Why do donors have these sessions?
Donation can create connections that continue long after medical treatment is complete. Understanding the potential long-term emotional and relational impact of donation is an important part of informed consent.
You’ll meet with licensed professional counselors who specialize in donor conception. Together, we’ll explore your reasons for donating, your understanding of the process, and your expectations for future contact. We’ll also discuss how roles, boundaries, and relationships may change over time, with the future child’s needs at the center of the conversation.
Sharing accurate information about your personal and family mental health history is also important. This information helps intended parents make informed decisions and gives them knowledge that may help them understand and support their child’s mental health as they grow.
What does the process include?
Our known donation process includes three separate sessions: an intended parent consultation, a donor interview, and a joint session with the donor and intended parents. Psychological testing, such as the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), may also be included. Occasionally, we need a follow-up interview to clarify information before completing the process.
What will we talk about in my donor interview?
We discuss your personal and mental health history, current functioning, relationships, support system, and reasons for donating. We ask about mental health history in your parents, siblings, and grandparents. You do not need to research more distant relatives.
We also explore what you expect from the donor relationship, how you feel about being known to a future child, and how donation may affect your partner, children, or other important people in your life. You can bring questions or uncertainties. Honest, complete information helps everyone make informed decisions.
Is this therapy?
These are assessment, consultation, and educational sessions. They do not establish an ongoing therapy relationship. The clinician gathers information, assesses suitability for known donation, and helps participants consider the emotional and relational implications of their decisions.
Will I need to take the PAI?
Testing is used selectively and may depend on the clinic’s requirements and the circumstances of the donation. If the PAI is part of your evaluation, your clinician will explain the arrangements. It may take place before or after the interview, depending on your clinician’s process.
The PAI is one source of information considered alongside the interview and the rest of the evaluation. A screening concern is not a diagnosis. The PAI does not diagnose or rule out mental illness on its own, and a single score does not determine the recommendation.
Read more about the PAI and how it is used.
Is this a pass-or-fail process?
There is no single test score that means you pass or fail. The clinician considers the evaluation as a whole, including transparency, current functioning, and readiness for the proposed donor relationship. The process can identify concerns that lead to further discussion or a recommendation not to proceed. That recommendation concerns the donation arrangement and does not define your worth as a person.
What happens in the group session?
The donor and intended parents meet together to discuss expectations for contact, communication, roles, and boundaries. We explore areas of agreement and difference, how to handle changes or disagreements, and the questions and needs a future child may have.
The donor’s spouse or significant other of more than one year also participates. Please confirm attendance requirements with our office before scheduling. An initial matching video call serves a different purpose and does not replace this session.
When the PAI is used, allow at least one week between the donor’s PAI and the joint session. When testing is not used, allow at least two days between the donor interview and the joint session. Additional discussion may affect the timeline.
What is confidential, and who receives the report?
Before the evaluation, review the consent form carefully. It explains the purpose of the sessions, the limits of confidentiality, and the information you authorize us to share. Because this process involves an evaluation and a joint session, it is important to understand these limits before participating.
Reports are sent directly to the designated fertility clinic with the required consent. Detailed psychological findings and raw assessment results are not shared with intended parents. PAI results are not released to donors. If information differs from what was previously provided to the matching agency, relevant updates may need to be communicated through the agency, consistent with the consent process.
How do I prepare?
Review your appointment instructions and complete the requested forms. Attend from a private, quiet location where you can give the session your full attention. If you are taking the PAI, be at a computer and ready to complete it as instructed. Do not attend or take the assessment while driving.
Bring your questions about donation, future contact, or the process. If you need language support or an accommodation, contact us before your appointment so we can discuss the arrangements.
Who do I contact with scheduling or payment questions?
Email admin@janarupnow.com. For session and payment information, visit our family building consultation page.