My name is Dara and I’m a Reproductive Counsellor and the founder of Informed Fertility, a counselling and information service that offers in-person as well as video support in the area of family building. I work with individuals and couples experiencing primary or secondary infertility, as well as those seeking assisted fertility options due to sexual orientation, gender identity and/or relationship status.

While I have been a practicing social worker in Toronto, Canada since 2000, my passion for this work came out of my own personal experiences with infertility. After many years of tests, surgeries, unsuccessful IUIs and IVFs, my partner and I turned to gestational surrogacy ourselves. Today, we are the parents of two daughters, each carried by a different and incredible Gestational Surrogate, and I have the privilege of supporting people all over the world as they build their families – and in facilitating the dreams of women and men who generously offer their help as surrogates and donors so others can have the family of their dreams.

In my daily practice, I provide support in dealing with the profound emotions of infertility and loss (including grief and marriage counselling) and provide the assessments required by clinics for Intended Parents, donors and surrogates in advance of their treatment cycles. I offer empathetic and pragmatic decision-making guidance around next steps, and help in developing individualized and effective coping strategies. I am dedicated to evidence-based practice that is inclusive, personalized and helpful.

In addition to my counselling practice, I work closely with professional and community organizations and am a regularly invited speaker at conferences and workshops. I have also been actively involved in government consultations and in industry research that aims to improve care for all fertility patients – Intended Parents, Donors and Surrogates alike.

I have a Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Toronto and Bachelors’ Degrees from York (BSW) and McGill Universities (BA). I am a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers (RSW) – so if you have benefits, my services may be covered through your workplace insurance! I am also a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW) and a professional member of Fertility Matters, a patient support and advocacy group. I am a member of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) and the Canadian Counselling Special Interest Group (CCSIG) of the CFAS, as well as the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

I feel deeply grateful and fortunate that my professional training, personal experience with infertility and my family’s journey through surrogacy (twice!) combine to provide a unique and empathetic perspective for my clients. I work closely with clinics and affiliated professionals across North America, as well as with patients worldwide, and am committed to providing services that are compassionate, empathetic, inclusive and non-judgmental, as well as personalized and helpful.

If you have any questions, please send me an email. I look forward to walking with you through this journey and offering support in any and all ways that I can.