The Therapist Thrival Guide 103. Erotic Blueprints: A Tool for Couples Therapy Work
In this episode of the Therapist Thrival Guide, Miranda is joined by Hannah, a licensed associate marriage and family therapist and one of the newest content creators at Ellie Mental Health.
Together, we dive into the world of Erotic Blueprints—a framework that explores the different ways people experience and connect with pleasure.
We break down the five blueprint types: energetic, sensual, sexual, kinky, and shapeshifter, and talk about how understanding these “pleasure languages” can support deeper connection, improved communication, and a more fulfilling intimate life—both individually and in relationships.
Whether you're new to the concept or already familiar, Hana shares how this model can be a powerful tool in therapy and self-reflection. We also touch on practical ways to explore your own blueprint (like taking the quiz), what to do when you hit sexual blocks, and how to incorporate this work into self-care and healing.
If you’re curious about expanding your understanding of desire, intimacy, and how to bring more intention to pleasure—this one’s for you.
Read Hannah's article here: https://elliementalhealth.com/discover-a-new-approach-to-combating-stress-through-pleasure-unlock-your-erotic-blueprint/
Episode Breakdown (with Timestamps):
00:27 – What Are Erotic Blueprints?
01:34 – The Five Blueprint Types Explained
04:42 – Using Blueprints in the Therapy Room
11:22 – Navigating Blocks and Barriers
24:52 – Training & Certification in Erotic Blueprint Work
27:06 – Self-Care Through the Lens of Erotic Blueprints
The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.
Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over three years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Director of Content and Production at Ellie Mental Health's in-house creative agency and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.
The Therapist Thrival Guide is one of many creative productions from Ellie Mental Health. Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and since then has expanded to over 24 clinics in Minnesota and an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. Ellie will be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide with new clinics opening each week. #therapy