
Offering compassionate care, understanding, and hope on your journey.
Counseling & Support
BRIA - Virtual Mental Health Care for Women
BRIA is a virtual mental healthcare clinic specializing in reproductive health, including people who are going through the fertility process. BRIA provides an array of mental health services for individuals and couples, from assessments, to talk therapy, to MD Psychiatric care when needed. BRIA offers a free 15 minute introductory call to those wishing to learn more. To book, please go to their website
Reproductive Counselling Services
Stephanie Parker MSW, RSW
Wellington West Therapy and Assessment
Website (scroll down for bio)
stephparker.msw@gmail.com
Telephone: 613-614-1384
Services provided:
- Support for intended parent(s) and grief counselling
- Implications counselling for intended parent(s)
- 3rd party assessment for donors
Counselling services available in both French and English
Appointments available in person in Ottawa office or virtually
Dr. Sarah Birnie, C.Psych
Dr. Birnie can receive referrals (and self-referrals) for psychotherapy for the following areas:
1. Supporting the process of uncertain infertility treatment, including donor egg/sperm.
2. Supporting individuals once pregnant after infertility treatment.
3. Supporting postpartum stress and adjustment once baby/babies are born.
Visit Sarah's Website
info@drsarahbirnie.com
Phone: 343-488-3211
Brooke Eagle MSW, RSW at Vega Counselling
Website: http://vegacounselling.ca
Email:Brooke@vegacounselling.ca
Services provided:
Assisted reproduction counselling in preparation for all forms of fertility treatment, including implications counselling for intended parents and third-party donors
Fertility counselling
Supporting perinatal and postnatal mental health
Ziva Shmorgun MSW, RSW
Reproductive Health Counsellor.
Specializing in implication counselling for third-party reproduction.
shmorgunz@gmail.com
New Origins Counselling
Website
Karin Schwartz: 604-831-6558
Janna Stark Glassman: 604-671-5068
Rate: $165 per hour
Please call to book an appointment
Peer support
Ottawa Peer Support Group: Join others each month to listen, learn, and hopefully laugh a little while you seek support. Meetings are held at the Ottawa Fertility Centre on the last Saturday of every month. Sessions are organized and led by a volunteer facilitator. Guest speakers are often invited to speak after the meetings.
Contact Angela at : Ottawa.infertility.liason@gmail.com
2023 Meeting Dates:
Saturday, January 28th - 10:30am-noon
Saturday, February 25th - 10:30am-noon
Saturday, March 25th - 10:30am-noon
Saturday, April 29th - 10:30am-noon
Saturday, May 27th - 10:30am-noon
Saturday, June 24th - 10:30am-noon
Saturday, July 29th - 10:30am-noon
Saturday, August 26th - 10:30am-noon
Saturday, September 30th - 10:30am-noon
Saturday, October 28th - 10:30am-noon
Saturday, November 25th - 10:30am-noon
Saturday, December 30th - 10:30am-noon
Mindfulness for Fertility
If you are dealing with challenging emotions because you are struggling to conceive, you are not alone. It is common to feel anxious, depressed, and isolated. It has been well documented that people with reproductive challenges experience high levels of stress and studies have shown that mindfulness can help decrease emotional distress. Mindfulness for Fertility is an 8-week evidence based, experiential program that is offered online and follows the world renowned Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) curriculum.
Winter 2023 Session:
Orientation - Tuesday, January 24th / 6-8:30pm ET
8 Tuesdays - January 31st - March 28th / 6-8:30pm ET
Visit their website for more information and registration.
General Information
Fertility Matters is a national organization, providing educational material, support and assistance to individuals and couples who are experiencing the anguish of infertility, the reproductive health disease that affects over half a million Canadian men and women.
My Fertility Choices enables men and women to obtain support in making the fertility and childbearing decisions that best fit with their unique life situations. The website provides current, professional, and reliable information about fertility, assisted human reproduction, and various lifestyle and family building options, including childfree living.
Single Mothers
Single Mother by Choice is a local Ottawa area group for those women who may already be a ‘Choice Mom’ or for those women who are thinking of proactively becoming a single mother.
LGBTQ
Finding information and support to suit your unique circumstance can be a challenge. There are some good resources available for men and women within the LGBTQ community who are looking at options for having a family.
Pregnancy in a Pandemic Support Group
Join this monthly virtual support group led by doctors who specialize in obstetrics, newborn care, and the mental health of new parents. They will speak about the most common concerns and struggles of being pregnant during the COVID-19 crisis.
Multiple Births
Multiple Births Canada has a mission to improve the quality of life for multiple birth individuals and their families in Canada. They provide support, education, research, and advocacy both nationally and internationally to individuals, families, Chapters, and organizations that have a personal or professional interest in multiple birth issues.
Support for people with polycystic ovary syndrome
PCOSupport Group is US based organization that is operated by women with PCOS and those who support them. This organization is dedicated to serve the many women who struggle on a daily basis to deal with quality-of-life as well as life-threatening consequences of PCOS if untreated.
Legal Advisors
It is important for patients to seek appropriate legal advice when a third party is involved, either as a donor or surrogate. While we do not endorse any lawyer or legal form in particular, the following firms have experience with assisted reproduction.
Erin Lepine, LLB – Nelligan, O’Brien, Payne (Ottawa)
Sara Cohen, LLB – Fertility Law Canada (Toronto)
Sherry Levitan, LLB – Fertility Law (Toronto)
Patient Resources
Ready to find out more?
Clinic Hours
Medical Offices
(offsite, completed virtually)
Monday - Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Fertility Clinic
Monday - Friday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Weekends and Holidays by Appointment