In this first part of our Desire series, we unpack how the nervous system’s two settings, stress and safety, act like a seesaw that shapes libido, arousal, and pleasure. 

You’ll learn why cortisol and adrenaline turn down oxytocin, estrogen, and testosterone, making desire harder to access, and how safety cues lift the feel-good chemistry that supports connection and responsiveness. 

We translate the science into simple practices you can use now, and I share my own story about how ongoing stress turned me off, and what I did about it to find my desire again.