Not All Therapists Are Reproductive Mental Health Specialists: Why Expertise Matters When Building Your Family Through Third-Party Reproduction
- Jennifer Collins
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Choosing to build your family through third-party reproduction is a deeply meaningful and often complex journey. Whether you are pursuing parenthood through egg donation, sperm donation, embryo donation, or the help of a gestational carrier, there are many emotional, relational, ethical, and practical considerations along the way.
For many intended parents, meeting with a mental health professional is a required step in the process. However, the purpose of this consultation goes far beyond simply “checking a box.” When done well, it is an opportunity to feel informed, prepared, and supported as you navigate one of the most important decisions of your life.
That is why choosing a clinician with specialized training and experience in reproductive mental health matters.
Reproductive Mental Health Is a Specialty
Most licensed mental health professionals receive excellent training in areas such as anxiety, depression, relationships, grief, and life transitions. However, third-party reproduction involves highly specialized topics that are often not covered in traditional graduate training programs.
A reproductive mental health specialist understands the unique emotional, relational, and ethical considerations involved in assisted reproduction, including:
Selecting and matching with an egg, sperm, or embryo donor
Building a relationship with a gestational carrier
Navigating known donor or known gestational carrier arrangements
Understanding disclosure and talking with children about their conception story
Exploring feelings related to genetics, identity, grief, and expectations
Preparing for the lifelong implications of donor conception and surrogacy
Supporting healthy communication between intended parents, donors, gestational carriers, and professionals involved in the journey
The conversation is not simply about determining whether someone is emotionally “ready” to become a parent. Most intended parents pursuing third-party reproduction have already demonstrated incredible commitment, resilience, and thoughtfulness in their family-building journey.
Instead, a high-quality reproductive consultation helps intended parents prepare for the unique aspects of creating a family through donor conception or surrogacy — including considerations that may unfold years into the future.
Why ASRM and Mental Health Professional Group Membership Matters
When choosing a reproductive mental health professional, one of the most important factors to consider is whether they are actively involved with the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and its Mental Health Professional Group (MHPG).
ASRM is the leading multidisciplinary organization dedicated to advancing reproductive medicine, and MHPG brings together mental health professionals with specialized expertise in the psychological aspects of infertility and assisted reproduction.
Membership in ASRM and MHPG reflects a clinician’s commitment to remaining connected to evolving research, ethical considerations, professional guidelines, and best practices in reproductive medicine.
ASRM’s Mental Health Professional Group maintains a directory to help intended parents, fertility clinics, agencies, and professionals locate clinicians with specialized involvement in this field: https://connect.asrm.org/mhpg/sectiondirectory/telehealth-directory
Ongoing Education Matters in a Rapidly Changing Field
Reproductive medicine is constantly evolving. Advances in genetic testing, changing laws, increased openness around donor conception, LGBTQ+ family building, and growing research on the experiences of donor-conceived individuals continue to shape best practices.
Experienced reproductive mental health professionals engage in ongoing education, consultation, and collaboration to remain current.
Participation in specialized educational opportunities, such as the Jones Foundation Infertility Counseling Conference, is another important sign that a clinician is actively learning from leaders in reproductive psychology and staying connected to emerging research and clinical recommendations.
Experience Helps Create a Better Experience for Intended Parents
A clinician who regularly works in third-party reproduction understands the nuances of this process.
They know the language of fertility treatment. They understand collaboration with fertility clinics, donor programs, surrogacy agencies, and reproductive attorneys. They are familiar with ASRM guidance and the important conversations that should happen before moving forward.
Most importantly, they understand that families are built in many different ways — and that every path deserves knowledgeable, affirming, and thoughtful support.
The goal is never to create unnecessary barriers. The goal is to help intended parents feel confident, prepared, and supported as they move toward building their family.
Questions to Ask When Choosing a Reproductive Mental Health Professional
Before scheduling your consultation, consider asking:
Are you a member of ASRM and the Mental Health Professional Group?
How often do you work with intended parents, donors, or gestational carriers?
Do you regularly attend reproductive mental health trainings or conferences?
Are you familiar with current ASRM guidance related to third-party reproduction?
Do you collaborate regularly with fertility clinics, surrogacy agencies, donor programs, or reproductive attorneys?
Your journey to parenthood deserves more than a checklist appointment. Choosing a clinician with specialized reproductive mental health expertise can help ensure you receive informed, compassionate guidance as you prepare for the next chapter of your family’s story.
Our Commitment to Excellence in Reproductive Mental Health
At Ebb & Flow Psychological Associates, we believe individuals and couples pursuing third-party reproduction deserve support from clinicians who understand the complexity, nuance, and lifelong implications of this unique path to parenthood.
Our team is deeply committed to ongoing education, collaboration, and staying aligned with best practices in reproductive mental health.
At least one member of our practice has attended the Jones Foundation Infertility Counseling Conference every year, learning alongside leading experts in infertility counseling, donor conception, surrogacy, reproductive ethics, and family building.
This year, the majority of our team attended the conference, including both incoming and outgoing doctoral psychology trainees from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) as they begin developing specialized expertise in this growing field. We believe strongly in mentoring the next generation of reproductive mental health professionals so intended parents, donors, gestational carriers, and donor-conceived families continue to receive thoughtful, informed care.
We were especially proud that two of our clinicians, Dr. Rachel Brookland and Dr. Ryanne Schaad, contributed their expertise by facilitating a breakout discussion on postpartum psychological support considerations for gestational carriers — an important and often overlooked part of the surrogacy journey.
Currently, Dr. Jennifer Collins, Dr. Rachel Brookland, Dr. Spencer Brown, Dr. Ryanne Schaad, and Krystina Farrell, LPC are all active members of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and its Mental Health Professional Group (MHPG).
Through ongoing education, professional collaboration, and specialized clinical experience, our team remains dedicated to providing compassionate, affirming, and evidence-informed care for every person involved in third-party reproduction.
Because building a family through assisted reproduction is about so much more than creating embryos or completing a treatment cycle.
It is about supporting the people, relationships, and stories that make each family possible.
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