A Different Kind of Therapeutic Relationship
Many people come to Surrogate Partner Therapy after years of feeling stuck around intimacy, relationships, touch, dating, sexuality, communication, or emotional connection.
Some have spent years in traditional talk therapy but still find that certain challenges remain difficult to shift without direct relational experience.
Surrogate Partner Therapy (SPT) is an experiential, relationship-based process designed to help bridge that gap.
Rather than only talking about connection, clients have the opportunity to explore new ways of relating in real time — with support, structure, collaboration, and clear therapeutic boundaries.
SPT is conducted as a three-person therapeutic team involving:
- the client
- a surrogate partner
- and a licensed therapist or collaborating clinician
This collaborative structure helps create accountability, continuity, and emotional support throughout the process.
My Approach
My work is grounded in the belief that relational patterns are not just intellectual — they are lived in the body, nervous system, emotions, and moment-to-moment interactions with other people. Because of that, meaningful change often requires more than insight alone.
In our work together, you may practice:
- emotional awareness
- communication skills
- boundary-setting
- mindfulness and embodiment
- affectionate and consensual touch
- authenticity and self-expression
- navigating vulnerability
- dating and relationship skills
- reducing shame, fear, or anxiety around intimacy
The pace of the work is collaborative and individualized. There is no expectation to “perform,” rush, or force experiences before you feel ready. The goal is not perfection or performance, but greater comfort, confidence, presence, and connection.
Who I Work With
Clients seek this work for many different reasons. You may be navigating:
- social or relationship anxiety
- limited relationship experience
- fear of intimacy or vulnerability
- touch deprivation or isolation
- difficulty with dating or communication
- sexual shame or anxiety
- challenges related to neurodivergence
- recovering from painful relational experiences
- difficulty feeling connected to themselves or others
Regardless of your background, identities, or life experiences, I welcome you.
Professional Collaboration
SPT works best as a collaborative therapeutic process.
I work in coordination with licensed therapists and other qualified clinicians to help ensure that the work remains integrated, ethical, and supportive of your broader therapeutic goals.
If you are currently working with a therapist, we can discuss whether collaborative work may be appropriate. If you are not, I’d be happy to provide a referral.
If you are a therapist interested in learning more about Surrogate Partner Therapy or discussing a referral, please visit the “For Therapists” page or reach out directly.
Why This Work Matters to Me
Many people carry deep shame, fear, loneliness, or discouragement around intimacy and connection — often believing they are “behind,” broken, undesirable, or incapable of relationship.
My experience has been that healing often becomes possible when people encounter safe, attuned, embodied relational experiences that allow them to practice new ways of being with themselves and others.
This work is not about quick fixes or scripted techniques. It is about creating conditions you can gradually build trust, awareness, confidence, communication, and relational capacity through authentic human interaction.
Getting Started
If you’re curious whether this work may be a good fit for you, I offer a free introductory conversation where we can discuss:
- your goals
- your questions about the process
- how Surrogate Partner Therapy works
- whether collaborative support with a therapist may be appropriate, or whether another modality may be better
There is no pressure or obligation to move forward.