Fulfilling the dreams of couples who wish to become parents is the mission of Building Families Through Surrogacy, Inc. and our Surrogate Mothers. The psychology component of Building Families has had a busy year as we have evaluated, with care, who can become part of this valuable program. In fact, we have to date accepted only 50% of those we have evaluated. This stringent criteria reflects our concern for both the surrogate’s as well as the couple’s emotional well-being.
How important is the emotional well-being of the selected Surrogate Mothers? We define well-being as a sense that life has purpose, daily existence is experienced as meaningful, and a positive self-image. We strive to promote this emotional state through stringent pre-selection,, phone contacts, and our support groups. We believe that surrogacy is an enormous gift to our couples and we work to protect our surrogates from undue stress, while promoting an environment of support and belonging. Given all the potential “hassles” that accompany surrogacy, we feel strongly that our support groups and availability facilitate the transitions from conception to delivery in a community of caring, support and concern.
It has been our privilege to be a part of this program. The psychology team is here to help and for you to “lean on” when you need us. In addition, we are extremely grateful to all of you and Ms. Weathers. Finally, to help us continue to grow and develop, we are eager to hear from you. Let us know if you would like us to address specific topics on the Building Families Web site. Send ideas to Carol at [email protected].
Vesna Radojevic, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist who directs the psychology component of Building Families, Inc.
The Psychologist and the Surrogate Mother
The Psychologist and the Intended Parents