Surrogate Partner Therapy is an integrative model of treatment.
It applies life-like experiential learning with a surrogate practice partner who is trained in relationship skill building and body awareness.
A mental health clinician works in collaboration with the surrogate to guide the client through a progressive course of treatment.
Multiple phases of exercises overcome psychological barriers and teach how to nurture loving, healing relationships.
Jason welcomes you to reach out for a confidential conversation to see whether this supports feels right for you.
Learn About the Process
Most Common Concerns Treated by Surrogate Partner Therapy
Relationship Anxiety
Many women suffer from anxiety that is deeply rooted in past experience. This causes a pattern of failed relationships or fear of commitment. Exposing a client to feelings of safety with a male who regulates her anxiety disrupts relationship dysfunctions caused by anxiety. SPT reinforces the client’s agency to allow herself to feel safe with a partner.
Sexual Trauma
33% of women experience sexual violence. Unfortunately for most women, years of traditional psychotherapy cannot breakthrough persistent thoughts of experiencing past sexual trauma. SPT facilitates Post Traumatic Growth (PTG). When sexual trauma issues prevent a women from experiencing positive psychological changes, SPT is an appropriate intervention.
Painful Sex
Dyspareunia is the medical term for the most common dysfunction that affects women’s sexual pleasure. Less likely to be caused by a physical condition, but from disconnection from the mind and body. SPT exercises such as sensate focus and body awareness retrain the brain to tap into the parasympathetic nervous system when engaged in sexual activity.
Intimacy Issues
Women often relate issues with trust, communication, commitment and affection with physical intimacy. Lack of emotional connection with a partner will ultimately result in relationship failure. Intimacy skills are not inherent abilities. These skills have nothing to do with sexual performance. Beginning at birth, we learn them from our caregivers. Women who did not have affectionate parenting, for example, lack skills needed to sustain intimate relationships.
Lack of Sexual Experience
Late in life virgins increasing face difficulty forming deeper connections with a partner due to fear sex or lack of sexual experience. Exposing women without experience to an empathic male role model transforms a sense of general fear into possibility of feeling safe with a partner.
Attachment Issues
Childhood trauma such as parent abandonment carry anxious behaviors into adult relationships. Inner child wounds run so deep that affected women are never able to heal from their past. Without guidance from a caring, safe partner, every intimate adult relationship becomes a ticking timebomb.