Why is sexual communication one of the key ingredients of our sex lives, but yet is one of the hardest things for us to do? Very few of us feel well set up or equipped to talk about sex comfortably, and so in this episode Vanessa and Xander Marin New York Times Best Selling authors of  Sex Talks: The Five Conversations That Will Transform Your Love Life and hosts of  Pillow Talks podcast, unpack the specifics and mechanics of how to talk about sex, covering the five conversational steps from their book  - acknowledgement, connection, desire, pleasure and exploration. Vanessa is a sex therapist with 20 years of experience and has been featured thousands of times in major publications, and Xander describes himself as a regular dude. As a couple they share the ups and downs in their relationship, while giving you step-by-step techniques for improving yours. Follow them on Instagram @vanessaandxander --- This episode is sponsored by Roam, a brand changing the game when it comes to sexual wellness by creating inclusive, skincare inspired sex care that is good for you and good for the planet. With a selection of lubes designed for different explorations, from front and back lube to masturbation cream and massage oil. Condoms that contain 40% less packaging than traditional condoms and a selection of discreet, rechargeable toys to guarantee a better solo experience.  Roam believes that everyone should feel confident and comfortable having sex. By breaking down taboos and challenging stigmas around sex, Roam is here to make the world a more sex-positive place and make everyone feel seen. Get 20% off with Code SESSIONS20 at exploreroam.com Follow Roam on Instagram @exploreroam --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Most of us interact with some form of media on a daily basis, with it creating both positive and negative influence on various aspects of our health and wellbeing. The messages and information that we digest from mass media are now often translated across social media and our smartphones, meaning that it can be hard to constantly think about what we are reading and why, rather than just taking it in. These messages and narratives can show up in our sex lives as myths that we believe to be facts, which are often left unchallenged due to the still taboo nature of sex; and further impact how we think about and experience sex, and how we address problems and challenges in our sex lives. In this episode Sophia Smith Galer unpacks some of the information and disinformation that's impacting our sex lives, and discusses the role of media literacy in our sex education. --- Sophia Smith Galer is an award-winning journalist and content creator credited for pioneering journalism on TikTok. Sophia's push for representation in newsrooms for younger audiences and the stories and platforms that matter to them has won her a series of accolades, including the British Journalism Awards' Innovation of the Year in 2021, a spot on the Forbes Under 30 List and recognition in British Vogue as one of the 25 most influential women in the UK in 2022. Follow Sophia on TikTok and Instagram @sophiasmithgaler --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Research shows at least 1 in 3 women find some aspect of their birth traumatic. Someone's birthing experience can be influenced by an almost unlimited number of factors both contextual and personal, which can make all the difference to how someone feels about their childbirth experience.  Birth trauma can be considered to be a unique trauma experience for various reasons as Dr Rebecca Moore will explore in this episode, and in 2014 birth trauma was recognised in the NICE guidelines. Many of those affected by birth trauma, describe struggling to know where to turn for support or how to even start a conversation, which can make them feel even more isolated in their experience and add to the symptoms and emotions that they are going through. In this episode Dr Rebecca Moore talks through how we can better understand the impact of a traumatic pregnancy or birth; both for those going through it, partners and loved ones; and how we can start to change the conversation and access to information for the better. --- Dr Rebecca Moore is a Perinatal Psychiatrist with over twenty years experience dealing with infertility, pregnancy loss, anxiety, depression, OCD and trauma. After developing a particular interest in birth trauma, she founded the annual Birth Trauma Conference and Make Birth Better. Instagram - @BirthBetter @Drrebeccamoore  --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Sex, pleasure and orgasm are influenced by numerous parts of our lives - biological, social and psychological - but what happens in our brain when we fantasise, experience desire or orgasm? And how do experiences like stress and anxiety interrupt our sex lives on a brain and body level? Neuroscientist, author and researcher Dr Nan Wise unpacks what she has seen in her research using fMRI brain scans, and goes onto explain how the different parts of our lives can work with and against each other to boost or hinder sexual experiences, and what we can to do help. She talks about the role that pleasure plays across our lives, and discusses how our ability to experience healthy pleasures--those that feel good and are good for us-- are not a luxury, but a necessity for overall well-being. --- Dr. Nan Wise is a certified sex therapist, certified relationship specialist, neuroscience researcher, and author of Amazon best seller Why Good Sex Matters: Understanding the Neuroscience of Pleasure for a Smarter, Happier, and More Purpose-Filled Life. Driven by the desire to understand how the brain operates to create moods and behaviours, she returned to academia and completed her Ph.D. in 2014. Her dissertation work, Genital stimulation, imagery, and orgasm in women: an fMRI analysis, resulted in three published studies. Her research has addressed gaps in the scientific literature regarding the neural basis of human sexuality, and as a result, garnered international attention.  Follow Dr Nan on Instagram at @AskDoctorNan and read her Glamour column Ask Dr. Nan here  --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Attachment theory is a commonly discussed psychological and relational theory that is rooted in how we develop attachments in early childhood, and continue them throughout our lives, adulthood and couple relationships. There are thousands of books written on the topic of how we can understand relationships, be better in relationships and choose the right partner - but Dr Stan Tatkin would argue that as humans we are all difficult and therefore difficult partners; which is why relationships are some of the hardest work that we'll do in our lives. 1.9 Million people have watched his Ted Talk Relationships Are Hard, But Why? And in this episode he explains what's going on for us in terms of our attachment styles, neuroscience and social worlds and how these shape our sex lives and relationships. --- Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT Clinician, author, researcher, PACT developer, and co-founder of the PACT Institute. Dr. Tatkin is an assistant clinical professor at UCLA, David Geffen School of Medicine. He maintains a private practice in Southern California and leads PACT programs in the US and internationally. He is the author We Do, Wired for Love, Your Brain on Love, Relationship Rx, Wired for Dating, What Every Therapist Ought to Know, and co-author of Love and War in Intimate Relationships, and the upcoming, In Each Other’s Care. Watch Stan's Ted Talk Here Follow Stan on Instagram at @DrStanTatkin --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Adapting your life after an accident or illness is something that many individuals and couples have to go through, but many report sex and intimacy being the part of their lives that they feel least resourced to know how to manage with the big changes that have taken place for them. Knowing where to start, how to talk about it or even how to understand how sex might be affected post injury can feel like a very challenging conversation to have with a medical professional, let alone a partner.   Ed & Lois Jackson are a couple who have been through this first hand, when in their twenties their lives changed overnight when Ed suffered a life changing Spinal Cord Injury and was told he may never walk again. Fast forward a year and Ed was climbing Mount Snowdon, and the couple later founded charity Millimetres2Mountains to help those who have been through life changing illness or injury to face new challenges and re-define their own limitations. A big part of this conversation is about how an injury like this impacted them both as individuals and as a couple, both in terms of their relationship but also sex and intimacy. Ed has Brown Séquard Syndrome meaning that he has paralysis on one side of his body and loss of sensation on the other which means that they have had to be creative and adaptive when it comes to sex, and they share how learning how to communicate, laugh and be curious as a couple have been hugely important parts of the process. --- Ed Jackson's professional rugby career got cut short when he dived into the shallow end of a swimming pool in 2017 sustaining a spinal cord injury at C6/C7. Life changed on a sixpence for both him and his wife Lois. A lot of things were taken away, including Ed's, identity, his bladder and bowel performance and his sexual function. Instead of focusing on what Ed couldn't do they directed all their energy into the things he could. This has led him to climbing mountains, public speaking and the creation of their own charity – The Millimetres 2 Mountains Foundation which uses the outdoors to support other people who have gone through trauma. Alongside co-founding the charity Lois also works as a life coach, a part of which is offering support for their beneficiaries.  Follow Millimetres2Mountains on Instagram at @Millimetres2Mountains and learn more about them at https://www.millimetres2mountains.org/ Follow Lois on Instagram at @LoisJackson8 Follow Ed on Instagram at @EdJackson8 --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

With the changes the world has seen as a result of the internet, and latterly the smartphone with the debut of the iPhone in 2007; there has never been more availability of information and content online at the click of a button. This has completely changed the way in which so many people access pornography and has reduced barriers to who can access it and when.   With this ever-growing online sex culture, porn literacy can offer a way of helping people to think critically, and build awareness and knowledge around the portrayal of sex that they see online. This can help them to feel informed, and to close the comparison and expectation gap between the sex experienced in pornography and that they are having in real life. Porn literacy, which has developed from a media literacy model, can be considered to be an educational tool which also helps to move people away from leaning on pornography as a form of sex education, which is something that it was never designed to be.  Ethical pornographers Erika Lust Films created The Porn Conversation to help provide families and educators with free and accessible tools to teach and talk to the younger generations about sex and pornography so that they can feel educated, informed and more able to think critically about sexual content when they come across it. --- Avril Louise Clarke is a clinical sexologist and brand manager of the Erika Lust non-profit project, The Porn Conversation, which provides comprehensive sex education tools for families and educators to educate young people at home and in school – beginning with the topic of porn literacy. Taking on the role acting as a liaison between production and performers, she is also an in-house sexologist and intimacy coordinator on the set of Erika Lust Films. Follow Avril on Instagram at @sexologygirl Learn more about The P Conversation at https://thepconversation.org/ --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

The transition to parenthood for a couple is one that consists of huge highs and plenty of challenges, as we navigate the shift of going from couple to family, and all that comes with that. Parenting can bring intense joy and love coupled with demands on our emotions, time, availability and energy as we nurture our children through different stages of their development, whilst trying to balance our own and our partners needs alongside it all. The Gottman's  studied new parents in a longitudinal study and found that 67% of couples experienced a decline in relationship satisfaction in the first three years of their baby’s life, and in this episode Relational Life Therapist Victoria Shalet discusses what's going on for couples and relationships during these parenting years, and what we can do to care for ourselves and our relationships. --- Victoria Shalet MBACP is a Psychotherapist and Certified Relational Life Therapist. She worked as an actor for over twenty years before re-training to be a Humanistic Psychotherapist. After a number of years working with individuals and couples, she was inspired to deepen her training in the US with renowned couple’s therapist Terry Real, and later went on to train with Trauma expert Gabor Maté in his Compassionate Inquiry programme. Alongside her colleague Debbie Isaacs she is the co-creator of “The Couples Therapists” creating content on social media to help couples, and she is the founder of Oxford House Therapy – a therapy practice for different types of therapy in London. Follow Victoria On Instagram At @spaceinmetherapy and @thecouplestherapists --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Many of us lack confidence in our bodies, and have anxieties or worries about how our body might look, especially when comparing ourselves to others. These anxieties can extend to our genitals with many struggling to accept their body which can interfere with desire, arousal and sexual functioning as well as self-esteem and sexual self confidence. Lydia Reeves is a female body casting artist who went through this herself as she struggled with how her vulva looked. This lead to her booking herself in for labiaplasty surgery aged 18, which she then ended up cancelling a year later.   Now Lydia is a body casting artist and an author, with her platform being focused on body diversity and acceptance helping people to learn how to celebrate not only their bodies, but accept themselves as a whole. Lydia has cast thousands of bodies, including thousands of vulva casts which aim to help people to break away from negative thinking about their bodies, and celebrate the difference in us all.  --- Lydia Reeves is a Brighton-based female body casting artist, who after body casting thousands of vulvas and hearing about the relationships that people had with their bodies, put 200 of these vulva casts into a book alongside these intimate stories. Lydia's work celebrates body diversity and acceptance showing that no two bodies, and no two vulvas are the same. She runs body casting sessions from her studio in Brighton, running casting sessions for breasts, vulvas, bums, pregnant bodies, chests and much more. Follow Lydia On Instagram At @lydiareeves_artist and find out more about her book My Vulva And I --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists nearly 3/4 women will experience pain during intercourse at some point during their lives, and yet despite this many struggle to get answers to why they are experiencing this type of pain.   There are multiple reasons that someone may be experiencing pain in their genitals and pelvic area. It can occur at different points during their menstrual cycle, can be a more constant pain, or it can be more acute at certain times for example during or after sex. Commonly associated conditions with pain during sex are endometriosis, vulvodynia, vaginismus, menopause, and skin conditions such as lichen sclerosus, and pain can be a side effect of some medications and treatments; but there are multiple other conditions and reasons that someone can find sex painful.   Many people also describe finding it hard to know where to go to help with these symptoms, or even how to describe them and so in this episode Dr Aziza Sesay, an NHS GP with a specialist interest in women's health discusses how we can get to know our own bodies and importantly our own normal, how to advocate to ourselves and what symptoms to make sure that we don't ignore.   Disclaimer - This podcast episode contains general health awareness information, and is not to be used for personal medical advice. If listeners have concerns about their health arising from this conversation, they should please speak to their doctor or a medical professional. --- Dr Aziza Sesay is an NHS GP, GP educator, Honorary Senior Clinical lecturer, speaker and health content creator. Dr Sesay is the creative director of Black Female Doctors UK organisation and is an Ambassador for The Eve Appeal Follow Dr Aziza Sesay On Instagram At @TalkswithDrSesay --- This episode was brought to you by Ferly, the sexual wellness app empowering women and couples to overcome sexual challenges affecting their relationships. To date they’ve helped over half a million women and couples struggling with things like low libido, inability to orgasm, low body confidence and/or pain during sex. Ferly’s achieved this by guiding people through science-based tools and techniques that help them feel better in their bodies and their beds. The app is available on IOS and Android. Download it for free today and start your journey to a healthier, more confident and more pleasurable life. I have the privilege of working with Ferly as their resident advisor and I truly believe that the app has the ability to be transformative for female sexual wellness. Find out more about Ferly at https://weareferly.com/ Follow Ferly On Instagram At @theferlymethod --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

In this episode Jack Guinness describes how The Queer Bible is the book that the younger him needed and wished for. Growing up in Britain under Section 28 meant that generations of LGBTQI+ people grew up without seeing themselves or people like them in books, publications or media. This left so many feeling isolated in their feelings and experiences which Jack describes as a big part of his own life. He talks about how in telling the stories of many queer icons, written by and contributed to by so many other queer figures puts these stories out in the world where they belong, helping many to connect to their history. He describes The Queer Bible as a love letter to the LGBTQI+ community and its allies. --- Jack Guinness is the founder and editor of The Queer Bible,  Contributing Editor at GQ Magazine and is a British model, writer and presenter. The Queer Bible is a collection of essays which are a celebration of shared LGBTQ+ history and queer icons. Follow Jack On Instagram At @JackGuinness  Follow The Queer Bible On Instagram @QueerBible and find out more at https://www.queerbible.com/ --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

The sexual wellness industry is booming with new products, platforms and apps joining the market all the time. When this is in combination with the huge role that social media and the internet plays in our lives, we can see that influencers have the potential to play a big role in starting conversations, raising awareness and breaking down taboos. Someone who has harnessed this is Shakira Scott, known as Scotty who Trademarked the term Sexfluencer™ to combine her sex education work with brand partnerships, being an advocate, and helping people to learn more about how to boost their sexual wellness and pleasure. Scotty talks about the importance of representation and how she wanted to be what she couldn't see when it came to these conversations - in a way providing what she felt was so missing for her. In this conversation we talk about what being a Sexfluencer™ is, how it works for her as a job and also some of the biggest challenges and misconceptions that she comes up against both in person and online.   --- Shakira 'Scotty Unfamous' Scott is a sex educator, Sexfluencer and multi award-winning erotic and romance author. For the last six years she's been helping people to unlearn shame, build confidence and embrace their desires with her 'How To Live Your Best Heaux Life' workshops. Follow Scotty On Instagram At @ScottyUnfamous and TikTok @scottyunfamous_ and find out more about her work at https://shakirascott.com/ --- The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist, and author of The Science Of Sex : Every Question About Your Sex Life Answered.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Kicking off series three is a conversation with the absolutely brilliant Eleanor Tattersfield @marbyandelm who has been collecting the UK’s sex secrets. Anonymously sent to her on postcards this collection of cards are absolutely stunning, and they really do have a story to tell in terms of what’s going on in our sex lives and how we think and feel about sex.   I talk to Eleanor about how I think the postcards are a form of sex education; and are opening up our narratives about what we find erotic, desirable, pleasurable and what turns us on. The series also breaks down the idea that there are limited ways that we can express ourselves sexually, and encourages us to think about our definitions and ideas about sex.    •••   Marby & Elm is a little stationery shop on Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell. After the success of Lockdown Secrets ( https://www.marbyandelm.com/store/products,lockdown-secrets-book_647.htm ) Eleanor decided to launch the series Sex Secrets in a hope to prove that in fact we all pretty much share them and are far from alone.   Instagram @marbyandelm https://www.instagram.com/marbyandelm TikTok @marby_and_elm   •••   This episode is sponsored by iPlaySafe, the new app that is removing the 'ick' from sharing STI test results with potential partners.  Download the free medically-approved app to order your home STI testing kit. Your result will be sent directly to your app verifying your sexual health status, it's then up to you when, with whom, and whether you share it.  The free app also gives you access to articles, podcasts and sexual education content. Join the iPlaySafe community today!    https://www.iplaysafe.app/ Instagram  @iplaysafeapp   •••   The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist. Kate believes that so much of what needs normalising when it comes to sex and relationships can be changed through conversation; and this is why the podcast is focused around the idea of hosting informal but informative conversations.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Induced menopause refers to when menopause happens after surgical removal of the ovaries, radiation or chemotherapy damage to the ovaries, or from the use of other medications to intentionally induce menopause as part of the treatment of certain diseases. The main difference to the process of natural menopause is that there is a rapid onset of symptoms rather than the gradual onset that occurs with natural menopause. It’s also often happening at the same time as diagnosis, treatment or management of certain health conditions or diseases which can’t be ignored as a part of someone’s experience.   My guests for this episode are the brilliant and incredible knowledgable Dr Hannah Short & Dr Liz O’Riordan; both who not only have extensive professional experience in this area but have personally experienced induced menopause.   ••   Liz O'Riordan is an international speaker, broadcaster and award-winning co-author of 'The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer: How to Feel Empowered and Take Control'. In 2015 (aged 40) she was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer whilst working as a Consultant Breast Surgeon. In 2018 she had a locoregional recurrence on her chest wall. The side effects of treatment for this meant she had to retire as a surgeon in 2019.   During chemotherapy she started an award-winning blog about her experiences (www.liz.oriordan.co.uk) and now talks all over the world about how to improve patient care. In 2020 she launched her podcast – Don't Ignore The Elephant – that talks about the things no-one else does, like sex, death and body image.   Instagram - @oriordanliz    Dr Hannah Short is a GP and an accredited specialist in Menopause and Premenstrual Disorders, recognised by the British Menopause Society (BMS), The International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD) and The National Association for Premenstrual Syndromes (NAPS).  Hannah has a particular interest in induced (medical and surgical) menopause, premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and hormone sensitivity disorders. She is a member of the IAPMD Clinical Advisory Board and the Surgical Menopause Advisory Committee, and has previously worked as a volunteer doctor for The Daisy Network (a charity dedicated to girls and women diagnosed with POI). Hannah also has personal experience of premature surgical menopause, having undergone a hysterectomy and ovary removal at the age of 35. This drives her passion and informs her work. She is the co-author of “The Complete Guide to POI and Early Menopause”, due for publication in June 2022.   https://drhannahshort.co.uk/   ••   Join us for a special episode dedicated to International Masturbation Month! Or, as some may call it - May. For this occasion, powered by the leading makers of award-winning luxury sex toys at LELO, we have a naughty surprise for you. Tune in, pick yourself a new pleasure device and get a special gift with every purchase using the code KATELELO at  lelo.to/LELOxKATE Don’t forget to follow @lelo_official for a daily dose of sexual wellness inspiration.     ••   The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist. Kate believes that so much of what needs normalising when it comes to sex and relationships can be changed through conversation; and this is why the podcast is focused around the idea of hosting informal but informative conversations.    Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Our sex lives are subject to many gendered messages and narratives which shape how we think that our sex lives 'should' look. Engrained messages about masculinity, manhood and how men should act in sexual situations can influence sex lives both consciously and unconsciously, in what today's guest Cam Fraser describes as the idea of 'Man Box Culture'.   Cam and I unpack some of the myths of masculinity and sex that are impacting men.  We also talk about how the language that we use can be influential and how opening up our definitions of sex and sexuality can be helpful for everyone.   •••   Cam Fraser is a Certified Professional Sex Coach, Certified Sexologist, Registered Counselor, and Registered Tantric Yoga Teacher. His work integrates scientifically validated, medically accurate information about sexual health, with sacred sexuality teachings from the mystery traditions. As a coach, he helps men go beyond surface-level sex and into full-bodied, self-expressed, pleasure-oriented sexual experiences free of anxiety or shame.   https://www.cam-fraser.com/   Instagram @thecamfraser   •••   This episode is sponsored by iPlaySafe, the new app that is removing the 'ick' from sharing STI test results with potential partners.  Download the free medically-approved app to order your home STI testing kit. Your result will be sent directly to your app verifying your sexual health status, it's then up to you when, with whom, and whether you share it.  The free app also gives you access to articles, podcasts and sexual education content. Join the iPlaySafe community today!    https://www.iplaysafe.app/ Instagram  @iplaysafeapp   •••   The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist. Kate believes that so much of what needs normalising when it comes to sex and relationships can be changed through conversation; and this is why the podcast is focused around the idea of hosting informal but informative conversations.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Shame is a feeling that often comes paired with sex, and is an emotion that as a therapist I regularly hear people describe that sex makes them feel. This is why I really wanted to host a conversation around the relationship between sex and shame, where we think it comes from and what we think is maintaining it. Sex is so much more than just the act of what we are doing, and it holds meaning for us which is why when we view what we are doing sexually as shameful, or feel shame around our sexual lives, that it can start to impact us in other ways such as self confidence, self-esteem and relationships. My guest for this conversation is the brilliant Natalie Lee aka StyleMeSunday who has just authored her memoir and manifesto on sexual shame Feeling Myself  https://www.waterstones.com/book/feeling-myself/natalie-lee/9781785043864 . The book is incredibly honest, something that Natalie and I discuss as going up against shame and challenging the feeling that it should keep us silent. Natalie digs deep into her relationship with sex and shame, and talks about how when she realised how much it was holding her back, that she then started to get curious and explore the process of freeing herself from some of that shame. Natalie began her career as a midwife before starting her blog, Style Me Sunday, in July 2012. Over nearly a decade, she has grown her platform from a blog to a brand, and now reaches women across various different mediums. Instagram @StyleMeSunday  Natalie's Book Feeling Myself  https://www.waterstones.com/book/feeling-myself/natalie-lee/9781785043864   •••   This episode was brought to you by Ferly, the sexual wellness app empowering women and non-binary folk to overcome sexual challenges affecting their relationships. To date they’ve helped over 200,000 women struggling with things like, low libido, inability to orgasm, low body confidence and/or pain during sex. Ferly’s achieved this by guiding women through science-based tools and techniques that help them feel better in their bodies and their beds.    The app is available on IOS and Android. download it for free today and start your journey to a healthier, more confident and more pleasurable life. I have the privilege of working with Ferly as their resident advisor and I truly believe that the app has the ability to be transformative for female sexual wellness.   https://weareferly.com/ Instagram  @weareferly      •••     The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist. Kate believes that so much of what needs normalising when it comes to sex and relationships can be changed through conversation; and this is why the podcast is focused around the idea of hosting informal but informative conversations.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy   •••

The idea of 'the talk' is something that fills many parents and caregivers with anxiety. The worry about what to say, how to answer questions and getting it right can feel pretty daunting. Paired with the fact that many of us didn't have a perfect version of 'the birds and the bees' chat ourselves means that we don't feel set up to know how to talk to our kids about sex and relationships.    This is why my guest today is the brilliant sex educator Sarah Sproule, who makes it her mission to ensure every parent and caring adult knows how to build deeper connection with their growing kid(s). Sarah has two decades experience as a therapist and a masters in sexuality studies, and is a mother of three teens.   Instagram @Iamsarahsproule   www.sarahsproule.com     •••   This important episode with Sarah was supported by my friends at Lelo who have sponsored this episode. Lelo are leaders in the sexual wellness space, promoting the breaking down of stigmas and helping to empower people to start difficult but important conversations like in this episode. Tune in, and afterwards, use the code KATELELO at lelo.to/KATE, treat yourself to a new pleasure device, and get a gift with your purchase. Make sure to follow @lelo_official for a daily dose of sexual wellness inspiration.   https://www.lelo.com/   •••     The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist. Kate believes that so much of what needs normalising when it comes to sex and relationships can be changed through conversation; and this is why the podcast is focused around the idea of hosting informal but informative conversations.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy   •••

Whenever I discuss what I do as a job there is much curiosity about what happens behind the door of the therapy room. This is why I really wanted to host a conversation with someone who knows what that's like from the other perspective, as the client. This is because as much as I can talk about therapy from the position of the therapist, it will never give a full view of what the experience of psychosexual therapy is really like.  So my guest for this episode is author of the column Conversations With My Sex Therapist Emma-Louise Boynton. Since going through the experience of psychosexual therapy, and immersing herself in the sexual wellness world, she now hosts the brilliant monthly event series and podcast called Sex Talks at the The London Edition Hotel focused on opening up more honest conversations around sex, desire and the female pleasure taboo. She recently launched female healthcare company Daye's first podcast - Talking Taboos with Daye and is a founding editor at The Stack World. https://www.emmalouiseboynton.com/ Instagram @emmalouiseboynton  •••       This episode is sponsored by iPlaySafe, the new app that is removing the 'ick' from sharing STI test results with potential partners.  Download the free medically-approved app to order your home STI testing kit. Your result will be sent directly to your app verifying your sexual health status, it's then up to you when, with whom, and whether you share it.  The free app also gives you access to articles, podcasts and sexual education content. Join the iPlaySafe community today!    https://www.iplaysafe.app/ Instagram  @iplaysafeapp   •••   The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist. Kate believes that so much of what needs normalising when it comes to sex and relationships can be changed through conversation; and this is why the podcast is focused around the idea of hosting informal but informative conversations.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Break ups are one of the inevitable risks of starting a relationship, and something that most of us will go through in one shape or another during our lifetimes. Break ups are also regularly the theme of stories on our screens, stages, books and in our music and in many ways we are obsessed with love stories and their endings. There are also so many questions around break ups that we don't have the answers to.    Is there a 'good' way to break up? Can we ever be friends with an ex? Can it ever be a good idea to go back?  And how do we get over someone?   So for this conversation I invited my friend and colleague relational psychotherapist Charlotte Fox Weber to talk all about break ups, what happens to us psychologically, how we cope and what it teaches us about life and love.   •••   Charlotte Fox Weber is a relational psychotherapist and writer with a particular interest in desire and our hidden wants. Her book What We Want is coming out this summer (available for pre-orders now) https://geni.us/whatwewant . She founded and headed The School of Life psychotherapy service, and is the co-founder of Examined Life, a therapy collective.   https://charlottefoxweber.com/   Instagram @charlottefoxweberpsychotherapy     ••• This episode was brought to you by Quanna, a CBD company championing sexual wellness as a means to heal and live more fulfilling lives.  Tired of awkward intimate products with nasty ingredients that aggravate your most sensitive areas and uncomfortable intimate moments that leave you underwhelmed? Quanna's Oomf lubricant has a formula that values clean ingredients without harmful additives, it is prebiotic enriched to help maintain the healthy microflora of the intimate areas and keep infections at bay. Oomf also garners the powerful healing properties of CBD to ease discomfort via pelvic relaxation and increase pleasure sensation to reach your peak. Quanna aim to turn taboo into empowerment and deliver and all natural and honest product range that you deserve. To learn more and browse, visit their website https://www.byquanna.com or follow them on Instagram @By.Quanna   Want to try for yourself, use the code: "KATEOOMF" to get 20% off all products.   •••   The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist. Kate believes that so much of what needs normalising when it comes to sex and relationships can be changed through conversation; and this is why the podcast is focused around the idea of hosting informal but informative conversations.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy

Sexual experiences involve the participation of both our bodies and our minds; and so the relationship that we have with our bodies and how we think and feel about them can hugely influence our experience of sex. Body confidence is something that comes up a huge amount in the therapy room for both men and women. Whilst it may not be explicitly obvious that it’s why we are struggling with sex and intimacy; challenges with body confidence and negative thoughts about our bodies can distract and disconnect us from these experiences. This can then further inhibit desire, arousal and someone's experience of pleasure.   My guest for this episode is someone who has been through real highs and lows with the relationship with her body, and speaks honestly about how that's had a ripple effect into different areas of her life and wellbeing. Lauren Black is a body confidence and fashion influencer and founder of a new brand called Love Glow Heal. I wanted to have this conversation with Lauren as she has been very public about the fact that she has been in anorexia recovery since June 2020, and she has documented her whole recovery journey online. She's been featured on BBC Radio 1, ITV, GMB and 5LIVE and was interviewed on the BBC documentary The Instagram Effect.   Instagram @imlaurenblack   Love Glow Heal @loveglowheal   •••   This episode focuses on building a healthy and loving relationship with ourselves, learning to love our bodies, and building confidence along the way. And I couldn't have picked a better guest than Lauren Black, whose story is packed with helpful relationship advice and tips on developing strong confidence while staying true to yourself. The award-winning pleasure brand LELO is the sponsor of this episode, with a special treat for all listeners. Use the code KATELELO at lelo.to/KATEMOYLE to pick a luxurious sexy toy and get a gift with every purchase     •••   The Sexual Wellness Sessions is hosted by Kate Moyle, a Psychosexual & Relationship Therapist and Certified Psycho-Sexologist. Kate believes that so much of what needs normalising when it comes to sex and relationships can be changed through conversation; and this is why the podcast is focused around the idea of hosting informal but informative conversations.   Follow Kate on Instagram at @KateMoyleTherapy