Meriel Whale

she/her/they

East Sussex, UK (Lewes) and online

Counselling with me will support you to grieve properly so you can live a normal life again. You’ll be able to spend time with other people’s children without wanting to cry or run away. You'll begin to feel optimistic that there is a life after childlessness and it’s a good one. You’ll have someone to show you the way so you don’t feel lost any more, someone who gets it, someone who has walked the same path as you and come out the other side. There will be sad times, but you won’t need to manage them alone. There is life after childlessness and I’ll work with you to find ways through that are right for you. I ALSO WORK WITH: I also work with depression, anxiety, stress, and a broad spectrum of worries and problems people may face, especially in the queer and neurodivergent communities. I work in a way that prioritises your needs and desires, I see our work as a collaboration that is based on your needs. We'll have regular reviews to make sure you're getting what you need from our work together. I offer a free and no obligation initial twenty minute phone call for all prospective clients, both individuals and couples/thruples, just drop me an email to arrange.

Who I work with

I work with childless, LGBTQ+/queer and neurodivergent individuals and couples/thruples/polycules online and in Lewes, East Sussex.

Maybe you are struggling to cope with medical or social infertility or with the uncertainty of being single and desperately wanting to be a parent.

Maybe you are in despair, struggling to sleep, always holding back tears or anger and not knowing how to move forward or even wanting to, now you are facing the possibility a life without children.

Or perhaps you are in the middle of IVF treatment or are applying to adopt but it’s proving very hard and you need some support.

Maybe you’re dreading that moment when a friend or colleague announces they are pregnant . Afraid that feelings, like jealousy and resentment, may come up for you that feel impossible to bear or even talk about?

Being unable to have children, for whatever reason, can make you feel that your life as you planned it is over. You are out of sync with those around you and there’s a painful longing that you don’t know what to do with. Life feels empty as you try to grieve a loss that others don’t seem to even see, let alone understand. If you know your journey is over, you may be scared you'll never feel happy or fulfilled again or that this grief will last for ever.

If you are in a relationship, you might feel it has been so affected by all you have experienced that you don’t know how to stay together or talk to each other about how you are feeling. You’re feeling far away from your partner when you want to feel closer. You just don’t know how to help each other or yourself. I work with individuals, couples and thruples facing childlessness or struggling to managing the challenges of life, with LGBTQIA+ people and neurodivergent people of all genders and sexualities.

About Me and How I Work

Counselling with me will support you to grieve properly so you can live a normal life again. You’ll be able to spend time with other people’s children without wanting to cry or run away. You'll begin to feel optimistic that there is a life after childlessness and it’s a good one. You’ll have someone to show you the way so you don’t feel lost any more, someone who gets it, someone who has walked the same path as you and come out the other side. There will be sad times, but you won’t need to manage them alone. There is life after childlessness and I’ll work with you to find ways through that are right for you.

I ALSO WORK WITH:

I also work with depression, anxiety, stress, and a broad spectrum of worries and problems people may face, especially in the queer and neurodivergent communities.

I work in a way that prioritises your needs and desires, I see our work as a collaboration that is based on your needs. We'll have regular reviews to make sure you're getting what you need from our work together.

I offer a free and no obligation initial twenty minute phone call for all prospective clients, both individuals and couples/thruples, just drop me an email to arrange.

Qualifications & Professional Background

I trained at Brighton University in Person Centred counselling and have done follow up training in CBT and in Relationship counselling. I am also a qualified celebrant.

I have worked as a volunteer at Counselling Plus in Hastings and at LGBT Switchboard and Rise in Brighton. I have been a school counsellor and now have a private practice both online and face to face.

My experience means that I understand the issues faced by a wide range of people and specifically, those faced by the LGBTQIA+ community

I have a Postgraduate Diploma in Person Centred Counselling, as well as a PGCE, a PGCert in Theatre in Education and a BA (Hons) in History and Archaeology.

I have done additional training in creative approaches to counselling such as art and sandtray, for times when words aren't enough or are hard to find.

Next Steps

Get in touch with me to arrange a free and no obligation introductory call by emailing me (merielwhale@protonmail.com) or using the contact form on my website: www.merielwhalecounselling.co.uk.

£75 individuals, £95 couples/thruples, concessions available