What is Sexological Bodywork ?
My method
Sexological Bodywork is an internationally recognized certification governed by the ACSB. The modality is also referred to as Somatic Sex Education, and can be understood to mean exactly that. It is education regarding the soma (the ancient Greek word for ‘the organism in its wholeness’). Through educating you to your body through your body, we pave the path to healing. There are five important aspects of this work: embodiment practices, touch, home practice, whole body acceptance, and being client led.
Embodiment practices
The term embodiment refers to the melding of mind and body. The separation of the soma (or the body) and the brain is something so inculcated into our culture that we have often forgotten completely what direct experience feels life. Embodiment practices bring these two threads together.
Can you feel the sensations in your body before you label them? Do you have a definition of sex outside of the cognitive or goals? Do you experience pleasure for pleasure’s sake?
Why? It is only when we can access our direct experiences that we can experience pleasure and ease- ease in sex, in intimacy, in decision making. Pleasure, as defined here, is not hedonistic, it is the why of everything we do, the motivation for putting one foot in front of the other, the reason the world turns round. When the brain and the soma are aligned is when we find the most vitality in life.
Touch
What does touch have to do with this?
As a sexological bodyworker, I am certified to give full body touch (including the erogenous zones), when appropriate to the intention of the session. Sessions do not always include touch, and all touch is directed by the client. This aspect of sessions is an empowerment technique. As such, every hands-on session is performed within a learning contract wherein every single contact is decided on by you, and carried out by me.
Why? While there are many practices that can be done with embodiment practices such as dynamic meditation and body focusing, experiencing touch in this way provides many benefits:
the experience of touch that is entirely directed by you, outside of partner dynamics is uniquely empowering and educational
learning sexual anatomy through hands-on teaching is more complete as it teaches both the mind and the body about your sexual organs
feeling the complicated dynamics of consent in a simple and direct way facilitated by professional touch is an experience we have no access to otherwise
and much more…
Whole body acceptance
A cornerstone of Somatic Sex Education is whole body acceptance. When we exclude a part of the body, we instill shame. Shame can be understood as segregation of parts of the self. When we work with the entire body, we allow for rejected parts of the self to integrate so that we may experience wholeness.
Home practice
Why and what? An incredibly important aspect of this method is that we are working always to build your tools so that you may continue on your journey without me, fully empowered. The ultimate goal of this work is that you fully embody your erotic self outside of session. In session, I am trained to work with you to perfectly co-create the safest environment for you to heal old habitual patterns, but the beauty of this work is when you are empowered enough to take this out into your real life. With this aim, I will constantly be weaving in integrative practices including ‘moments of stillness’ (or pauses for reflection), a discussion of what I call ‘wisdom nuggets’ at the end of every practice, and home practices. Home practices are similar to what we do in session, but tailored to your life circumstances so that you can practice the skills we learn together within the context of your life. Like homework, but way more fun.
Client led
Unlike other healing modalities, there is absolutely no prescription for what your journey looks like or where it is meant to end. This is yet another empowerment technique (sensing a theme?). When we start sessions together, we will come to a clear overarching intention behind our time together. In addition, at the beginning of every session, we will devise a learning contract that includes your intention for the session, the practices it will include and the parameters for each, and how you will know when you have achieved your intention. At the end of the session, we will also co-create home practices for you to continue your learning and integrate your new skills. This is the meaning of sessions being client led. They are entirely directed by you, and facilitated by me.
