Emily Nagoski – Sex, Desire & Attachment with Emily Nagoski, Ph.D.: New Science & Strategies to Transform Couples’ Sex Lives

Outline

Desire & the Brain

• Spontaneous vs. responsive desire
• What to do when there’s a mismatch
• Wanting vs. liking vs. learning
• Limitations of the research & potential risks

The Model of Sexual Response

• The brain’s sexual accelerator
• What hits the brakes?
• How the dual model influences sexual styles
• Context sensitivity of pleasure perceptions
• Help clients identify what influences their pleasure

Address Arousal Discrepancies

• Address the myth of body response
• The relationship between body & desire
• Consent in the age of #metoo & #timesup
• What actually predicts sexual satisfaction

Attachment & Trauma

• The dark side of attachment
• Attachment style & sex-life satisfaction
• Self-compassion for sexual trauma survivors
• Skills for sexual trauma survivors to release blame

Strategies to Enhance Sexual Desire

• Help clients identify their most pleasure-positive context
• Leverage the structure of sensations in the nervous system
• Expand client understanding of pleasure
• Mindfulness practices to enhance sensation
• Pain’s role in sexual desire & relationship satisfaction

Enhance Couples’ Sexual Well-Being

• Desire, frequency & what a “good sex life” looks like
• Delve into the precise nature & role of trust in an erotic connection
• Explore initiation style & communication skills
• Excavate myths about gender roles & sexual “shoulds”
• Address other sexual myths

Sexual Desire in Long-Term Relationships

• Predictors of a strong, lasting sexual connection
• “Show up to the party” metaphor
• The foundation of a strong sexual connection
• Address difficult feelings & space between partners