Who can benefit?

Many of us wish for a more fulfilling sexual and/or romantic life. One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that of 3,159 sexually active adults, 43% of women and 31% of men had experienced sexual difficulties. However, less than one in five of these individuals said that they had sought medical advice.

People of all sexual orientations and genders seek and can benefit from working with a surrogate partner. In The New Male Sexuality, the clinical psychologist Bernie Zilbergeld called Surrogate Partner Therapy "the most effective" treatment for single men "who have any sex problem." As sexual double standards disappear, an increasing number of single women are finding similar benefits.

What are the benefits of Surrogate Partner Therapy?

Surrogate Partner Therapy can help clients open doors to increased self-knowledge, richer emotional relationships and greater sexual satisfaction. Certain techniques can enlarge one's understanding of sex and eroticism beyond the genitals to encompass the whole body.

Some of the reasons that people seek Surrogate Partner Therapy include:

• Dissatisfaction with orgasm
• Infrequent orgasms
• Penetration issues or erectile problems
• Sexual pain
• Virginity, shyness
• Dating anxiety
• Lack of sexual or social self-confidence
• Sexual changes due to aging
• Negative body image
• Physical or emotional abuse
• Fear of intimacy
• Shame or anxiety regarding sex

Disability & Sexual Surrogacy

It is not uncommon to experience a change in sexual functioning after acquiring a disability, for instance due to accident, paralysis, or trauma. In such instances, a surrogate can help one explore and develop new sexual pathways and potentials.