Scottish Care & Information On Miscarriage — Counsellor in Glasgow, Scotland

I feel astonished about what happened to me here. I was undergoing fertility treatment which had failed several times and I believe these were early miscarriages as I could feel that I had conceived. I phoned up to check if this sort of counselling was suitable, I was told that it was and I was given an appointment. I attended my first appointment with Maureen. That was mostly me explaining my story and she urged me at the end of the appointment to make a second appointment. Then she asked me to make a donation. I said that I wasn't in a position to make such a donation and her website said that it wasn't compulsory for people on low-incomes. She pressured me and continued to ask for money several times. I continued to say no. She seemed to get cold towards me. For my second appointment, I turned up as arranged. She was about 5 to10 minutes late, came in and told me that miscarriage counselling was not appropriate and I should be having fertility counselling instead and suggested other organisations that I could go to. I said there was no time for that because my next round of fertility treatment was due really soon and there was now, no time, to find anyone else. I burst into tears. Maureen continued to refuse to counsel me even though I said these other places were inaccessible in the time limit that I had. I have no car and I had travelled for 70 minutes to this appointment that she had urged me to take and which she then refused to provide. Maureen said she thought it was nicer to tell me that she was refusing me to my face, which I don't understand because it wasn't nice at all. She put me out on the street whilst I was still crying. Her suggestions of other organisations, I could have found myself with 5 minutes on google, so that didn't add any value for me. I did complain about this episode and the response from the organisation was a single line that there was no case to answer. The logic of this baffles me. If this counselling was not appropriate, she could have told me on the phone no, rather than giving me the first appointment. The fact that I was having fertility treatment was not news to her at the initial appointment. Instead, she wasted my time and made it so I could not access another counsellor in time. I am wondering if she simply didn't like me when I refused to give a donation, even though the website says it is voluntary and not necessary for people on low incomes, and therefore she decided she didn't want to see me again - I am wondering if this explains the sudden change of heart. I don't know, it's just this doesn't make sense to me. I do not feel that I was treated with compassion at all and I am astonished that this happened. Even years later, I still feel very upset when I remember this. I am unlikely to trust another counsellor again as I wouldn't like this to be repeated.