The colder weather is finally here and fall scents are wafting through the air. That could only mean one thing…cuffing season is here! It seems like this once funny term has snowballed into another holiday this season that can bring up pressure, anxiety, or other heightened emotions, in the hopes that we “do it right”. Where do you stand this current cuffing season? If you are feeling a similar urge to find a connection in time, then this blog may help ease the pressure while you’re on the hunt.

What even is intimacy and how do we know if we’re doing it right? With all its amazing benefits and the natural human desire to want this form of connection, you would think we would have figured it out by now right? Read a blog written by our relationship therapist, Zoe Stallings on why we might be struggling to develop intimacy in our relationships and some great tips for moving forward!

The "Four Horsemen” is a metaphor used by Dr. John and Julie Gottman (relationship therapists/ experts) to describe four communication styles that can be particularly damaging to relationships. When we look at why the Gottman’s chose to name these communication styles, it brings us back to biblical times. The four horsemen of the apocalypse originated through the New Testament in which the bible refers to four components of final destruction of the world through Conquest, War, Famine, and Death. Now, while this isn’t a biblical piece- I think the value and the weight of naming these components this way shows how truly damaging the Gottman’s perceive these communication styles. While they are not the signs of destruction of the world or existence, they are signs of the potential destruction of a romantic relationship (which to many people is a very important piece of their world). Now, what are the four horsemen, how did we get there, and how can we find a new course of direction?

I had been managing a diagnosis of endometriosis for almost 20 years and was exploring a hysterectomy for suspected adenomyosis. Endometriosis occurs when endometrial-like tissue is found outside of the uterus. Adenomyosis occurs when endometrial tissue is found within the uterine wall. Endometriosis is chronic and does not have a definitive cure, adenomyosis can be cured with a hysterectomy.

I have such a vivid memory of waking up after the surgery and feeling the void in my abdomen where my uterus once lived. I could almost picture the emptiness. It was as if a physical (and mental) weight had immediately been lifted. In that moment, I felt relieved. Which then transitioned to grief. And back to relief. And then pity. And then an overwhelming sense of “oh shit, what did I do?” And to be completely honest, all of those emotions are still present today. Some more so than others, but the process has never been, nor will ever be, linear. There is no emotional state to be achieved and attained. They are simply to be acknowledged and recognized, validated and understood. They ebb, they flow, and they exist on the spectrum together. And you better believe I still routinely fear that I have bled through my pants in public because some teenage horror stories never die.

Masturbation is often seen as such a tongue-in-cheek topic, but why? Even though it is a natural part of the human experience, it is seen as only acceptable to think about in the darkness of our bedrooms. The experience can look different for everyone, but the benefits are universally abundant! There is much more to masturbation than what we are socialized to accept. Whether it is a regular part of your living routine or saved for special occasions- how comfortable are you with exploring your self-pleasure journey?

With medical gaslighting, patients often experience feeling as though they aren’t being heard or understood, that their questions aren’t being answered, and that their symptoms are being minimized and/or are being blamed solely on mental health, as if the brain and body aren’t intrinsically connected and worth treating in tandem. If you find yourself experiencing medical gaslighting or are feeling anxious about entering into a medical setting after previous experiences with medical gaslighting, check out this blog for a few things you can do before, during, and after to ensure you are getting the care you deserve.

Because so many penis owners struggle with erections, I think it’s important to talk about it. ESPECIALLY because there is so much stigma around ED. A lot of people believe that strong erections are an indication of masculinity, that you can’t have satisfying sex if there are erection difficulties and many other lies that the world likes to throw at us. Let’s dig into the truth about ED and what we can do about it.

Consent is the harbinger for ethical intimacy. But, too frequently, society does not agree upon how to best pass along consent’s social story and the best message to successfully articulate our desires within the emotional complexities of relationships. A consent-based view of sexual ethics has become common; to talk about intimacy, is to talk about consent.