Healing Out Loud: Sex, Survival, and the Path Back to Your Body

In this deeply moving and empowering episode, we sit down with Annette Benedetti, sex and intimacy coach, survivor of sexual assault, and host of the podcast Talk Sex with Annette. Together we talk about what it means to reclaim your body, your pleasure, and your desire after trauma. Annette shares her story of surviving rape as a teenager and the long, non-linear process of coming home to herself—through self-love, and joyful exploration. We talk candidly about the messy middle: the cultural myths around being a "perfect victim," and the pressure women face to perform or recover in tidy timelines. We also explore how healing can be tender, playful, embodied, and even sexy. Whether you’ve experienced trauma or love someone who has, this conversation reminds us that pleasure is a birthright—and reconnecting with it is an act of self-trust and power. If you need support check out the National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673 (HOPE) or RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) If you want to learn more about the work Annette does, check out her website or listen to her podcast If you have a story, thoughts and/or a topic or question for Dr. Sue and Charlie please share your ideas here: ⁠Show suggestions If you want to ask Dr Sue a sex question for the weekly Q&A you can submit it here: Ask a question