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Dara works with individuals and couples experiencing infertility or seeking assisted fertility options due to sexual orientation, gender identity, relationship status or underlying medical conditions. She provides support in dealing with the profound emotions of infertility and loss, including marriage and grief counselling, offers pragmatic decision-making guidance and help in developing effective coping strategies. She also specializes in counselling for Intended Parents using gamete donation or surrogacy, those embarking on co-parenting arrangements, and people requiring donor or surrogacy assessments. On a personal note, Dara is a mother through surrogacy herself, after many years of infertility treatments.
In addition to her counselling practice, Dara works closely with professional and community organizations and is a regularly invited speaker at conferences, workshops, webinars/live stream talks, and university campuses. She is involved in Canadian government consultations pertaining to assisted human reproduction, has been an invited speaker in the Federal House of Commons and Ontario Provincial legislature, and is active in industry research.
She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto and Bachelors’ Degrees from York University and McGill University. She is a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers, a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers and a professional member of Fertility Matters, a patient support and advocacy group. She is also a member of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) and the Canadian Counselling Special Interest Group of the CFAS, as well as the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), and the ASRM’s Mental Health Professional Group.
Dara works closely with clinics, agencies and affiliated professionals across Canada, as well as with patients from around the world. She is dedicated to evidence-based practice that is inclusive, empathetic, personalized and helpful.