BBXX: Let's Get Intimate!

When I decided to watch Boogie Nights with a few friends, I was expecting a comical satire of the porn industry in the ’80s. I was surprised to find that, instead, it was a less comical yet much more profound cultural statement piece that I had expected.

We dive deeper into our discussion of anxiety and self-care as we discuss boundaries, meditation, mindfulness, and journaling with Rashawnda Williams. An expert in self-care, she shares easy, practical steps and actionable advice and tools to deepen your self-understanding and self-development. “Self-care isn’t selfish” might sound cliché but it also happens to be extremely important, healthy advice to live by!

There is no one single path set out for us. There is no single destination where we might end up and be happy. There is no one person that we could build an incredible relationship with. There is not just one "right" decision. And there is no one single version of who we are. ⁠Besides, how boring would it be if there were?⁠

We talk with Dr. Earl Turner about accessibility and equity in mental health. We learn about new guidelines focused on intersectionality (gender, age, sexual orientation, etc) as well as new guidelines focused on race and ethnicity. We also discuss stigma as an obstacle to treatment, how to normalize mental health care, the importance of role models, and society’s treatment of the black community.    Dr. Earl Turner is a licensed psychologist and professor in Los Angeles. He is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi), and he was recently elected as the 2020 President of the Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice (APA, Division 37), making him the first African American male to be elected to this position.

We talk with health & wellness influencer Jo Encarnacion (@gofitjo) about childhood, friendship, emotional support, the power of owning your feelings, the importance of authenticity, and how she doesn’t apologize for showing human expression. We hear about her experience coming into her own sexuality, struggles through marriage, and how she gave her daughters “the talk” that we all wish we had gotten.

Dr. Christina Pierpaoli Parker talks with us about the pros and cons of aging—from the psychological benefits to the physical complications. We discuss sexual dysfunction, sexual liberation, the evolving role of sex as we age, how to connect deeper in our relationships later in life, and the life-changing lessons we should all learn from the wisdom of aging.    Dr. Christina Pierpaoli Parker is a post-doc in the Clinical Geropsychology doctoral program at the University of Alabama. Her research has been published in the Journals of Aging & Health, Sex & Marital Therapy and The Clinical Gerontologist, and her writing explores psychoeducational interventions for understanding, treating, and improving sexual dysfunction in later life.

We talk with the tattooed bestselling author, stand-up comedian, and pastor, Nadia Bolz-Weber, about sexual liberation. We learn about her personal journey to discovering her own sensuality, the history of sexual shame in Christianity, “sexual flourishing,” and how life, faith, and sexuality should not be considered tests that you pass or fail. To learn more, check out her book, Shameless: A Sexual Reformation.

Hani Lees Dresner is the Founder of the sex-positive ceramics company, Gashtrays. Hani emphasizes celebration vs exploitation of the naked body in her work and she believes that sex-positivity and body-positivity are crucial steps towards battling sexual and mental health. She sees her work as a “subtle protest” that aims to provoke conversation in a way that is approachable. 

We talk about the story behind the Gashtrays movement, her nude-positive family, the hilarity of the human body, and the relationship between sexuality and creativity.

She also talks about us her beautiful handmade vulva and penis artwork and we announce our upcoming virtual workshop on May 1st where you will all have the opportunity to make your very own art to celebrate your body! Learn more — https://bbxx.world/gashtrays-body-positive-ceramics

We discuss the five languages of apology, their relationship to the five love languages, tips for a healthy relationship, expressing apology, as well as the power of apology in conflict resolution.

Dr. Jennifer Thomas is a bestselling author, TEDx speaker, leadership consultant, and psychologist who helps people know what to say in any situation, including one of the most complicated situations of them all: when giving an apology. 

She has co-authored the book, “When Sorry Isn’t Enough” with Gary Chapman, author of the bestselling book and the world-famous concept of the “5 Love Languages” in which they present relationship-changing research for understanding love, the power of language, forgiveness, the impact of a good apology, and the art of giving an apology in the right “language” in order to be recognized by the person on the receiving end.

BBXX Founder Sasza Lohrey interviews her very own brother for the pilot episode of an exciting new sub-series, Humans Of Intimacy. He talks about what influences his view on relationships growing up, how his perspective of relationships has evolved, and what advice he would give to the younger version of himself. He discusses how he learned to express himself emotionally, struggles in the beginning stages of his relationship with his now wife, lessons learned in communication, the role of authenticity, and how to be true to yourself in a partnership.