For Potential Clients:

Who is Surrogate Partner Therapy appropriate for?

SPT is an excellent modality for a wide variety of presenting concerns, including lack of experience, trauma history, anxiety, and difficulties with physical function. SPT is really for anyone who is struggling with intimate relationships, is unpartnered, and is interested in the tandem approach of experiential learning alongside their talk therapy. During an initial meet and greet, we will talk through concerns and goals, and will also consider other somatic approaches that may be a fit. As a pansexual ciswoman, I am able to provide services for clients of all gender identities.

What is the pricing structure?

My current fee is an hourly rate of $300 per hour spent in sessions. The travel, documentation and collaboration that I do with your therapist between sessions is covered in that fee. If my travel time exceeds an hour each direction, there will be an additional $50 fee per session.

Is Surrogate Partner Therapy covered by insurance?

At this time, there are no insurance providers who cover SPT. Because cost is prohibitive for some individuals who want this work, I do offer a sliding scale rate for a small number of clients.

How many SPT sessions will I have?

Each person is different, not only different in where they are at the start, but also in what their goals are. Other factors will also impact duration of service, including how long sessions are and whether or not they’ve worked with somatic practitioners before. Many surrogates have worked with clients for as few as 18 hours and as many as 60 hours.

Where do sessions take place?

There is an initial screening virtually, as well as a triadic meeting in the therapist’s office at the very start of the work. The vast majority of sessions after that are held in a private setting. I usually see my clients in their home. Occasionally, sessions are held in the community to support generalizing certain skills or overcoming specific anxieties.

I am located in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area and a willing to travel outside of it for intensive sessions.

How frequently will we meet?

Surrogate Partner Therapy in its traditional sense is a weekly therapy, with sessions of 2-3 hours once per week with the surrogate as well as weekly outpatient sessions with the supervising therapist. For people who don't live near the closest available surrogate, or for whom weekly sessions won't work, alternatives are available, including intensives or mini-intensives. An intensive entails meeting for two 2-3 hour sessions per day for 10-14 days. Mini-intensives are often a series of sessions in a weekend, one weekend per quarter.

Do we have contact outside of sessions?

Boundaries are a very important part of the structured, safe container that SPT provides. I limit contact between sessions to logistics, such as changes to schedule. This helps to maintain appropriate expectations and also leaves space for your organic relationships and activities to meet some needs. For similar reasons, I maintain a minimum of 2 years of no contact with clients after they complete the work, unless they are returning to continue the work or have ‘booster sessions.’

How do I know when my SPT work is done?

There are a variety of ways that SPT can come to a close. Often a client will meet their goals or will feel confident in next steps and ready to take those on ‘in the wild.’ It is also fairly common that as your anxiety decreases and confidence builds, you may start to partner organically. If you start seeing a committed partner partway through the work, I will work with your therapist to ensure that they are able to continue skill building with you within your partnership.

For Clinicians:

Is Surrogate Partner Therapy Legal?

The Surrogate Partner Collective website states, “Surrogate partner therapy is not, and has never been, illegal. There are no laws that prevent clients from seeking surrogate partners, prevent surrogate partners from practicing, or prevent therapists from collaborating with surrogate partners.  

Claims otherwise are rooted more in fear than fact, as the surrogate partner process has not been immune from the deeply-rooted fear, shame, and judgment around sexuality that has thrived in our culture. No statute prohibits the practice of SPT.”

Is there a licensing board for Surrogate Partners?

While there are several bodies in the United States that train surrogate partners, they each have different practices and different philosophies. It is therefore essential that each individual involved in the process have a thorough discussion at the outset to ensure that they are in alignment. Clinician and surrogate must also adhere to the strict ethical codes set forth by their respective professional organizations.

Is a Surrogate Partner practicing under my license?

No. Clinicians may be thinking of supervising, as in supervising interns and being responsible for their decisions. Unlike an intern, who is in your field and practicing under you in the same skillset, Surrogate Partners are professionals from a different field. Our training and skillsets are different, so collaborating with a Surrogate Partner is much more akin to collaborating with a nutritionist or a massage therapist. You can always help clients determine another professional is legitimate in their field of practice and support them in making their own decisions about fit and readiness. While it is best practice for clinicians to continually collaborate and advocate, the actions of the Surrogate Partner are not your professional liability.

What do I need to know before I can supervise SPT as a clinician?

It can be intimidating for a therapist to think about supervising a process that may be new to them. That’s just one reason many of us have updated the terminology to collaborating clinician. I am always happy to take the time to talk through the whole of the surrogate therapy process to ensure that it feels like a fit. I want all parties to be comfortable with the interventions, pacing, and potential nuances for the individual client. Additionally, as part of each session note, I will share with the clinician my thoughts on exercises for the next session and we will discuss that as part of our consultation.

As a clinician, what are expectations with regards to collaboration?

Clinicians are expected to collaborate regularly with surrogates through phone consultation between each client-surrogate session. I also write a detailed note after every session and email that to the clinician for reference. To ensure a safe and supported closure of the surrogate-client relationship, clinicians are also expected to continue therapy services with the client at least several months after the conclusion of the surrogate work.

How do I know a Surrogate Partner is the right fit for my client?

Just like you, Surrogate Partners want to be providing quality therapeutic services to clients. That means being able to discuss what presenting concerns are and are not the best for our own style, as well as vetting specific clients. Many Surrogate Partners, myself included, actually prefer to begin vetting a case with direct consultation with the therapist. This way we can candidly share goals, how specific presentations can manifest in the SPT process, and potential barriers.