If you’re an intended mother, you can end up living in two realities at once: your life looks “not pregnant” on the outside, but internally you’re doing the tender, relentless work of becoming a parent. We think about the Intended...
Happy Minds blog
The intended mother experience in surrogacy: psychologically pregnant, often misunderstood
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Balanced counselling in surrogacy: why “us vs them” hurts everyone (and what helps instead)
Read MoreSurrogacy is built on relationships. It’s a collaborative, deeply human process that can be profoundly meaningful for intended parents, surrogates, and (in time) the child. Yet it also carries emotional complexity, high stakes, and pressure. That’s exactly why balanced psychological...
Coping with miscarriage: finding support and healing with a Geelong psychologist
Read MoreExperiencing a miscarriage is one of the most profound and heartbreaking forms of loss. Whether it occurs early in pregnancy or later, miscarriage can bring a wave of emotional, physical, and psychological pain that often feels invisible to the outside...
Recognising and managing entitlement in surrogacy: a psychological perspective for intended parents
Read MoreBy Sarah-Jayne Duryea, Principal Psychologist | Happy Minds Psychology Surrogacy is, at its core, an act of profound generosity. It is built on trust, autonomy, and shared intention — not transaction. But in clinical work with surrogacy teams, I’ve noticed...
Why it’s important for new dads to fail
Read MoreBecoming a dad is one of the most profound transitions a man can undertake. For two dads welcoming a child through surrogacy and egg donation, the journey often begins long before the birth — through years of emotional preparation, medical...
What healthy closure looks like: maintaining connection without over-attachment after surrogacy
Read MoreBy Sarah-Jayne Duryea, Principal Psychologist | Happy Minds Psychology Surrogacy is often described as a journey — one that begins with hope, deepens through trust, and ends with transformation. But the ending can be emotionally complex. Once the baby is...
Two dads, one family: surrogacy, fatherhood, and the truth about what children really need
Read MoreBy Sarah-Jayne Duryea, Principal Psychologist, Happy Minds Psychology When you picture a family, what do you see? For many, the old image of a mother, father, and children still comes to mind. But families today come in countless forms —...
Claiming Connection: Understanding Newborn Attachment After Surrogacy
Read MoreWelcoming a baby into the world is one of life’s most profound experiences. For intended parents who have built their family through surrogacy, this moment can be filled with immense joy—alongside complex emotions, uncertainty, and adjustment. While surrogacy provides a...
Healing After Surrogacy: Reclaiming Identity and Emotional Balance Post-Birth
Read MoreThe weeks and months following a surrogacy birth are often described as bittersweet. There is joy, gratitude, and relief — but also hormonal shifts, fatigue, and emotional recalibration. For surrogates, this can be a moment of pride mixed with unexpected...
Surrogacy Relationships Over Time: How to Sustain Respectful Connection as the Child Grows
Read MoreBy Sarah-Jayne Duryea, Principal Psychologist | Happy Minds Psychology Surrogacy doesn’t end when the baby is born — it simply changes shape. The months after birth are often filled with gratitude, relief, and adjustment. But what happens in the years...
