#500 Why Your Pleasure Needs Your Surrender with Mama Gena

In this episode, we’re joined by Regena Thomashauer—better known as Mama Gena—to explore the transformative power of surrender, pleasure, and living fully on your own terms. Regena is the founder of the School of Womanly Arts and the author of the New York Times bestseller Pussy: A Reclamation. For more than 25 years, she has taught hundreds of thousands of women around the world to reclaim pleasure, desire, and sovereign power as the foundation of a fully lived life. Her newest book, On Our Knees, invites us to reconsider surrender—not as submission or giving away our power, but as a radical way of reclaiming it. We talk about what surrender really means, why it can be especially powerful for women, and how it differs from silence, submission, or simply giving in. Regena shares practical advice for anyone who struggles to surrender, along with simple ways to reconnect with yourself when life feels overwhelming. We also explore her idea of “hard milestones”—the divorce, heartbreak, illness, and other experiences we often interpret as failures, but that can instead become profound turning points. Along the way, we discuss why pleasure isn’t frivolous or indulgent, but part of the real work of creating a meaningful life. Regena offers five ways women can feel more at home in their own lives, practical strategies for getting through the worst possible day, and her thoughts on whether these lessons apply to men, too. We also unpack her distinction between becoming “The Courtesan” rather than “The Seductress,” and what can happen when women stop performing for others and begin living from their own desire and authority. Regena Thomashauer is an icon, teacher, author, mother, and one of the pioneers in the study and practice of pleasure. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Times of London, Good Morning America, and The Today Show. On Our Knees is her fifth book, published by Hay House on August 25, 2026. Prepare for a conversation about surrender, resilience, pleasure, power, and what it means to truly feel at home in your own life. Learn more about Regena aka Mama Gena and her work at http://mamagenas.com Do you love us? Do you REALLY love us? Then order ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shamelesssex.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to snag your copy Support Shameless Sex by sending us gifts via our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Wish List⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@shamelesssexpodcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Other links: Work with some of our favorite sexual health and hormone specialists at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://swanmd.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ + mention Shameless Sex for a discount