Description
Instructors: Surrogate Partners Andrew Heartman and Laura Perlin
Format: Prerecorded video. Note: At this time, we are not authorized to offer AASECT Continuing Education credits for taking the course virtually. If you need AASECT CEs, please sign up for one of the live options.
Surrogate Partner Therapy (SPT), is a triadic, experiential treatment modality for clients experiencing obstacles to physical and/or emotional intimacy. SPT can be transformative for clients who haven’t been able to meet their needs for emotional and/or physical intimacy through any other means, and can accelerate the learning process for clients who are having challenges with relational intimacy. So what does it look like to practice surrogate partner therapy well?
In this class, through lecture, real-life examples, and an experiential exercise, we illuminate the structure and general arc of this triadic modality. We examine the role of the clinician at each stage in the process, including: how to assess whether SPT is indicated; how to collaborate with the surrogate partner; and how to avoid some potential difficulties.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate which clients are appropriate for SPT
- Differentiate between the roles of the clinician and the surrogate
- Describe the interactions between surrogate, client, and clinician
- Describe the Surrogate Partner Therapy process to a potential client
- Describe two exercises used to build intimacy
A practicing surrogate partner for 16 years, Andrew Heartman is passionate about overcoming misconceptions about Surrogate Partner Therapy and spreading accurate information about the practice. As Co-Founder of the Surrogate Partner Collective and mentor to surrogates in the internship phase of their training, he is committed to elevating the professionalism of those who engage in this therapy modality as well as the understanding of the public. Lots more information, including videos and interviews, can be found at www.surrogatepartner.us
Laura Perlin is a surrogate partner based in San Francisco, California. Her practice centers self-knowledge, self-acceptance, skillful communication, and vulnerability as gateways to personal growth, satisfying relationships, and collective transformation. Trained by the Surrogate Partner Collective, she also draws wisdom from her indigenous healing traditions as well as her experience as a ritualist, facilitator, and educator. Learn more at perlinintimacy.com
If cost is a barrier, please reach out to the facilitators for reduced fee options.
