In this episode, Michelle Renee interviews the Embrace Surrogate Partner Therapy Resource Group team about their mission to spread education and support for surrogate partner therapy. They discuss the upcoming training program called Hidden Treasures Touch Interventions from the Surrogate Partner Toolkit, which aims to provide professionals in the field with a comprehensive understanding of the therapy. The team emphasizes the importance of experiential learning and embodiment in this work and highlights the need for a standardized training program. They also discuss future offerings and the ongoing development of the field.

Takeaways

• Surrogate partner therapy is a modality that combines touch-based somatic exercises with talk therapy to help clients explore emotional and physical intimacy in a safe and therapeutic environment.
• The Hidden Treasures Touch Interventions training program offers professionals in the field an opportunity to learn and practice a range of exercises and techniques used in surrogate partner therapy.
• Experiential learning and embodiment are key components of the training, allowing participants to gain a deeper understanding of the work and its impact on clients.
• The training program aims to bridge the gap between touch-based practitioners and talk therapists, providing a comprehensive toolkit for professionals working in the field of intimacy and relationships.

Meet the Embrace SPT team (full bios are available here):

Lou Hanson - Washington, DC

Brian Gibney - Charlottesville, VA

Jeannie Miller - Washington, DC

Michelle Renee - San Diego, CA

For more information about Embrace and their upcoming class, please go to EmbraceSPT.org and they can be found on social media @EmbraceSPT. Meet the host: Michelle Renee (she/her) is a San Diego-based Intimacy Guide and Surrogate Partner. Michelle's website is⁠⁠ MeetMichelleRenee.com⁠⁠⁠ and can be found on social media at @meetmichellerenee. Have questions you'd like answered by Michelle or her guests? Leave them at ⁠IntimacyLabPodcast.com⁠.