DR. KATE BALESTRIERI, PHD: Mental Health Starts in the Bedroom

Welcome to MENO™ with Jacqueline Buckingham, the definitive destination for perimenopause, menopause, and everything on The Pause Spectrum™.  We cover a lot of ground in this episode with Dr. Kate Balestrieri PHD, an in-demand psychologist and sex therapist driven by helping people create and define their sexuality. The founder of the Modern Intimacy, and host of Get Naked with Dr. Kate, Dr. Kate Balestrieri built a platform that connects clinicians trained in sex therapy with people seeking therapy for sexual issues and provides a safe space for people to get access to education about sensitive topics. In just over an hour, we tap into many facets of female sexuality and mental health and cover topics including what it means to validate our mental health, prioritize pleasure, and center ourselves. We also dive into Barbie, Kink, and The Patriarchy! Dr. Kate explains how female sexuality is legislated and lays out the path to a better future in becoming more embodied and empowered in our own skin. She and I discuss the difference between a sex therapist and a sexologist, the delineation between anger and rage, and how a munch is different from a brunch! We also talk about the need for rituals and symbols that remind us of how extraordinary we are to be alive in a female body. She assures us that our thoughts are "not weird" and that everyone worries about being "not normal" and as long as there is consent, sexuality is just part of being human…and she even makes the case for why women should care about porn. One of the most thoughtful and articulate speakers on this topic, Dr. Balestrieri enlightens us on how women are expected to do an enormous amount of emotional labor that goes totally unseen and tells us how we can do less of it to maintain our mental health. We are grateful to Dr. Kate for her extraordinary work! To follow Dr. Kate: https://Modernintimacy.com To sign up for her course Righteous Rage https://modernintimacy.com/righteousrage TOPICS in this episode: How to validate your mental health Prioritizing pleasure Who deserves pleasure The difference between sex therapists vs. sexologists Navigating anger vs. rage, emotional labor, and consent How to create rituals and symbols that honor your body and life Understanding female desire, orgasm, and empowerment Legislating Female Sexuality Kink, kinky thoughts, kinky mentors Intimacy Menopause Being embodied in our own skin Anger vs. Rage Power Exchange Sex therapy Somatic sex therapy Sexologists Desire The female orgasm Emotional Labor Rituals to mark significance Free sex therapy via Dr. Kate's externship program Gender Essentialism Post Partum The process of pregnancy and motherhood Why women should care about porn Feminist Produced Porn and Porn literacy Bondage, Sensation Play Empowering your own sexuality Moving Grief through our body The Issues in our Tissues: Nikki Myers Get early access to MENO™ Verified Providers, Products, and Procedures, and start Pause Planning™ at joinmeno.com Pausing or not. Start here.  IG @join.meno TT @join.meno  YT @join.meno For Status Updates, MENO Motivation, and Provider exclusives: IG @jacquelinebuckingham LI @jacquelinebuckingham Welcome to MENO. You have arrived. ----- Jacqueline  Disclaimer:  MENO™ with Jacqueline Buckingham is for general information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine in any way. The show does not constitute professional health care services or medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed as a result of this podcast. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard getting medical advice for any such medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any conditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices