Degrees of Health
Dr. Kate Balestrieri | Modern Intimacy and The Nuances of Sex: Trading Judgement for Curiosity
Just how judgey are we when it comes to sex? With ourselves, with our partners, with friends, when listening to others online... Be honest. What benefit does it serve? Or a better question to ask perhaps is what damage might it be doing?❗Whether you’re navigating your own relationship challenges or seeking deeper insights into your own sexual exploration, listen here to Dr Kate because it's a rich and honest conversation that might just reshape how you think about and experience intimacy, equality, and desire.
Dr. Kate, who has spent thousands of hours with individuals and couples in private practice, shares with us the complexities of sexual struggles that are often silenced. And what's most sad to Dr Kate is just how many people tolerate dissatisfaction in their relationships, and never experience the full potential of their intimate capacity.
We unpack a lot in this episode:
🤨 Can we trade out judgement for curiosity when it comes to ... well everything, but sex in particular?
🪝 Hook up culture - what happens when we only focus on individual rather than shared pleasure?
🖋️ Better sex education (not excl. anatomy + pleasure) and pleasure equity
👨 The challenges men face in being emotionally present balanced with still proving that they check all the boxes of 'what it means to be a man'
🍼 How intimacy evolves and changes (!) over time, the inequities of emotional labor and discrepancies in desire
Some tougher topics to face: --Why do happy people cheat? --How do trauma and dissociation impact intimacy? --What does it take to create the psychological and emotional space necessary for genuine connection?
Dr. Kate is relentlessly positive in her regard and nothing is off the table to explore. She shares actionable advice on how couples can work at building shared realities, breaking down barriers to arousal, and cultivating a sense of safety and play.
Mentioned in this episode:
She Comes First by Ian Kerner (see previous episode with Ian)
Come As You Are - Emily Nagoski
Kate Mann - Down Girl; Entitled
The Patriachs by Angela Saini
Everyday Sexism - Laura Bates
Yes, Mistress by Alicia Zadig
Find Kate:
Podcast: Get Naked with Dr Kate
Book release Feb 2025 - What Happened To My Sex Life?
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