What is Sexual Self Care?
Hey everyone Sex Therapist Jackie blogging back from Minneapolis. Today I want to talk about what is sexual self-care and its importance of it. Please remember this: THERE IS NO SHAME IN THE SEXUAL SELF CARE GAME!!! Okay, shouty caps done for today. Make sure that you check out this Sex Therapist’s other blogs on self-care below because they're going to help you distinguish the differences in regard to self-care.
How The Power of Self Love Makes You Feel Sexy
Self Care Isn’t Selfish, It’s Sexy
How to Find the Best Personal Lube for YOUR Sexy Self Care Routine!
How to Plan a Self Care Day in Minneapolis
Let's Talk About Sex!
Sexual self-care can be so many different components and so many different things can tie into it. Whether you are a therapist in Minneapolis a healer yourself or a coach and you need to be able to prioritize pleasure, sexual self-care is a great way to be able to do that. Know that sex is not the equivalent of pleasure. Did I say it loud enough for those in the back?? Pleasure can be so many different things broken down into various components of what makes us feel good and satisfied. As a sex therapist, this is a conversation I have with my clients quite often different types of goals when it comes to solo sexual self-care and partnered sexual self-care can be focusing on communication skills, pleasurable touch sensations, slowing down working on mindfulness practices at the moment, and exploring what feels good to you. Touch, pleasure, and sex all tie in together. Sometimes pleasure can be having more foreplay than it is intercourse. Or maybe that's even having really good aftercare versus hours of sex. As a sex therapist in Minneapolis, I think a lot of the time people want to be able to have intimacy more than sex.
What is Intimacy versus Sex?
Intimacy is different than sex because we crave connection with our partners or partners or spouses. Intimacy can be in various forms as well. There's emotional intimacy, intellectual intimacy, creative intimacy, physical intimacy, sexual intimacy, and more. I encourage you to think a little bit about whether it is you want intimacy or sex. Sex therapy is a great tool in order to be able to explore this a little bit more and understand what types of homework can help when processing whether it is I want intimacy or sex. All these things tie in together and they're very distinguished and different.
What Sexual Self-Care is Right for me?
Next, let's talk about what sexual self-care is right for you. Sometimes depending on our sexual identities, we may or may not like physical or sexual touch. Maybe we enjoy reading a good book of smart or BDSM and kink stories, listening to different types of podcasts for sex, or even just letting our minds wander and fantasize about different things. Sexual self-care looks and feels different for everyone. Whether or not we're having sex because of stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, parenting, or just a general toughness with work-life balance, sexual self-care can definitely be important for people to prioritize and have, be it solo or partnered. Sometimes it's an out-of-body experience. When you do have that intimacy with your partner, partners, or self. You can have really great sex with yourself and that is satisfying too! Dare I say it is even a spiritual connection with your mind, body soul, and being able to slow down and really feel what's going on? It may also just be having real, raw, authentic conversations about how you want intimacy to look and feel differently in your relationship. As a sex therapist, I encourage these types of conversations in and outside of the therapy room and really think that it's important to focus on pleasure principles, intimacy, principles, and sex therapy principles. Sexual communication is key. If there are certain things that you don't like, like physical touch, or sexual touch, then maybe try to have those conversations with your partner about pleasure and intimacy. Just because something is different between you and your partners or relationships doesn't make it wrong. If something feels pleasurable, then you know it feels right. So make sure that you trust your gut intuition on that and don't hold back or self-sabotage or sexual pleasure.
*Journal Prompts to Ask Yourself About Sexual Self Care
What is my definition of sexual self-care?
What is my definition of intimacy, pleasure, and sex?
Am I wanting intimacy, pleasure, or sex?
What types of intimacy, pleasure, or sex do I crave?
What is important for me to communicate to myself or my partner(s) in the future?
Sexual Self Care Ideas
Sexual Self Care Can Involved Intimacy, Pleasure, and Sex. It is not just one thing. Here are some of my favorite sexual self-care activities as a Sex Therapist in Minneapolis.
*Reading Erotica, Smut, or Another Book that gives you pleasure
*Cleaning and Charging Your Sex Toys
*Washing Your Bedroom Sheets
*Being Naked with Yourself in a Bath, in front of a mirror, or in the shower and slowing down
*Focusing on Pleasurable Touch & Sensations
*Breathing in Connection With Your Body
*Connecting Your Mind, Body, Soul During Sex
*Crying After Sex & Letting Yourself Feel
*Buying a Sexy Outfit
*Setting the Sexual Scene
*Dating Yourself
*Using Proper Lubrication
*Having Meaningful Conversations about Sex, Pleasure, and Intimacy
*Fantasizing about Sex, Pleasure, or Intimacy
*Buying a New Book or Sex Toy
This Sex Therapist could go on and on! I hope this information about Sexual Self Care was helpful!
Stay Shameless
If you are looking for help with Sex Therapy, Couples Therapy, & Self-Esteem, you can read more about how I can help on those pages. If you are seeking Sexual Wellness Coaching Services or Holistic Healing Services, click on those links! If you are a therapist in Minneapolis or outside of Minnesota and seeking Consultation Services, Pick Your Brain 1:1 Consultation, or a Speaker or Trainer for Your Next Workshop, I can help here too! Let’s get started on your Shameless Goals in Minneapolis, MN today!
