Building a family with donor sperm is a meaningful and life-changing journey. For many intended parents—whether you are a Single Mother by Choice (SMC) or part of an LGBTQ+ couple—navigating the fertility process can feel overwhelming, isolating, or even clinical. Traditionally, patients are referred to an individual mental health consultation as part of fertility clinic requirements. While valuable, this one-on-one model can sometimes feel more like a medical hurdle than the supportive experience it is meant to be.

That’s why I am excited to introduce a new offering at Sweet Springs: Group Psychoeducational Orientation Sessions designed specifically for solo parents by choice and same-sex female couples using donor sperm to build their families.

Why Group Sessions?

These group consultations were created to meet the ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) guidelines for psychoeducational consultations while offering something more:

• Emotional and relational considerations of donor conception
• Talking with children about donor origins and family narratives
• Navigating medical, legal, and ethical aspects of sperm donation
• Reducing stigma and building supportive networks
• Strategies for resilience throughout the fertility journey

You’ll leave the session with greater clarity, a sense of connection, and the reassurance that you’re not navigating this path alone.

Who Can Join?

• Single Mothers by Choice / Solo Parents by Choice preparing to use donor sperm.
• Same-Sex Female, Queer, or Non-Binary Couples planning to conceive through donor insemination.

Why Sweet Springs?

As a Licensed Psychologist and Specialist in Group Psychotherapy, Third-Party Reproduction, and LGBTQ+ Affirming Care, I created these sessions to bridge the gap between clinic requirements and real community support. At Sweet Springs, my goal is to make this process more welcoming, affirming, and meaningful, so families can move forward with confidence.

Learn More & Register

For more details, visit:

• Planning Parenthood as a Single Mother by Choice
  
• Planning Parenthood with a Sperm Donor (for LGBTQ same-sex female couples)
  

Dr. Diederich and Sweet Springs Consultation and Assessment, can help you navigate through the steps of third-party production, considerations around donating your embryos, egg donor evaluations, sperm donor evaluations, evaluations of gestational carriers, and even questions you may have about how to form a relationship that you want with your donor conceived children. Whether you are in Pennsylvania, New York, Hawaii or in one of the other many PsyPact states that Dr. Diederich can practice in virtually, she can help you along your journey.

AI writing assistance was used in developing portions of this blog. All content has been reviewed and finalized by Dr. Diederich.