Sexual surrogate

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

A sexual surrogate, sometimes called a surrogate partner, is a member of a sex therapy team consisting of client(s), supervising therapist, and surrogate.[1][2][3] Some couples attend sexual surrogacy sessions together, while some people (either single or in a couple) attend them alone.[4] The surrogate engages in education and often intimate physical contact and/or sexual activity with clients to achieve a therapeutic goal.[5] Masters and Johnson introduced the practice in their textbook on Human Sexual Inadequacy, published in 1970.[6]

Most surrogates are women;[7] a few are men.[8] Some surrogates work at counseling centers, while others have their own offices.[9] Many surrogates have training as sexologists.[10]

Although anyone can call themselves a surrogate without training or certification, there is training and certification available.[11][12] The International Professional Surrogates Association, founded in 1971, trains and certifies sexual surrogates and refers clients and therapists to them, as well as participating in academic research and public education.[13][14] Vena Blanchard is its president.[15]

Typical problems[edit]

Patients frequently present with these specific problems:

There are people who have experienced a change in sexual lifestyle due to an acquired disability (accident, paralysis, disease, trauma), and a surrogate can help them explore and develop sexual potential. The causes of sexual dysfunction are numerous and the methods a surrogate might use to help improve sexual function are varied.

Therapy[edit]

Since many sexual problems are psychological rather than physical, communication plays a key role in the therapeutic process between a patient and the sex surrogate, as well as between the surrogate and the therapist. Surrogates offer therapeutic exercises to help the patient. These may include relaxation techniques, intimate communication, teaching social skills, and some sexual touching.[16] Sex surrogate and tantra sex educator Mare Simone says that physical intimacy is a rare occurrence between her and her patients, and she will not engage in intercourse with those in committed relationships.[17]

Articles[edit]

The 2003 Salon.com article "I was a middle-aged virgin", by Michael Castleman, discusses a middle-aged American virgin (Roger Andrews) and his therapy with the sex surrogate Vena Blanchard.[18]

Documentaries[edit]

In popular culture[edit]

  • The TV series Boston Legal featured a sexual surrogate named Joanna Miller (played by Jane Lynch) as a recurring character. The show explored her professional relationship with two of the main cast, their sexual problems, and how a surrogate can approach treatment. The show further drew attention to the problems that can face those who offer sex surrogacy services. The character Joanna appears in the episodes "Can't We All Just Get A Lung?" (Season 3, Episode 1) and "The Verdict" (Season 3, Episode 6), which were both first aired in 2006.
  • The American movie The Sessions (2012) stars Helen Hunt as Cheryl, a sexual surrogate who helps polio survivor Mark (John Hawkes) lose his virginity at the age of 38, based on the true story of Mark O'Brien and Cheryl Cohen-Greene. O'Brien wrote about his experience in 1990.
  • The Israeli movie Surrogate (2008) is about a female surrogate (Lana Ettinger) treating a man (Amir Wolf) who was sexually abused as a child. The film was directed by Tali Shalom-Ezer and is based on extensive research at Dr. Ronit Aloni's renowned clinic in Tel Aviv.
  • In an episode of Anger Management, a friend of Kate (Selma Blair) is a 32-year-old virgin who is looking for her first-time sexual encounter with a man. Charlie Sheen (Charlie Goodson) decides to be her first encounter as a faux sex surrogate (not being professional or licensed), and she becomes attached to him.[20] Later on she finds out that he (Charlie) was taking the place of a professional sex surrogate for a real one provided to her.
  • My Therapist (1984) starring Marilyn Chambers
  • In season 1 episode 10 of Backstrom, "Love Is a Rose and You Better Not Pick It", the S.C.U. investigates when a young female sex surrogate is found dead.[21]
  • The American movie She's Lost Control (2014), treats about the professional and personal life of a sexual surrogate.[22]
  • Masters of Sex episode 03-07 and 03-08, TV film based on the work of Masters and Johnson

References[edit]

Notes

  1. ^ Burford, Michelle (September 2009). "Is a Sex Surrogate Right for You?". AOL Health. Archived from the original on February 12, 2010. 
  2. ^ International Professional Surrogates Association. "Surrogate Partner Therapy". Retrieved 13 March 2013. 
  3. ^ "Better-Sex Secrets from a Sex Surrogate | Women's Health Magazine". Womenshealthmag.com. 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2014-03-03. 
  4. ^ "Better-Sex Secrets from a Sex Surrogate | Women's Health Magazine". Womenshealthmag.com. 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2014-03-03. 
  5. ^ "Better-Sex Secrets from a Sex Surrogate | Women's Health Magazine". Womenshealthmag.com. 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2014-03-03. 
  6. ^ "Surrogate Partner Therapy/Sexual Surrogacy-To Refer Or Not to Refer". Zurinstitute.com. Retrieved 2014-03-03. 
  7. ^ "New Ashvegas feature: Ask the Sex Coach". Ashvegas.com. 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2014-03-03. 
  8. ^ DeHaan, Jerry De. Reaching Intimacy: A Male Sex Surrogate's Perspective, published 1986.
  9. ^ "Certified Sex Surrogate Partners". Sexsurrogateofla.com. Retrieved 2014-03-03. 
  10. ^ "Sex Therapy". Informedaboutsex.com. Retrieved 2014-03-03. 
  11. ^ "Sex surrogates: an alternative type of therapy". http://al-hikmah.org. unknown (2004-2011). Retrieved 2014-03-03.  Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "IPSA". Surrogatetherapy.org. Retrieved 2014-03-03. 
  13. ^ "IPSA". Surrogatetherapy.org. Retrieved 2014-03-03. 
  14. ^ Muller, Robert (2013-05-27). "Sexual Surrogates Help Many Who Suffer Alone". Psychology Today. Retrieved 2014-03-03. 
  15. ^ "About Vena". http://www.venablanchard.com. Retrieved 2014-03-03. 
  16. ^ "surrogate partner therapy". IPSA: INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SURROGATES ASSOCIATION. Retrieved 27 January 2014. 
  17. ^ Burford, Michelle (September 2009). "Is a Sex Surrogate Right for You?". AOL Health. Archived from the original on February 12, 2010. 
  18. ^ http://www.salon.com/2003/10/08/virgin_6/
  19. ^ "Taboo: Forbidden Love". National Geographic Channel. 
  20. ^ List of Anger Management episodes
  21. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4019700
  22. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3130776/

Further reading

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sexual_surrogate&oldid=687671308"