Foundation Course for counsellors working in Licensed Treatment Centres and Related Settings:

 

BICA FOUNDATION TRAINING COURSE 

When I managed to secure the one last remaining place on the BICA Foundation Course in April, I could not have pre-empted just how valuable this experience would be. The course opened with a deeply thought provoking exercise exploring why, as humans, we choose to have children and this led to a very interesting, and helpful, open discussion around acknowledging the depth of loss when expectations about procreation are shattered. The case studies which followed strengthened my awareness of the professional, ethical and legal complexities that so often accompany assisted conception and these certainly challenged my personal understanding and pre-existing assumptions, helping me to identify and consider many issues that I previously had been ignorant to. Although we received a wealth of information over the two days, it was offered in a very sensitive and mindful way which never felt overwhelming or tedious, not even for a moment.

This training, which was well structured and expertly organised and delivered by Angela Pericleous-Smith and Jennie Hunt, provided an enlightening, inspiring and extremely informative introduction into infertility and the critical role of the counsellor in facilitating this journey. I have come away with a far greater understanding of the different reasons for, and approaches to, infertility, the implications of donation as well as practical insights and an improved confidence around how to explore the resulting trauma, loss and grief within the counselling setting.

A thoroughly enjoyable course, which I would highly recommend without hesitation, in the company of a delightful group of individuals who were a pleasure to work alongside. Thank you for this opportunity. (Delegate April 21)

 

• Once again thank you so much for such an excellent training course last week – I’ve already had opportunities to apply my learning. It’s all in my evaluation but wanted to let you know directly that that’s probably the best online course I’ve attended.
• This course encapsulates the basics and beyond of the knowledge and skills required to practice as a Specialist Fertility Counsellor.
• A very concise, informative training for those starting out and for those ‘long in the tooth’.
• Such an informative and collaborative course. I learnt so much form both days and it was extremely useful to raise awareness about the different rules/regulations between England and Ireland and the different clinics.
• Excellent Foundation Course covering a wide gamut of subjects which left participants wishing for more
• Conceptualises the area of fertility counselling and highlights the important areas that Counsellors need to have knowledge about.

 

BICA FOUNDATION TRAINING COURSE 

It has been the best and most useful course I have ever attended. It has secured my decision to work towards gaining BICA accreditation.

 

  Implications Counselling Today:

• Informative, concise and clear
• Useful in appreciating complexities of implication counselling Varied/ well balanced/ interesting
• It will help you develop awareness of emerging issues.

 Trauma Perspectives on Infertility:

• Thorough explanation of “Trauma” itself and then applied well to our experience of counselling those with infertility.
• Great day, thank-you so much, I came in feeling confident I was going to have a good day. I left feeling great, buzzing and enthusiastic. Thank-you
• Very informative, covers a solid foundation of trauma in infertility
• Worth investing the time and money in
• Varied, looks at clinical meaning, perception and from counselling perspective.

  Working more Effectively with Men:

• Very interesting/male perspective. Good to meet people with the diverse skills.
•  Very helpful in broadening understanding of the challenges a man faces and his perspective when part of an infertile couple 
• Thinking about being a patient from the male perspective was enlightening, insightful and informative.
• Important in raising awareness of maleness in infertility setting

Facing the Void:

• Excellent day with personal accounts of being involuntarily childless 
• Insight into endings and dealing with the consequences
• Informative, friendly, well-paced
• A profoundly interesting day which will help me be more useful to my clients
• Informative, well-organised, varied
• I’d say “definitely do it”- an area of infertility counselling that is rarely addressed
• Thought-provoking and invaluable   

Why Me: Insights into Fertility:

• A very informative and enjoyable study day packed with information but with powerful experiential work which has deep understanding of challenges couples face and very useful as a therapist
• Powerful acknowledgement of a broad range of issues and points of view.
• Current information and looking at how to best hold client while sensitively addressing issues and giving space to both, going beneath what is being said, particularly the man.

The Donor Conceived Family:

• Not to be missed!
• Very informative course with good examples showing the complexity of the work 
• Enables the fertility counsellor to reflect further on the donor conceived person’s needs 
• It provides an in-depth exploration of a wide-ranging of issues to think about as a counsellor in the field. Fantastically rich source of loved experience and professional in-put
• A must for all counsellors in the fertility field whatever their age/stage of working
• The opportunity to develop insights and understanding that increases self-awareness of client’s issues and those of families
• This course picks you out of the counselling room and puts you into the shoes of the d.c person
• Informative, opening the mind to a broader context.
• How to help prospective d.c parents, insight of d.c children’s experience and family dynamics

 

COMPLEX ISSUES:

• High calibre sessions and safe environment to discuss such a huge topic. Also came away with concrete legal information.
• Reminds me of the complexity of fertility issues and regular updates/training are essential to my practice
• Insightful and not to be missed
• Useful and informative and gives motivation for further investigation/research
• Thought provoking and informative
• Go and get up to date, share your concerns about surrogacy. Unravel the complex thread of laws/welfare/ethics  

 

Working with Surrogacy:

• So important if you are working in the realm of surrogacy. The mix of personal and professional presentations has been brilliant.
• Another stimulating training day. An intimate rich mixture of excellent contributions from the Speakers, delegates and your "two-some - ness" ... Lots of hard work lm sure, masked in a flow and flexibility that made listening and learning a real joy.

 

Breaking Bad News/Giving and Managing Bad News:

• This is a useful course for all staff from receptionists to consultants
• Worth doing very informative
• Helps build confidence when Breaking bad news
• Very interesting course that makes you think about your practise
• Excellent way of exploring the fertility journey through the patients perspective
• A good summary of the emotions involved in infertility treatment from both the patients and the staffs perspective
• The ABC model of breaking bad news – exercises – are very helpful from embryologists point of view (other sessions (such as NHS sessions) have been very generalised, particularly when BBN over the phone).
• Useful way to explore the “softer” and human side of treatment, both for patients and yourself.
• Really worthwhile course designed to give you the theory of how to deliver bad news and safeguard yourself when giving bad news.

 Breaking Bad News Review by ACE

 

Supporting Patients: 

• This course give structure to the process of giving bad news
• This course will help you understand your patients pathway and feelings and how you can help them cope
• Extremely interesting and informative whilst reaffirming some of out current good practice.
• The whole workshop has been useful, it reiterates what’s been happening in the clinic.
• Patient perspective- sometimes you need to go back to basics which is easy to forget.