Sexologic Bodywork
One pillar of my work in supporting clients as they cultivate erotic sovereignty and joy is as a certified Sexologic Bodyworker.
First, a note for transparency: Sexologic Bodywork is consent informed, client led, and pleasure centred bodywork. I do not offer Sexologic Bodywork to any clients who have hired me for talk therapy, for ethical and liability reasons.
There are a variety of ways that I might offer Sexologic Bodywork in my sessions. Any touch work is informed and guided by clients’ goals and intentions. Touch is one-way (from myself to my client), and gloves are used for any genital touch. Touch is only offered at the client’s request, in ways that support their journey towards greater pleasure, joy, eroticism, and healing. Before any touch is offered, I work with clients to ensure that consent and communication tools have been established and practiced together.
Some examples of how I might offer Sexologic Bodywork within sessions include:
Scar Tissue Remediation: scars from pregnancies, circumcisions, gender affirming surgeries, and other experiences may affect sexual functioning, mobility, and sensation. Folks might find that they feel protective or anxious about their scars, experience persistent pain or numbness, or avoid certain sexual acts entirely as a result of scarring. Massage and other remediation tactics can be greatly supportive in more deeply reconnecting with the body and pleasure after scarring.
Pleasure Mapping: whether from the impacts of trauma, family and cultural socialization, or other reasons, many of us find challenge in connecting with the feeling of pleasure in our bodies. Hands-on and client guided touch supporting clients in expanding their sensate awareness and feelings of pleasure and arousal can be a life-changing and transformative experience.
Pleasure Coaching: while this work can certainly be done without hands-on work, some clients prefer learning new ways of erotically expressing and enjoying themselves with the benefit of a guide who will offer embodied and touch-based support. The opportunities for learning here are virtually endless. From new breathwork practices to practicing requesting and receiving different forms of touch, all touch is in service to the client’s learning and pleasure.
De-armouring: I’ve written more extensively about my de-armouring practice here. In short, I offer bodywork to support clients in unwinding trauma that is stored in their bodies, especially their genitals and other sexually sensitive body parts. This work is highly adaptable to different levels of comfort - which is a core reason why I’ve chosen to centre it in my private practice.
Erotic Massage: one avenue of Sexologic Bodywork that I might explore with clients includes co-creating an erotic ritual or massage. After all, receiving erotic touch and pleasure is an important part of nourishing our souls. It connects us to the world around us - and, as a social species, connection is critical! - as well as to our own bodies, releasing a cascade of important chemicals that bolster bliss, resilience, and wellness. Receiving erotic touch is also an amazing opportunity for the recipient to engage in deep somatic learning within the experience: advocating for pleasure, negotiating limits and preferences, and practicing presence plus deep receiving.
In any work (and play!) in this realm, it is important that the work moves at the speed of trust. As humans, we access pleasure by creating the context that allows us to feel safe enough and supported enough to be present with our sensations and experience. Supporting clients in this holistic and deep somatic work is an honour and privilege.