Holistic.
Modern.
Effective.
WHO NEEDS SURROGATE PARTNER THERAPY?
The problems that motivate clients to seek surrogate partner therapy range from general social anxiety to specific sexual dysfunctions.
Some common sexual concerns for male clients involve erection difficulties (ED), premature or delayed ejaculation (PE), and/or orgasm issues. Female clients’ sexual issues might involve difficulties with orgasmic release or penetration.
Clients of any gender may seek therapy to address problems relating to lack of experience, fear of intimacy, shame or anxiety regarding sex, low level of arousal, or lack of sexual desire.
Other concerns may include problematic relationships; medical conditions; negative body image or physical disfigurement; sexual, physical or emotional abuse and/or trauma; confusion about sexual orientation; low social or sexual confidence.
SURROGATE PARTNER PROGRAM IN MORE DETAIL
Surrogate partners are trained to guide you through your healing and growth in a hands-on way that allows you to gain real-life practice and experience. Our surrogate partner programs include breathing & relaxation techniques, connection-building work, and touch work that will help you to get more present, embodied, and comfortable giving and receiving touch in a non-goal-oriented way. Our programs also incorporate intentional bodywork to clear trauma stored in the body, and help you practice relaxing into receiving touch & allowing your body to respond naturally.
Our Foundational Surrogate Partner Therapy (SPT) Program will help you learn and practice fundamental relational skills in a safe container, and learn to connect more deeply with yourself and your partner. During this program you will work on cultivating connection, and learning relaxation, mindfulness, and embodiment skills. Through a series of structured and unstructured exercises, you will learn to relax into touch, get out of your head and into your body, feel more, communicate with & attune to your partner, and clear trauma (if applicable). As you become more comfortable, less anxious, and more tuned in to yourself and your body, your work with your surrogate partner will address specific intimacy issues and/or sexual dysfunctions in a natural and organic manner. By the time you complete your Foundational SPT Program, you will feel more confident, more comfortable in your own skin, and will be equipped with tools that will help you to be more successful in relationships and intimate situations.
After completing their Foundational SPT Program, some clients may find it necessary or beneficial to do an Advanced SPT Practicum, which includes deeper skill building and practice. The Advanced SPT Practicum provides further opportunity to synthesize, integrate, and apply the skills and knowledge learned in the Foundational SPT Program.
***Please note that you must first complete a Foundational Program before being eligible for an Advanced Practicum. Whether or not an Advanced Practicum is recommended or appropriate depends on whether both the client and their surrogate partner agree that further work is called for, and on the therapist's assessment regarding whether this level of work will be necessary and beneficial in each case.
OUR SURROGATE PARTNER THERAPY PROCESS
The first step in the process is an intake evaluation with our clinical therapist, during which we will answer any questions you may have and gather information to get a better understanding of your background, your reasons for seeking help, and your goals, so that we can together determine whether Ananda Integrative Healing Group is the right fit for you (to schedule an intake, please fill out our contact form & we'll send you more information). If you choose to move forward, usually one appointment will be scheduled per week, or every other week, in a regular time slot at the same day and time for each session. All appointments are conducted on an alternating basis between your surrogate partner and your clinical therapist. If your schedule or budget make weekly or biweekly sessions difficult, we can create a program that is manageable for you. Intensive programs on a more condensed schedule are available for clients who are traveling long distances to do healing work.
After your intake, you will have some sessions with our clinical therapist before you begin work with your surrogate partner, so that we can create rapport, get a full understanding of your needs, and prepare you to do the surrogate partner work. It may be recommended that you receive energy healing and/or hypnotherapy at some point during your program. Most of our clients benefit tremendously from including Brainspotting and NeuroSomatic Processing in their therapy sessions to dissolve mental & somatic blocks, which helps to accelerate their progress and make their sessions with their surrogate partner more effective.
If you currently have a partner, it is requested that your partner be informed of, and consent to, your healing work. Your relationship is treated with utmost respect and we have an ethical responsibility to honor the commitments that you have made in your relationship(s). In some cases, an exception may be made to this rule, so if you have concerns about including your partner in the process, please discuss them with us during your initial appointment and we will decide the best way to proceed. Married clients are not eligible for surrogate partner therapy programs. If you are married, please inquire about our program for married clients. This program is based on the surrogate partner therapy protocol and includes specialized coaching and exercises designed to help you reconnect with yourself and with your spouse, while honoring the boundaries of your marriage.
PROFESSIONAL FEES
Insurance does not cover surrogate partner therapy at this time. We keep a credit card on file and charge it after each session. Some insurance companies will reimburse you for our fees as out-of-network providers, and you can download your invoices from our client portal to submit them for possible reimbursement.
Once an appointment is scheduled, you will be expected to pay for it unless you provide at least 24 hours advance notice of cancellation (unless all parties agree that you were unable to attend due to circumstances beyond your control). Please arrive at the scheduled time of your appointment. We schedule buffer time between clients to maintain client privacy, and we cannot extend your session if you arrive late.
POLICIES
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We make every effort to respond to email messages and inquiries within two business days.
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All cases are reviewed by a licensed therapist.
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We don't discriminate based on age, race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Anyone is welcome for an intake session to determine the appropriate healing program, and our practitioners will work with every client who demonstrates a need for healing. Not every person will be an appropriate candidate for surrogate partner therapy.
WHAT IS SURROGATE PARTNER THERAPY?
Surrogate partner therapy focuses on helping individuals develop healthy relationships, embrace their bodies and sexuality, and navigate physical and emotional intimacy. The process emphasizes gradual progress, ensuring clients are prepared for each step as they engage in experiences that are diagnostic, skill-building, and healing.
Surrogate partners serve as role models for social skills, effective communication, and emotional honesty. Through the surrogate-client relationship, clients experience shared emotional intimacy and vulnerability in a safe and supportive environment, fostering healthier self-concepts and improved relational and sexual functioning.
As therapy progresses, clients often become more relaxed, open to their emotions, and comfortable with intimacy. Our surrogate partners teach relational and embodiment skills, equipping clients with tools and support to build fulfilling, healthy sexual connections independently.