IVF / Surrogacy Counseling
Preparing for a Life-Changing Experience
Surrogacy can be a rewarding, life-changing experience for many people. It is also a major decision. That’s why the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the Society for Ethics in Egg Donation & Surrogacy (SEEDS) recommends thorough screening for all parties. In my practice, I offer thorough psychological evaluations for surrogates, egg and sperm donors, and intended parents.
If you are considering surrogacy, my goal is to ask questions that help you think about the process from all angles, to make sure you are aware of all your options, to review all aspects of reproductive technology. I will also share my personal perspective as the father of a baby girl born through surrogacy to help you understand what to expect.
My Personal Experience with Surrogacy
My personal experience with surrogacy allows me to build trusting relationships with the individuals and couples who are sitting where I was just a few years ago. They know I can relate to what they are feeling, and I know I can ask just the right questions to help them navigate the complex, life-changing process.
Whether a client has come to see me about surrogacy or some other challenge in his or her life, my goal is to help them heal by listening and connecting, not just by sitting and nodding. I want to share a piece of myself. I want to show them who I am: a father, a sibling, a military spouse, a person with my own story. I want to connect as humans who share the most important thing of all: trust.
Surrogate Psychological Screening
- Review of all surrogate intake / referral background information
- Administration of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)
- Clinical Psychosocial Interview (60 minutes)
- Comprehensive Clinical Assessment Report
Egg/Sperm Donor Psychological Screening
- Review of all donor intake / referral background information
- Administration of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)
- Clinical Psychosocial Interview (60 minutes)
- Comprehensive Clinical Assessment Report
Intended Parent Psychological Consultation
- Review of all intended parent intake / referral background information
- Clinical Psychosocial Interview (60 minutes)
- Comprehensive Clinical Assessment Report
Sister Act: How Four Siblings Helped Joey and Rob Become Dads
“I first learned about Men Having Babies while searching the internet for insurances that covered surrogacy,” said Joey Guzman-Kuffel, 40, a Marriage and Family Therapist. “As I researched our surrogacy options the Men Having Babies link popped up. When I clicked on their link, I learned that this awesome organization was bringing awareness to men wanting to have babies and the possibilities to do so.”
Joey and his husband Rob Kuffel, 47, Protocol Officer for the US Navy, have been together seven years after meeting via OKCu-
pid.com. They chatted for a week via the app, then graduated to a phone call which lasted 3-4 hours. “I always knew that I wanted to have kids and knew that I needed to be with a partner that wanted to have kids as well,” said Joey. Rob felt the same way. The two were married in May 2014.
