Childless Not by Choice

Understanding Childlessness Not by Choice

For individuals who long for children but are unable to have them, childlessness not by choice can bring profound grief, loss, and emotional pain. This experience may be the result of infertility, medical conditions, or life circumstances that make it impossible to have children. The emotional toll can include feelings of sadness, anger, isolation, and a sense of unfulfilled dreams.

The Role of Counselling in Healing

Counselling offers a supportive space for individuals to process the grief of being childless not by choice. Therapy helps individuals work through feelings of loss and sadness, explore alternative ways of finding meaning, and develop strategies for building a fulfilling life despite the absence of children.

Finding Acceptance and Purpose

Through therapy, individuals can find ways to accept their situation, build emotional resilience, and discover new sources of purpose and joy. Counselling supports individuals in creating a fulfilling life that reflects their values and aspirations, even in the face of childlessness.

Managing Social and Family Pressures

Counselling also addresses the challenges of navigating societal expectations and family pressures. Therapy provides tools for managing conversations about childlessness and helps individuals build self-confidence in their decisions and life choices.

  • Processing grief and loss
  • Building resilience and purpose
  • Navigating societal and family pressures
  • Finding fulfillment beyond childlessness
Find Childless Not by Choice therapists in Brighton & Hove

Therapists in Brighton & Hove

Browse our verified therapists — many work across a wide range of issues and may be able to help.

Andy Wolage Brighton

Andy Wolage

Therapeutic Counsellor

Sometimes life is really hard. Everything feels like too much. We can get overwhelmed with guilt for not coping, shame for having failed in the past and sometimes we can end up not really liking ourselves very much. We might self medicate with substances or other behaviours which we know don't really help, but they seem better than nothing. But they just perpetuate the cycle. I can offer you a safe, non-judgemental and confidential space to organise and reframe those overwhelming feelings and see the wood for the trees. I can help you understand yourself better and to begin to look in the mirror and like what you see. 

BACPRegisteredNCPSAccredited
View profile
Thaddeus Hickman Brighton

Thaddeus Hickman

Psychotherapist

I’m an experienced, integrative psychotherapist, registered with both UKCP and BACP. I work with clients to support their immediate struggles, while also helping them understand and identify underlying and often unseen issues - a process which often leads to positive and lasting change.

BACPRegisteredUKCPRegistered
View profile
Imogen Salt Brighton

Imogen Salt

Humanistic Psychotherapist

I offer one-to-one humanistic counselling, for adults and young people within the Brighton & Hove area. I prioritise face-to-face therapy, but offer online where needed. I am experienced, thoughtful, intuitive and warm.

NCPSAccredited
View profile
Tessa Williams Brighton

Tessa Williams

Integrative Counsellor

I’m a warm, thoughtful and genuine therapist, working with individual adults in person in Brighton & Hove and online.I see therapy as something we build together, with the relationship between us at the heart of the work. I aim to offer a space where you can feel accepted as you are, while also supporting you to consider different perspectives when that may be helpful.My way of working is flexible and shaped around you. We might explore emotions, relationships and recurring patterns, pay attention to how experiences are felt in your body, or use more creative ways of working where that feels useful.I offer an affirming and inclusive space, including for LGBTQ+, neurodivergent and disabled identities and experiences.

BACPRegistered
View profile
Tony Austin Brighton

Tony Austin

Integrative psychotherapist

Common feelings such as anxiety, a lack of self-worth or sadness colour our experience and often leave us feeling we have lost our way. Sometimes we can feel like our own worst enemy, giving ourselves a hard time because others can manage, so why can’t I?I chose to train as a psychotherapist after being in therapy myself. Through the process of talking with a skilled therapist I was able to reflect on how my past had shaped my present, understand myself better, value myself more and create a happier, more fulfilled life and I want to help others do the same. Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than having a client say they feel “unburdened” at the end of a session or, at their final session, seeing them leave with greater confidence ready to make the changes necessary to create the life they want.After completing my training as a counsellor at Lambeth College, I worked for an NHS counselling service in West London. I helped many clients dealing with anxiety, depression, relationship breakdown and many other common issues and seeing so many people find positive solutions fuelled my passion for therapy and I would like to help you.  I believe everyone deserves to be heard and with the right support can create positive, lasting change. Through our work together, I can help you reduce anxiety, rebuild your confidence, learn how to recognise unhelpful habits such as “people pleasing”, or “self-sabotage” and create better relationships with yourself and others.If you want to learn more about how counselling can help you, get in touch through the link at the bottom of this page and take the first step to happier, more fulfilling life.

BACPAccredited
View profile
Paul Chantry Brighton, Hove

Paul Chantry

Integrative Counsellor MBACP

We often think that we can manage on our own, but there comes a point when we need to reach out and seek support. Perhaps you are feeling anxious or depressed? Maybe you are finding life overwhelming or have a sense of sadness, hopelessness and despair? Or maybe you are feeling angry and frustrated? If you are experiencing any of these emotions then counselling can really help you to make sense of things, better understand yourself, and overcome the issues which are causing you distress. I am a qualified counsellor and member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and I have experience of helping people who suffer with anxiety, depression, panic attacks, low self-esteem, childhood trauma, self-harm, relationship and family conflict.  If you’ve never had counselling before then finding the right therapist can be confusing and intimidating, so it’s important that you take time to find the right therapist for you. Please don't hesitate to contact me for a free initial telephone consultation so that I can find out a bit more about what's troubling you and we can explore how I can help.

BACPRegistered
View profile
View all therapists

Explore by issues

Discover valuable information on common mental health issues, and how counseling can help.

Grief and Loss

5 Issues

Abuse and Trauma

10 Issues

Addiction

7 Issues

Developmental Conditions

9 Issues

Relationships and Families

16 Issues

Emotional Health Issues

26 Issues

Eating and Body Image

6 Issues

Personality Challenges

9 Issues

Child and Youth Concerns

3 Issues

Stress and Anxiety

13 Issues

Health Conditions

8 Issues

Identity

10 Issues
Saved therapists
Loading...

No saved therapists yet.

Find a therapist

Finding the right therapist is a personal journey and rarely a quick decision. To help you take your time, you can bookmark any therapist profile you want to revisit later — no account or login needed. Simply click the bookmark icon on any therapist card to save them to your list. Your saved therapists are stored in your browser, so they'll still be there when you come back.

View full saved list