Roots of Intimacy

 

October 3rd, 17th, 24th, November 7th, 21st. 6:30-9pm

Saskatoon, SK. Location TBA

$375 due upon registration

*max 10 people ( Welcome to everyone over 18)

** Because our sexuality begins developing from birth and continues to develop throughout our life — whether you’ve had sex with hundreds of people or none, are in a relationship or not, this workshop is relevant for you.

 

 

Roots of Intimacy is a 5 session group workshop focused on exploring your sexual history through your feelings around body image, sexual development/history, experiences with intimacy/attachment and pleasure.This exploration is designed for a group setting yet focusses largely on personal exploration. You will not be required to disclose your sexual history to members of the group however you will explore your history as part of the group.

 

 

 

 

• Sexuality: 
• Explore the vast concept of sexuality and elements included in it that expand far beyond sex and what we do with our genitals.
• Explore how sexuality doesn’t determine your thoughts, feelings and actions, but in ways both obvious and not, it does permeate them
• Body image: 
• Reflect on how you’ve felt about your body through different stages of your life regarding both looks and functionality (shared anonymously)
• Hear how other participants have felt about their body through different stages (shared anonymously)
• How does the way you feel about your body affect your sexuality?
• Identify how you would like to feel about our body today and in the future 
• Shared empathy and support for others experiences. 

 

 

• Further explore concept of sexuality emphasizing that we are all sexual beings and our sexuality begins developing at birth and is influenced and shaped by the way we are parented, held, potty trained, the clothes our caregivers chose for us to wear, rate of physical development, childhood explorations, sexual activity etc.
• Privately fill out a personal sexual development chart identifying development and behaviours beginning in infancy and extending into late adolescence. 
• Find examples from childhood/teen experiences of how parents or peers responded to behaviours during each stage of sexual development (charts are for you only to see)
• Reflect on how responses from family/peers during each stage may have impacted current feelings around sexuality.
• Describe conclusions related to each stage on the chart and how physical problems during early stages of sexual development may have influenced progression of later stages. (could be homework depending on time)

** I will offer personal support and help with filling out your chart. (if you wish)

 

 

 

• Explore concept of intimacy – what it means, where our fears and feelings develop from. 
• Earliest attachments with primary caregivers as well as any significant intimate relationships. 
• Go through 4 attachment styles and do the quiz to see which style best fits you today.
• Explore “window of tolerance” and how it relates to intimacy
• What vulnerability has to do with intimacy and window of tolerance.
• What you can do moving forward to further develop your capacity for intimacy with self and others

 

 

• Introduction into topic of pleasure and what it means both sexually and in other areas of our life.  
• Explore past and current experiences with pleasure and how pleasure can be felt through the 5 senses.
• What pleasure has to do with mindfulness/presence. 
• Do a guided mindful eating exercise/ food meditation with purpose of exploring pleasure through your senses of touch and taste. 
• How does your ability to be present in pleasure affect your sexuality?

 

 

• Bring together all that you learned in the previous 4 sessions on: feelings around body image, sexual development and history, intimacy and attachment and pleasure. 
• Identify key ways this new understanding affects your current sexuality. (sexual/intimate experiences/lack of)
• What do you choose for yourself moving forward? (goals)
• How can you attain this? (How widening your window of tolerance pertains to each goal)

 

** I designed this workshop to be experienced in a group setting because these explorations are not gender specific and involve everyone. I believe that, when experienced safely, exploring sexuality in a group can be more beneficial than exploring it privately because of the potential for self and “other understanding.” This promotes empathy and normalcy in regards to a subject that is largely ignored in our society. I do however recognize that, because sexual trauma is often an element of our sexual history, some individuals may feel uncomfortable or unsafe exploring in a co-ed setting. If this is true for you please contact me for an individual option.