The Soft Science

Erika welcomes back to the show, Vanessa Carlisle! They're discussing Vanessa's new book, Take Me with You, and sex work in fiction. They also touch on Vanessa's venture into the world of being a death doula and what that means. Click here for full show notes. 

In this episode, Erika chats with award-winning feminist author, certified sex coach, sexologist and sex educator, Gigi Engle. They're exploring what it means to be a "big sister" to women, helping them understand their bodies, love, sex, and life. Click here for full show notes. 

In this episode, Erika introduces the next, incredible mental health therapist at The Center for Mental and Sexual Health, Dr. Sohna Shook! The conversation is all about the varied issues that Sohna sees in her office and the people that she loves to help. Click here for full show notes.

Erika talks to listeners "1-on-1" in this episode about her ongoing PhD research, which focuses on how ADHD specifically impacts the sex lives of vulva owners. Click here for full show notes.

In this episode, Erika is joined by Cassie Willnauer, licensed therapist that works in the Kansas City area, host of the podcast Sex At Every Size. The ladies are discussing the impact of diet culture on people's minds, bodies, and intimacy. Click here for full show notes

In this episode, Erika introduces Jennifer Adair from the Center for Mental and Sexual Health (Erika's own practice). They talk about how therapy works and working with clients who question their own worth. Click here for full show notes.

Erika has Heather McPherson from Practice Outside the Lines on the show to talk all about vulvas and desire discrepancies. As professionals, they go over the patterns they hear about vulvas on a regular basis. What is typical? How do we tease apart the why of arousal? Does culture influence the disconnection women (vulva owners) have with their bodies?

Full show notes: www.sextalkwitherika.com/138

A lot of us don’t realize that we even have bodies, we don’t pay attention to feeling them and being aware of them. Practice being in your body by consciously making a mental connection to one random and particular part of your body, then moving to another part, and another. This same notion of awareness is also important to our sexual experiences.

Somatics is a different way of addressing the client’s needs. We’re not necessarily looking for what’s “wrong”, as in some traditional forms of therapy, but just assessing what’s “present”.

Perhaps, we need to rethink our culture around viewing bodies with a lens of shame and incorporate somatics into clinical practice alongside intellectual/ cognitive methods.

I have the wonderful Teena Love on my show today. Teena is a media personality and Podcast Host of “The Lovers’ Lounge“. Teena Love is extremely passionate about educating singles and couples regardless of sexuality, racial and ethnic backgrounds and or socioeconomic status about topics related to love, relationships and sex! 

We’re talking about how an abusive relationship can alter your entire life.  We’re talking about co-dependency, your sexual self, your mental health, and recovery.