Clare Healy MIACP
B.Sc., Dip. Counselling & Psychotherapy, Dip. Psychology
Cert. Perinatal Mental Health
Clare is a respected Fertility Counsellor working with many of Irelands leading Fertility Clinics and Specialist Reproductive Consultants for over 13 years. Clare is known for her compassionate and knowledgeable guidance and support in the therapeutic areas of IVF, IUI, Egg Donation, Sperm Donation and Miscarriage. Clare has a deep passion for assisting individuals and couples on their fertility journeys and has dedicated her counselling career to providing invaluable support to those facing the challenges and complexities of fertility-related issues.
Clare has a keen understanding of the emotional aspects associated with infertility, miscarriage and assisted reproductive technologies. Her work has helped many individuals and couples navigate the uncertainty and difficult challenges of fertility, equipping them with the tools and emotional resilience necessary to make informed decisions about their family planning.
Clare's dedication to her clients' emotional well-being and her commitment to fostering a more supportive and caring fertility experience in combination with her empathetic counselling approach has helped many individuals and couples find hope and clarity on their path to building the families they desire through IVF and Egg & Sperm Donation.
At Fertility Counselling Care we welcome self-referrals, GP referrals, Consultant referrals and Clinic referrals for IVF counselling, Reciprocal IVF counselling, Egg & Sperm Donation counselling, Miscarriage counselling and Pregnancy / Postnatal counselling.
Clare is an accredited member of the Irish Association for Counsellors & Psychotherapists and a professional member of the Irish Fertility Counsellors Association. Clare has completed training with the British Infertility Counselling Association and has attended multiple training events on fertility & infertility, donor conception, miscarriage loss and infant loss.
Client Testimonials
“Just over two years ago I was feeling a sense of overwhelm and a deep sadness that my 6th IVF treatment hadn't worked. I realised at this low point that I needed help and I'm so incredibly grateful to have found Clare through a recommendation. The sessions have really helped me gain clarity on my feelings and work through the roller coaster of emotions I've had. Holding space for me to talk through what has been the hardest thing I've dealt with to date has been invaluable.”
“I worked with Clare over a number of years while going through IVF. Undergoing IVF is such a painful experience with difficult decision making, disappointments, compromises, physical challenges, and pure heartache. Having a professional like Clare to be there as a sounding board made an immense difference for me in my journey. Clare brings a huge amount of knowledge to the table and with that gave me confidence moving forward. She often gave examples of clients that have gone through similar experiences which made me feel less alone. She showed me great kindness, didn't judge me and we laughed. You couldn't ask for anything more in a Fertility Counsellor.”
“I cannot recommend Clare Healy highly enough. Her kindness and compassion helped me when I was in need. She helped me to process and learn to look after my feelings around my struggles with health issues and infertility. I cannot thank her enough for helping me through this difficult time and helping me to get my confidence and self-worth back. Clare's manner is so welcoming, and she puts you at ease so quickly. I have found it hard to open-up to people in the past, but Clare's manner and warm nature made it easy for me to discuss some of the hardest topics for me.”
“I found great comfort and strength in talking to Clare when I needed help and support last year. She was always understanding, considerate and focused on working through my concerns and planning out a course of action on how to deal with them. I would highly recommend her services to anyone who is going through IVF treatment, she has a great understanding of the process and all the hurdles that go with it.”
“Clare provided huge support to me at a difficult time in my life, she took the time to fully understand my difficulties and always left me with some practical aids at the end of the session. I would highly recommend Clare as a counsellor.”
“In early 2020 I was really struggling and just couldn't see a way to turn things around and feel well again. And then I found Clare. My sessions with her were priceless and I don’t think I would have had the recovery I did without her support and guidance. I feel so lucky my doctor pointed me in Clare's direction and I can't recommend her highly enough.”
“After years of IVF, my husband and I made the decision to try to have our family through Donor egg conception. We first met Clare for a mandatory counselling session to proceed with the egg donation process. The therapeutic benefit we got from this first session with Clare helped us as a couple enormously as it opened up so much more communication between us about our fears around having our family with donation. Since this initial session, I have had several sessions with Clare, which has hugely helped me with my own loss of not conceiving with my own eggs. I had many worries regarding bonding with my future child and around identity issues for my future child. Clare’s warm caring and non-judgemental approach allowed me to relax and express my biggest fears as they arise about my situation. To admit that I was scared I might not bond with my donor-conceived child is a huge emotional undertaking but in Clare's sessions it feels very safe to do this and more importantly, it feels safe to explore it so that I can make sense of it. Having sessions with Clare has empowered me to have ongoing open communication with my husband and this has greatly helped us support each other in the process also. Through counselling with Clare, I now find myself in a place of acceptance and excitement about hopefully having a child through donor conception. I cannot recommend Clare highly enough for her warm and caring approach along with her skills and knowledge in the area of donor conception and for helping me to make sense of it for myself and to use simple strategies to keep moving forward in good mental health.”
“I started seeing Clare after suffering recurrent pregnancy loss and realising that I was struggling to cope with the losses. I've been seeing Clare for a few years now and it's sometimes difficult to remember the earlier times. What I do remember is feeling like when I was going through the grief of a loss it's so heavy that it wasn't until I had come out the other side a few months later that I realised how bad it was at the time. I then realised that when I was seeing Clare, I would come out the other side quicker and felt supported when I was in the depths of sadness. Over time the sessions with Clare became the anchor in my life, my safe place to process and gave me tools to better manage. Our sessions also helped across a range of other feelings as we progressed through further fertility treatments and the ups and downs of what they brought, in addition to whatever else was going on in my life at the time, not always specifically fertility related. I feel lucky to have found someone who I connect with who can provide all of that. I highly recommend Clare to those looking for support through the difficulties of losses and fertility treatments, they are some of the hardest life events to go through and support is essential. Thank you, Clare.”
“Clare was part of our journey to start our family. Always walking alongside, us offering insightful advice and allowing us space to explore and share our thoughts and feelings as we went through fertility treatment. Always kind, listening to both of us, recognising our individual needs but also treating us as a couple. She has an extensive understanding of fertility donor treatment. Without a doubt Clare was a massive support on our journey and celebrated welcoming our baby. Always extremely professional, we would encourage anyone who is trying to conceive and navigating any challenges to contact Clare.”
"When I started my journey as a solo mother, I felt lost and found it hard to organise my thoughts in order to move forward with my treatment. I started having sessions with Clare and from the first day I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. Speaking to someone who was independent to my well-intended family and friends also really helped. From a professional perspective, Clare's sessions were the most consistent part of the treatment amongst all the different nurses and doctors. Clare remembered all the important dates and checked in with me via the phone along with our one-to-one sessions. For me this care for a client meant so much. I also learned to deal with many issues that were not directly related to my treatment. We formed a trusting relationship and after 2 years I celebrated the birth of my daughter. Clare has very much been a part of my journey to be a solo mother and I could not have done it without her professional support."
“Clare has been an invaluable support throughout my IVF journey. Her compassion, understanding, and encouragement has been crucial during the highs and lows of the process. I appreciate her expertise in navigating the emotional complexities, providing a safe space for me to express my feelings and for the unwavering support that made a challenging journey more manageable.”