Counselor recommendation for donor egg at shady grove

[Anonymous]

SG requires counseling session for DE/donor egg and wondering if there was a particular counselor that you would recommend off their list? We are in MD. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Is Dawn Taylor still on their list? I recommend her. I strongly do NOT recommend their in-house person, Laura Covington.

[Anonymous]

We had a good experience with Carol Toll a few years ago. I don’t know if she’s still there.

[Anonymous]

We had Dr. Wasserstein. Loved her. I may go back to her, now that my DD is here.

[Anonymous]

We used Ellen Eule, who was recommended to us by SGFC. Pleasant, easy to schedule, efficient, completed the required paperwork promptly. We had the required sessions: one intake together, an individual session each for DH and I, and a followup together. I don't know that it was necessarily helpful, and it wasn't something we would have chosen to do had it not been mandated, but it wasn't a difficult hoop to jump through. (I think DH felt it was more helpful than I did, though.)

[Anonymous]

They all suck, be ready for them to tell you what to do not listen. If you disagree they will be condescending. If men were doing this, would they require this psychological slash social work visit? It’s almost like they don’t believe women are competent to make their own decisions or smart enough to to research diligently. The women who use SG are highly intelligent and sophisticated, not dumbasses who don’t know any better. Insulting!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They all suck, be ready for them to tell you what to do not listen. If you disagree they will be condescending. If men were doing this, would they require this psychological slash social work visit? It’s almost like they don’t believe women are competent to make their own decisions or smart enough to to research diligently. The women who use SG are highly intelligent and sophisticated, not dumbasses who don’t know any better. Insulting!

I'm not sure I agree. My RE recommended DE and I could never really got over the psychological hump to get to wear I needed to be to do it. I imagine there are a lot of conflicting emotions to work through doing DE and this seems like a prudent safe guard to make sure that people are fully prepared for what it all entails. Also there are studies that show talking about DE early with DE kids is best for their mental health so maybe its good to have a psych explain this type of stuff on the front end.

Also - it is a good money making thing to have this as a requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They all suck, be ready for them to tell you what to do not listen. If you disagree they will be condescending. If men were doing this, would they require this psychological slash social work visit? It’s almost like they don’t believe women are competent to make their own decisions or smart enough to to research diligently. The women who use SG are highly intelligent and sophisticated, not dumbasses who don’t know any better. Insulting!

They require this for donor sperm too… but yeah it does seem a bit condescending.

[Anonymous]

We knew we were going to do DE and were confident about our decision, so we treated the counseling session just as an item to be checked off the list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They all suck, be ready for them to tell you what to do not listen. If you disagree they will be condescending. If men were doing this, would they require this psychological slash social work visit? It’s almost like they don’t believe women are competent to make their own decisions or smart enough to to research diligently. The women who use SG are highly intelligent and sophisticated, not dumbasses who don’t know any better. Insulting!

Yes, actually, they do require men to do it. When they use donor sperm.

[Anonymous]

We went with their in house Laura Covington for the required counseling for donor sperm. We thought she was fine. Got some helpful things out of but mostly thought it was an annoying requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They all suck, be ready for them to tell you what to do not listen. If you disagree they will be condescending. If men were doing this, would they require this psychological slash social work visit? It’s almost like they don’t believe women are competent to make their own decisions or smart enough to to research diligently. The women who use SG are highly intelligent and sophisticated, not dumbasses who don’t know any better. Insulting!

Men go to SG too. My friends who are a gay couple had a child through SGF via donor egg and gestational carrier. They had to go through counseling just like my DH and I did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They all suck, be ready for them to tell you what to do not listen. If you disagree they will be condescending. If men were doing this, would they require this psychological slash social work visit? It’s almost like they don’t believe women are competent to make their own decisions or smart enough to to research diligently. The women who use SG are highly intelligent and sophisticated, not dumbasses who don’t know any better. Insulting!

You’re adopting a child, and are mad about a home visit?