Seminar 1 - Friday 15 Sep 12:00PM - 2:00PM (UTC+10)
The ABCs of ART: Assisted Reproductive Technologies are Not Just IVF
The Fertility Support Network
The Fertility Support Network was created to provide evidence-based information, training and support to individuals, couples and professionals on fertility treatment, donor conception, donor linking and surrogacy.
Details for our 5-part seminar series that is launching in September 2023 are available below.
Commencing September 2023
Seminar Series
This 5-part Seminar Series is designed for mental health practitioners, nurses, allied health professionals, medical administrators, GPs, and fertility specialists. The seminars may be completed individually or as a complete series. They are an excellent introduction to working in the field of assisted reproduction. They are also packed full of up-to-date information and resources for those who are experienced in the field.
Seminar 2 - Friday 13 Oct 12:00PM - 2:00PM (UTC+10)
Single Session Support for Fertility Treatment: Therapeutic Interventions for Fertility Clients
Seminar 3 - Friday 27 Oct 12:00PM - 2:00PM (UTC+10)
Understanding the Reproductive Story: Grief, Loss and Mental Health During Fertility Treatment
Seminar 4 - Friday 10 Nov 12:00PM - 2:00PM (UTC+10)
Introduction to Donor Conception: Counselling Issues for Donors, Recipient Parents and Donor Conceived People
Seminar 5 - Friday 24 Nov 12:00PM - 2:00PM (UTC+10)
Advanced Interventions: Managing Mental Health Issues that Can Arise During Fertility Treatment
2024 Seminars
Further seminars will be announced for 2024.
2023 Seminar Series
Presenters
Comprising four decades of professional knowledge, 15 years of working in assisted reproductive treatment (ART), and diverse lived reproductive experiences.
Dr Kylie Stone
Kylie is a clinical psychologist who has completed additional training in perinatal and reproductive health in Australia and the USA. Kylie has spent over a decade working with several private and public ART clinics and in private practice.
Lisa Ransome
Lisa is a perinatal and reproductive psychologist who has completed additional training in birth trauma, perinatal, and reproductive health in Australia, the UK and USA. Lisa manages an ART counselling department and private practice.
The ABCs of ART: Assisted Reproductive Technologies are Not Just IVF
Seminar 1 - Friday 15 September 2023, 12:00PM - 2:00PM (UTC+10)
Presented by Perinatal and Reproductive Psychologist Lisa Ransome, this 2-hour seminar is designed for those who are interested in, new to, and experienced in working with individuals and couples considering or undertaking assisted reproductive treatments, including ovulation induction (OI), insemination (IUI), invitro fertilisation (IVF), donor conception, and surrogacy.
This seminar will cover:
Introduction to infertility and infertility treatment
Overview of female reproductive cycle
Assessing female and male fertility
Female infertility including AMH levels and uterine issues
Male infertility including sperm health, antibodies and vasectomy
Recurrent pregnancy loss
Combined infertility issues including sperm and egg binding and genetic issues
Fertility treatment options for fertility preservation, medical, social reasons
Referral pathways for seeking fertility treatment
Assessment and diagnosis of infertility
Overview of fertility treatments including fertility preservation, OI, IUI, donor conception and surrogacy
Overview of how embryos grow and develop, are stored, and transferred including fresh and frozen embryo transfers
Overview of genetic screening options for embryos
Overview of donor treatment options including mitochondrial DNA donation
Overview of surrogacy options
Pregnancy rates for natural conception, IUI and IVF
Single and double embryo transfers
Perinatal loss, miscarriage, and recurrent miscarriage
Adverse fertility treatment outcomes
Resources and weblinks
Date: Friday 15 September 2023, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (UTC+10)
Cost: $150.00
Discount:
$120.00 per seminar if booking 2 seminars (discount code: two)
$100.00 per seminar if booking 3 or more seminars (discount code: three)
Single Session Support for Fertility Treatment: Therapeutic Interventions for Fertility Clients
Seminar 2 - Friday 13 October 2023, 12:00PM - 2:00PM (UTC+10)
Presented by Clinical Psychologist Dr Kylie Stone, this 2-hour seminar is designed for those who are interested in, new to, and experienced in working with individuals and couples considering or undertaking fertility treatment, including ovulation induction (OI), insemination (IUI), invitro fertilisation (IVF), donor conception, and surrogacy.
This seminar will cover:
Prevalence of patients undertaking fertility treatment
Overview of fertility related stress and the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatment
Common and complex presenting issues
Assessing the patient’s reproductive and fertility history, including cumulative reproductive losses and reproductive violations
Assessing the patient's understanding of their treatment plan and rationale for treatment
Assessing coping strategies and mental health history
Assessing for psychological distress while avoiding over-pathologising context specific symptoms
Assessing and increasing support networks
When to refer to a perinatal psychiatrist
Assessing the patient’s immediate therapeutic goals
The influence of fear on the compliant vs angry patient dichotomy
Importance of psychoeducation and strategies for managing information overload
Common struggles among high functioning couples
Supporting Plan B, C and D
Normalising common patient experiences
Explaining common gender differences in coping styles
Understanding the impacts of COVID
Helping patients to identify and articulate their emotions
Providing effective therapeutic support by increasing knowledge, listening thematically, and providing a clinical case conceptualisation
Using analogies effectively to express empathy and provide containment
Triggering the injustice button and increasing distress tolerance
Mindfulness technique to decrease emotional pain and increase self-compassion
Resources
Date: Friday 13 October 2023, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (UTC+10)
Cost: $150.00
Discount:
$120.00 per seminar if booking 2 seminars (discount code: two)
$100.00 per seminar if booking 3 or more seminars (discount code: three)
Understanding the Reproductive Story: Grief, Loss and Mental Health During Fertility Treatment
Seminar 3 - Friday 27 October 2023, 12:00PM - 2:00PM (UTC+10)
Presented by Perinatal and Reproductive Psychologist Lisa Ransome, this 2-hour seminar is designed for those who are interested in, new to, and experienced in working with individuals and couples experiencing fertility difficulties.
This seminar will cover:
Understanding the reproductive story
Theoretical basis for how an individual’s reproductive story develops across the lifespan, including childhood, adolescence and adulthood
Factors that influence the reproductive story
Transition points in the reproductive story
Transference, countertransference and how your own reproductive story impacts on your work
Holistic Impact of infertility on the self
Impact of fertility treatment expectations on emotional well-being
Grief and loss in reproduction
Types of reproductive losses
Symptoms and impact of reproductive grief and loss
Overview of mental health in reproduction and infertility, including stress, depression, eating disorders, trauma and PTSD
Mental health screening tools
Impact of stress on infertility
Prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients undertaking fertility treatment
How fertility treatment can re-trigger eating disorders
Impact of fertility treatment on relationships
Overview of trauma and PTSD
Trauma in reproduction and key trauma points in infertility
PTSD in reproduction
Ending fertility treatment without a child – childless not by choice
Re-writing the reproductive story
Resources, books and journal articles
Date: Friday 27 October 2023, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (UTC+10)
Cost: $150.00
Discount:
$120.00 per seminar if booking 2 seminars (discount code: two)
$100.00 per seminar if booking 3 or more seminars (discount code: three)
Introduction to Donor Conception: Counselling Issues for Donors, Recipient Parents and Donor Conceived People
Seminar 4 - Friday 10 November 2023, 12:00PM - 2:00PM (UTC+10)
Presented by Clinical Psychologist Dr Kylie Stone, this 2-hour seminar is designed for those who are interested in, new to, and experienced in working with individuals and families impacted by donor conception.
This seminar will cover:
History of donor conception
Donor options – sperm, egg, embryo, double donation
Recipient families – heterosexual couples, lesbian couples, solo mums by choice
Clinic recruited donors - anonymous donors and identity-release donors
Known donors - family members, friends, colleagues and donors recruited via social media
Local donor options
Implications of cross-border reproduction and medical tourism
Donor conceived people’s difficulties accessing medical records
Changes to donor anonymity over time
Disclosure and societal shifts on traditional patterns of secrecy
Contemporary practices of open disclosure and recommended disclosure stories
Lived experiences of donor conceived people and their families
Lived experiences of donors and their families
Issues to consider when counselling donors, recipient parents and donor conceived people
Overview of donor linking
Changes in donor linking practices - child-led vs parent-led donor linking
Technological advances and tracing genetic ancestry online
Discovery of unexpected genetic ties and unintentional donor linking
Future issues - aging donors, competing medical and legal interests, complex legislation
Resources
Date: Friday 10 November 2023, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (UTC+10)
Cost: $150.00
Discount:
$120.00 per seminar if booking 2 seminars (discount code: two)
$100.00 per seminar if booking 3 or more seminars (discount code: three)
Advanced Interventions: Managing Mental Health Issues that Can Arise During Fertility Treatment
Seminar 5 - Friday 24 November 2023, 12:00PM - 2:00PM (UTC+10)
Presented by Perinatal and Reproductive Psychologist Lisa Ransome, this 2-hour seminar extends on the information discussed in Seminars 2 and 3, and is designed for those who are interested in, new to, and experienced in working with clients considering or undertaking fertility treatment.
This seminar will cover:
Overview of mental health factors in reproduction
Tools for screening mental health difficulties
Recap of the reproductive story
Being aware of your own reproductive story
Advanced therapeutic intervention strategies
Managing treatment expectations
The positive reappraisal coping technique for assisting with the 2-week wait
Journalling and letter writing
Facilitation of grief and grieving rituals
Thought challenging and reframing
Mindfulness, meditation and sensory grounding
Affirmations and mantras
Compassionate self
Yoga and movement
Couples work – communication, reconnecting and intimacy
Treatment breaks
Reassessing the future
Music therapy and bilateral stimulation
Emotional freedom technique (EFT) and tapping
Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
Using the reproductive story as a therapeutic tool
Narrative therapy and helping clients to re-write their reproductive story
Resources
Date: Friday 24 November 2023, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (UTC+10)
Cost: $150.00
Discount:
$120.00 per seminar if booking 2 seminars (discount code: two)
$100.00 per seminar if booking 3 or more seminars (discount code: three)