International Professional Surrogate Association
I am sorry to be so hard on the psychology industry but some of their practices done in the name of “science” bely belief, and I have discovered another concept ridiculous to the point of being hilarious.
Before I go into that concept I do want to discuss what had been my all time favorite, and shows really the lack of understanding of the psyche of the individual.
One of the most common “disorders” is a notion referred to as obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, where an individual becomes obsessed with a thought pattern, followed by a compulsive behavior. A “treatment” for this “disorder” is referred to as Exposure Response Prevention Therapy, or ERP Therapy, where the individual is exposed to his or her obsessive thought, followed by the prevention of the subsequent behavior.
Wikipedia defines ERP as follows:
Behavioral therapy
The specific technique used in BT/CBT is called exposure and ritual prevention (also known as “exposure and response prevention“) or ERP; this involves gradually learning to tolerate the anxiety associated with not performing the ritual behavior. At first, for example, someone might touch something only very mildly “contaminated” (such as a tissue that has been touched by another tissue that has been touched by the end of a toothpick that has touched a book that came from a “contaminated” location, such as a school.) That is the “exposure”. The “ritual prevention” is not washing. Another example might be leaving the house and checking the lock only once (exposure) without going back and checking again (ritual prevention). The person fairly quickly habituates to the anxiety-producing situation and discovers that their anxiety level has dropped considerably; they can then progress to touching something more “contaminated” or not checking the lock at all—again, without performing the ritual behavior of washing or checking.
The most common OCD is an obsession over germs. Here is a description from a book entitled “The Mind and The Brain” by Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz describing the “therapy” for people with OCD over germs:
“In the United States, therapists in the forefront of developing these techniques have had patients rub public toilet seats with their hands and then spread-well, then spread whatever they touched all over their hair, face, and clothes. They have had patients rub urine over themselves. They have had patients bring in a piece of toilet paper soiled with a minuscule amount of their fecal material and rub it on their face and through their hair during the therapy session-and then, at home, contaminate objects around the house with it. In other cases, patients are prevented from washing their hands for days at a time, even after using the bathroom.” Yes, you read that right, a most incredible use of the word “science”.
I thought this would be the most ridiculous discovery of the “logic” of the professionals but I ran across another concept that I can’t decide is more ridiculous or not, the concept of “sex surrogates”.
Yes, this concept is exactly as it sounds. If you have trouble with the intimacy part of your marriage then you can get a substitute, all in the name of “science”. Here is how Wikipedia defines sex surrogates:
A sex surrogate is a member of a sex therapy team who engages in intimate physical or sexual relations with a patient in order to achieve a therapeutic goal. The practice was introduced by Masters and Johnson with their work on Human Sexual Inadequacy in 1970.
There is even a sex surrogate professional society, known as International Professional Surrogates Association:
SurrogateTherapy.Org
They even have a code of ethics:
Each member of IPSA, when acting as a surrogate, shall adhere to the following ethical standards:
1. The designation “surrogate partner” shall apply only in a therapeutic situation comprised of client, surrogate, and supervising therapist. A surrogate partner may be designated to act primarily as either a substitute partner or a co-therapist depending upon the agreement between the surrogate and the therapist.
2. The surrogate is responsible for fostering effective communication with the supervising therapist and the client.
3. The surrogate’s primary responsibility is to the therapeutic situation of which she/he, the client, and the supervising therapist(s) are integral parts. Within this situation, the chief focus and primary ethical responsibility is for the client’s welfare.
4. The objectives and parameters of the therapeutic relationship shall be discussed with the client by the supervising therapist and the surrogate so that the client may make informed decisions.
5. The surrogate’s relationship with the client is temporary; always within the context of the therapeutic situation and in association with the supervision of the therapist.
* The feminine pronoun is hereafter used here to refer to the surrogate, and the masculine pronoun to refer to the client, although both surrogate and client may be of either gender.
6. The surrogate shall recognize the boundaries and limitations of her competence. She will not attempt to use methods outside the range of her training and experience. If she thinks that the client will benefit from such methods, she will communicate this to the supervising therapist.
7. If a surrogate has a professional degree, certificate, license, or accreditation, which applies to other than surrogate work, the function of “surrogate partner” shall be primary while she is working as a surrogate. However, if there is agreement between the surrogate and the supervising therapist that other methods and techniques, within her competence, are appropriate for the welfare of the client, the surrogate may use these additional skills.
8. If a supervising therapist is not available and a situation arises which would normally require consultation with the therapist, the surrogate is responsible for taking appropriate action for the welfare of the client.
9. The surrogate’s responsibility for the welfare of the client continues until it is terminated by mutual agreement among client, surrogate, and therapist; or the client voluntarily terminates the therapy.
10. The identity of a client, and all information received from or about him in the therapeutic situation shall not be communicated outside the therapeutic triangle without the client’s expressed permission, except under the following conditions. Information about the client may be disclosed outside the therapeutic triad only:
a) when there is a clear and imminent danger to individuals or society, and then only to appropriate professional colleagues or public authorities;
b) for the purpose of professional consultation with appropriate professional colleagues, if the identities of individuals are disguised to protect confidentiality.
c) for presentation of information to professional or lay groups, if the identities of individuals are disguised to protect confidentiality.
11. Surrogates shall be responsible for adequate precautionary measures against the transmission of communicable diseases and infections. It is the surrogate’s responsibility to determine that the client has taken similar precautions.
12. It is the surrogate’s responsibility to ensure protection against conception.
13. Surrogates shall recognize that effectiveness in the therapeutic situation depends, in part, upon the surrogate maintaining independent, personally fulfilling social and sexual relationships.
14. In order to maintain optimum professionalism, surrogates are responsible for:
a) obtaining relevant continuing education;
b) seeking prompt and effective help when personal problems arise;
c) receiving adequate supervision for each case.
15. Each member of IPSA who imparts information either publicly or privately about surrogate
work or the organization shall indicate clearly whether the statements represent official IPSA policy or are personal opinions.
16. Members shall be aware that they may be regarded as representative of all surrogates and of IPSA even at times when they are not acting in these capacities. Therefore, their personal conduct should be such as to uphold the professional reputation of surrogates and of IPSA.
17. Announcements of surrogate services to the therapeutic community shall be limited to a simple statement of name, training, credentials and experience, address, phone number, a brief statement of methods used and times available. Current and former supervising therapists shall be identified only with their explicit permission.
Here is an interesting article from NY Magazine with the following title:
Healing Hands
A sex surrogate helps men get over their sexual dysfunctions by getting into bed with them. Is this medicine? Or plain old-fashioned prostitution served up with a spoonful of love?
Sex Surrogate Article in NY Magazine
Now there is logic for you. No wonder the industry hasn’t figured out the solution to the marriage problem, common sense is not part of the industry practice.
by Tim Kellis
http://HappyRelationships.com/
http://HappyMarriages.com/
