Employees Navigating Fertility Treatment And Baby Loss

Often Struggle In Silence

But You Can Now Support Your Staff Through

These Difficult Times.

Dr Kara Davey, Senior Clinical Psychologist, is launching the

FIRST EVER fertility and baby-loss support membership,

which provides SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE and THERAPY for employees.


Kara has expert knowledge, as well as clinical and personal

experience of fertility challenges and baby loss.


Her ‘Supporting The Silent Struggle’ (STSS) membership, allows

you to provide top quality, professional help from a fertility

and baby loss specialist to your employees, WITHOUT adding

any additional pressure to your management team.

(Click this button to take you straight to the details of the membership)

Why would you as an employer want to better support you staff with fertility challenges and/or baby loss?

Staff support for infertility and baby loss is an area that’s traditionally difficult for employers to navigate.

If an employee doesn’t feel well supported by their workplace when they experience difficult life events, such as fertility challenges and/or baby loss, very often they start planning their exit from the organisation.

Many talented employees are now specifically seeking out employers who are known to value and honour staff well-being, including those who specifically prioritise fertility support. In a recent survey, 80% of employees affected by infertility and loss said they would actively change employer for one that prioritises fertility support.

Offering employees professional help to support their difficult fertility journey, or to help them after losing a baby will give you a competitive edge when it comes to attracting top talent. It will also help you to retain a happy and productive workforce, which will also reduce staff sickness.

Fertility issues and baby loss are statistically likely

to affect your staff

90% of people experiencing long-term infertility develop depression and 42% reported feeling suicidal

According to NHS figures, 1 in 6 couples have difficulty conceiving.


Employees undergoing fertility treatment often do not feel able to tell their employer.


As a result, employers are left in the dark and unable to offer support to staff when they most need it - during treatment, which is usually physically and emotionally exhausting; and after failed attempts, which can be emotionally devastating.

1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage.


Miscarriage is defined as a baby lost before the end of the 24th week of pregnancy.

Different types of first and second trimester losses, include: ectopic pregnancy, missed miscarriage, miscarriage, Termination For Medical Reasons (TMFR).

Specialist therapy for those who have suffered a baby loss of any kind can be extremely challenging to find.

Especially you want someone with both specialist knowledge and lived experience!

There are approximately 14 stillbirths per day in the UK alone.


Up to a 1/3 of people who experience a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, Neonatal death or a loss in the first year of infancy develop trauma symptoms, which will vastly improve with trauma therapy.


However, sadly very few bereaved parents are correctly assessed by a trauma specialist who can advise them of this.

Therapy offered via the NHS and counselling available from local baby-loss charities is often time limited and may be non-specialist and/or may be delivered by somebody without any trauma training.

In most areas NHS support is only on offer to the woman/birthing partner.

In some areas, no support is available at all for baby loss. Meaning an individual needs to have private health insurance or be able to afford to self-fund therapy.


The average cost of one session with a Clinical Psychologist is £130.


Consequently, 6 months of weekly 1:1 therapy with a Clinical Psychologist would cost £3,380.

Introducing...

Supporting The Silent Struggle Membership

The STSS membership offers specialist support for employees who are going through the complex challenges of infertility, secondary infertility, fertility treatment and/or who have experienced the tragedy of baby loss.

(Places on the STSS membership are limited)

The Benefits Of Supporting Employees Who Face Baby Loss And Fertility Difficulties

FOR EMPLOYEES

  • Reduced isolation

  • Reduced psychological distress

  • Improved coping and resilience

  • Enables them to meet their full potential at such a difficult time

  • Improved well-being

FOR THE ORGANISATION

  • Creates a safe culture for employees to talk about fertility challenges and pregnancy loss

  • Reduced employee sickness, staff turnover and absenteeism

  • Increased productivity

  • Reduces pressure and stress for management, who are often unsure how to best support such sensitive topics

  • Atrracts top talent

1 in 3 women had symptoms of PTSD one month after a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy

How the STSS membership works

For You, The Employer

As the employer, you purchase licences for membership, which are then available to staff in your organisation on request.


We recommend developing a culture where utilising this support is actively encouraged.


Ideally, this means that individuals do not need to go directly to their managers to request a licence, in case they feel uncomfortable doing so.


Each licence gives one person access to the STSS membership for 6 months!

This amazing membership provides: online resources, community support via support groups, monthly Q&A sessions, AND a THERAPY group drawing on a range of evidence based psychological therapies, including EMDR trauma therapy to improve coping and resilience at such a difficult time.

For Your Employee, the membership includes

1:1 personal guidance

Each member gets a 45 minute, confidential, online consultation session with Dr Kara Davey.


When joining an online membership, people often describe feeling overwhelmed by the information on offer.


Consequently, Kara ensures that each member receives personalised advice on what membership content will be most beneficial given their specific circumstances.

Kara personally meeting with all STSS members will also allow her to tailor the membership to the members needs and reduce potential triggers for group attendees.

A wide range of online modules and resources

This hub of resources and useful information is available in the online membership portal 24/7.

A detailed breakdown of what's included in the portal can be found in the next section.

Weekly group drop-ins for emotional support

Emotional support is essential for reducing isolation at such a difficult time.

Kara has been running support groups in her therapy practice since COVID began.

Attendees describe feeling comforted and supported during these sessions.

Outcomes include reducing feelings of distress and isolation, thus improving coping and resilience too.


Kara is aware that group support can be triggering, if not facilitated very sensitively.

See below for more information on how the sessions will be run to address this.

Monthly Q&A Support

The Q&A sessions provides members with an opportunity to ask Kara any questions.

Founding Members can also make requests for additional membership content.

Kara is happy to invite guest speakers into the membership where attendees would find it helpful to hear from other professionals/ holistic practitioners too.

Therapeutic group

Each member will also be invited to join an 8 week therapy group. The groups will draw on a range of evidence based psychological therapies, including EMDR trauma therapy to reduce trauma symptoms, where relevant.

Kara will run the therapy groups with a max of 8 attendees at a time. Kara will also be mindful of who attends to minimise potential triggers and to try and ensure the most therapeutic experience for all.

Attending the groups is not essential but will further improve coping and resilience.

What exactly is included inside the membership portal?

Kara is conscious that a diverse range of individuals may be interested in this membership.

Consequently, there are seven different introduction videos tailored to different circumstances, including introductions for bereaved parents, organisations, solicitors, charities and NHS services.

There are also 15 modules with video content and accompanying helpful handouts and resources.

The Modules Include:

  • The physical and emotional experiences commonly associated with different types of fertility challenge or loss and difficult circumstances

  • How to access and get the most therapeutic benefit out of free emotional support available across the UK

  • How to cope with grief, process trauma and of course strategies and support to improve coping and resilience

  • How to best support people experiencing infertility or baby loss

  • As well as specialist modules including trying again/ pregnancy after loss

The Modules Titles are:

  • Experiencing a challenging fertility journey and/or going through fertility treatment

  • Losing your much loved baby

  • Considering other options such as donor egg, donor sperm, adoption

  • What emotional support is available from the NHS, privately and from charities

  • How to maximise the effectiveness of counselling or therapy

  • Understanding grief

  • Understanding trauma

  • For men/partners

  • For solo parents and individuals who identify as LGBT+

  • Supporting children who have lost their sibling

  • Supporting other people after pregnancy or baby loss

  • Clinical Negligence

  • Improving coping and resilience

  • Trying again and/or pregnancy after loss

Everything That's Included In STSS:

Each licence gives one person access to the STSS membership for 6 months. This includes:

  • 1:1 personal guidance (Value £120)

    Each member gets a 45 minute, confidential, online consultation session with Dr Kara Davey.

  • 15 pre-recorded modules and accompanying handouts (Value £360)

    This hub of resources and useful information is available in the online membership portal 24/7.

  • Weekly community support sessions (Value £360)

    Attendees can attend as many of the support groups as they feel would be helpful for them throughout the duration of their membership. Most people are likely to attend one session per month.

  • Monthly Q&A Support (Value £360)

    The Q&A sessions provides members with an opportunity to ask Kara any questions.

  • A 10 week therapy group (Value £600)

    Each member will also be invited to join an 10 week therapy group. The groups will draw on a range of evidence based psychological therapies, including EMDR trauma therapy to reduce trauma symptoms, where relevant.

Total Value = £1,800

(To receive an exclusive founding members discount)

Please note: By applying for the STSS Membership you warrant that: The member accessing the membership is not a resident of the USA or Canada. Unfortunately, our insurance won’t allow us to deliver live content to these countries due to the need for Clinical Psychologists to do a conversion course to practice there. However, if this affects you, please contact us at hello@karaclinicalpsychologistinsussex.co.uk to discuss getting access to the recorded materials alone within the membership.

75% of people interviewed by the Fertility Network said they would access counselling if it were offered to them for free

How the Online Support Sessions Work

Attendees can attend as many of the support groups as they feel would be helpful for them throughout the duration of their membership.

They provide a great opportunity for members to share their experience and receive emotional support.

Due to the sensitive nature of the topics being discussed in these groups, the theme of each group changes weekly. This enables all members to attend at least one monthly group with other people who are likely to specifically relate to their challenges.

For example:

  • Week 1

    For those experiencing difficulties conceiving and/or who are going through fertility treatment

  • Week 3

    For those who have experienced second or third trimester losses, a loss during labour or a neonatal loss

  • Week 5

    Monthly Q&A session

  • Week 2

    For those who have experienced first trimester losses, TMFR and/or recurrent loss

  • Week 4

    For those who have lost an infant in the first year of life

Please note: The weekly group themes may change, if necessary best reflect the needs of the members attending.

WhatsApp support groups can also be set up on request.

For example, a dads-only or a LGBT+ group may be useful, if there are multiple dads members

or LGBT+ members looking to support each other.

The power of connecting with other people who really get how you are feeling can never be underestimated!

Therapeutic Group

In addition to the course content, weekly community support groups, WhatsApp support and monthly Q&As, Kara will also facilitate 10 week therapy groups in the membership.

As a Clinical Psychologist and Traumatic Grief Specialist, Kara has extensive experience providing therapy to individuals experiencing infertility and/or baby loss.

Consequently, Kara knows the topics that are most helpful to cover.

Kara will tailor the groups to best help group attendees learn and practice strategies that will be helpful for them, drawing from a range of evidence based psychological therapies.

Therapy approaches that Kara will draw from include EMDR trauma therapy, Compassion Focussed Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, The Tree of Life, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Dialectal Behavioural Therapy.

Is the STSS membership applicable to your organisation?

The ‘Supporting The Silent Struggle’ (STSS) membership is for all organisations who recognise the importance and the benefits of supporting their employees with fertility challenges and following infant loss.

Because STSS is a bolt-on service, your organisation can easily provide this specialist professional wellbeing support to your employees, without any restructuring or major upheaval required.

Flexibility in the number of licences you purchase means your workforce gets access to a support service that’s in line with your business operation.

And because your employees’ welfare is taken care of in confidence by us, you know that your staff have access to the support they need, without placing any undue strain on your HR department.

Looking after your workforce’s psychological well-being is one of the simplest ways to nurture a culture of inclusivity, improve staff retention, productivity, attract top talent and reduce staff sickness.

It shows your employees that you truly value them and are not just ticking the well-being box.

Meet The Founder

Dr Kara Davey is a multi award-winning, HCPC registered

and BPS approved Clinical and Coaching Psychologist with over 15 years’ experience.

She is also a trauma specialist accredited with the EMDR Association UK.

Kara is the founder of ‘Kara Clinical Psychologist in Sussex’ and ‘Dr Davey Coaching’.

Kara and her team provide coaching and therapy to individuals, as well as supporting organisations to enhance their team’s performance and well-being via training, workshops, webinars, team away days/ day retreats, consultation and wellbeing memberships.

Kara’s clinical experience before founding her own practices

Kara has worked in a wide range of NHS services.

She developed a service to help individuals hospitalised with life changing injuries following traumatic incidents such as road traffic accidents or assaults.

She also worked in occupational health within the NHS, and for Sussex and Hampshire police headquarters, supporting emergency services personnel affected by trauma experienced whilst in the line of duty.

Why Kara is launching STSS

Following a difficult fertility journey herself, including experiencing multiple missed miscarriages, miscarriages and a stillbirth in late pregnancy, Kara began providing specialist support to individuals who were struggling to conceive, had experienced difficult neonatal stays or who had tragically lost their baby/babies.

Kara is extremely passionate about what she does.

She provides monthly online baby loss support groups. She has developed leaflets, written a book and offers free resources, which are all available here

She continues to provide specialist fertility and baby loss therapy, as well as managing a team of other experienced psychologists to help her meet client demand.

Kara is a Trustee for the baby loss Charity Oscar’s Wish Foundation and also provides supervision to staff working in loss services within the NHS and to SANDS befrienders.

Kara says “I have witnessed far too many talented men and women leaving organisations due to feeling unsupported after baby loss and/or fertility difficulties and I avidly want to stop this happening”.

Her clinical experience prompted her to start helping organisations better understand and support their staff’s well-being in relation to fertility and baby-loss.

Many of Kara’s clients have said that they wish they could clone her to help more people.

This membership is an exciting new development that will enable Kara to help many more people.

All companies that sign up to the membership receive an employer recognition badge.

You can use the STSS logo and it will be added to Kara’s company websites, listing your organisation as an employer that prioritises fertility and baby loss support.

This could give you a competitive edge on attracting top talent.

Individuals who have left employers that don’t prioritise staff well-being search directly for companies who are demonstrating that they do holistically care about staff’s well-being.

Many businesses are beginning to understand that fertility and baby loss is likely to affect a significant proportion of their employees.

While starting conversations and bringing awareness is a great first step, the STSS membership is a simple and affordable way for you to offer practical and accessible support too, which will benefit you and your employees.

Pricing

The average cost of 6 months of 1:1 support with a Clinical Psychologist is £3,380.

In contrast, a licence for 6 months access to the STSS membership costs only £997, with discounts available for organisations who bulk buy.

AND those joining the waiting list now, will be offered the opportunity to purchase licenses for the bargain price of just £497!!!

(Be first to know when founding member's rates are available,

ready for the membership launch on 3rd July 2023).

Questions?

If you have any questions, please fill out the form below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Please note, membership places are limited to ensure that the support and therapy groups are not too big and are therefore remain therapeutic and not overwhelming for those who attend

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(C) Supporting The Silent Struggle 2023