What I wish my colleagues understood about IVF with Sarah Banks

Trying to conceive can be incredibly isolating, especially when your friends and family just do not get it. That is why I loved this conversation with Sarah Banks, fertility coach, speaker, author, and creator of the Positivity Planner.

Sarah’s work is all about helping you feel more emotionally supported through treatment. She also has years of experience working with clinics on patient support strategies, so she sees both sides: what patients need, and what is still missing in the system.

We talked about why fertility coaching can be such a powerful complement to medical treatment, how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster of TTC, and how to protect your mental wellbeing, even when things do not go as planned.

What we discuss in this episode:

1. The power of coaching and how it can support people emotionally through treatment
2. How Sarah’s own journey inspired her work in fertility and patient experience
3. What fertility clinics are doing (and not doing) to better support patients
4. Coping with anxiety, stress, and overwhelm while TTC
5. Strategies for building resilience and staying hopeful
6. Tips for advocating for yourself in appointments and with providers
7. The Positivity Planner and how journaling can support your mental wellbeing
8. The importance of community, connection, and being heard
9. What Sarah wishes everyone struggling with infertility knew

If you are feeling like you have no one to talk to, or like you are supposed to just keep going while your heart is breaking, this one is for you.

This episode is sponsored by Access Fertility

Worried about the financial pressure of treatment? Access Fertility offers funding programmes and 0% interest finance to help ease the burden of self-funding IVF.

Their services include:

1. Loans of up to £12,000 with no interest over 12 months
2. Multi-cycle packages that can save you up to 30%
3. Refund programmes offering up to 100% back if treatment is unsuccessful
4. Partnerships with over 60 top clinics in the UK
5. Personalised advice based on your age and treatment plan

Visit accessfertility.com/thefp to learn more.

Learn more about Sarah’s work:

1. Positivity Planners
2. sarahbanks.coach

Let’s keep the conversation going:

1. Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy
2. Email your thoughts or guest ideas: natalie@thefertilitypodcast.com
3. Learn more about Fertility Coaching and Support from Sarah at sarahbanks.coach
4. Subscribe on your podcast app to stay updated
5. Leave a review or share this episode with someone who needs it

Until next time.