A sexual surrogate is a someone who works with a sex therapist to provide a hands-on adjunct to traditional talk therapy. Sex therapists never touch clients, but a sexual surrogate will work with a client not only on things like sexual communication and social skills but also on the mechanics of sexual touch.
Sexual surrogates usually distinguish what they do from sex work although, with the exception of California, the law does not make a distinction. One significant distinction between a sexual surrogate and a sex worker is that surrogates work as part of a team with a sex therapist and client. Another distinction may be that the surrogate has received specific training, although anyone can call themselves a sexual surrogate and there's no requirements for doing so.
The practice of sexual surrogacy never fully caught on. It reached its peak in the 1970s and 1980s and there is still one North American organization that certifies and trains surrogates. It has almost completely disappeared but a few dozen surrogates continue to work with therapists and advertise their services online. While training is no guarantee of professionalism, it is always recommended that a surrogate only be used when referred by a registered sex therapist and preferably when he has received surrogate training.
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