Whether a client has come to see me about surrogacy or some other challenge in their life, my goal is to help them heal by listening and connecting. I want to share a piece of myself -- 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.
About Joey Guzman-Kuffel, M.A., LMFT
I have always believed that healing and human connection go hand in hand.
Growing up, I discovered that I could help other people by listening to their stories and relating to their experiences. Long before I went to school, I learned how accepting others for who they were, unconditionally and without judgement, could be the basis of trust.
I also recognized the value of my own experience as the oldest of six children in a first-generation immigrant family. Being Mexican American allowed me to offer safety and understanding to people from other cultures, to build trust with people who identified with my experience.
Later, a job as a behavioral specialist working with children with autism taught me how to form bonds with people even if their experiences were very different than mine. That’s the true power of empathy, and it guides me today as a Marriage and Family Therapist.
My promise is to put you first. That means leaving judgement behind to make room for unconditional support. I will support you on your pathway to positive change. No matter how different or alike we are, I believe we can build trust by listening and connecting.
Today, listening and connecting are at the heart of my work with surrogates and intended parents considering surrogacy. It’s a process I know well. In 2019, my husband and I became fathers to a beautiful baby girl born through a surrogate. Now, I am excited to help other hopeful parents achieve their dreams.
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 their 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.
San Diego Fertility Center Talks Psychological Evaluations with Joey Guzman-Kuffel
We talk with Joey about the need for a psychologi-cal evaluation and why SDFC requires this to be done. What is included in this conversation and how does it help you with the process and your future.
Watch Video (16 minutes) >
Sister Act: How Four Siblings Helped Joey and Rob Become Dads
Joey and his husband Rob Kuffel, 47, Protocol Officer for the US Navy, have been together seven years after meeting via OKCupid.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.
