LaidOPEN Podcast

I am so honored to have Julia Loken, a comedian, podcast host, and astrologer from Los Angeles, as my guest this week. I really enjoyed our conversation because Julia is one of those people who can talk about anything while making you feel like you’ve been friends forever. Because of this, we discuss a variety of topics including her astrology podcast @whatsyoursign, her discovery of astrology, and how astrology can be used to gain perspective in our own lives, as well as, how it can be used to look at cultural and political trends. Plus, we talk about how it was for her to listen to her husband’s interview with me, being to another comedian, her bachelorette weekend at the notorious Madonna Inn, the merits of being flexible in an ever-evolving partnership with your best friend, and how therapy led her to develop more self-love and acceptance. We end the episode with Julia guiding us through a brief grounding practice that she uses to reset anywhere, anytime.

This week’s episode of LaidOPEN Podcast features former guest Jessica Graham. She returns to help me answer a listener's question on the topic of having our pleasure matter in the context of a sexual relationship. This leads us into an extremely interesting conversation between two sex educators about what sex is, how to be an advocate for your own pleasure, what attunement and connection are, how we can freeze up in a sexual situation or hard conversations, how to become present, and how to practice speaking up on your own behalf when you want your sexual needs to be included. There’s a lot to learn about ourselves, how do we relate to others and how we treat our own pleasure. A must-listen for anyone who struggles to communicate their sexual needs.

Welcome back to Laid OPEN, this week we’re continuing our conversation with David Chambers, a relationship coach and host of the podcast, The Authentic Man.  We finish our conversation by talking about a variety of interesting topics relevant to men looking to lead authentic lives. This includes, the nature of women to ask for and then recoil at when experiencing a man's vulnerability, sexual shame as it affects men and of course, we speak about sexual freedom and what it means to David. He also speaks to his experience in the ISTA training, which he calls, “incredible.” You won’t want to miss the helpful breathing exercise I use to end this episode. There’s so much to be learned from the conversation I have with David, and I can't wait for you to experience it.

This is part 1 of a special two-part interview with David Chambers, who is a relationship coach and host of The Authentic Man Podcast. David and I engage in a fascinating conversation that explores how to find healthy models of masculinity when you grow up without a dad. he shares about the commitment issues and fear that held him back from not only fulfilling relationships but living a joyful, fulfilling authentic life. We also explore what it takes to grow beyond what your parents are capable of and partnership as a spiritual path. Plus, David ends this episode with a mindful masturbation practice he does with his clients. Stay tuned for part 2 of this important episode coming out next week.

This week, we're welcoming Sara Reardon, a pelvic floor physical therapist who's also known as The Vagina Whisperer.  You may know her from her viral TedX talk on rethinking postpartum care. One of the most important things we cover is that everyone has a pelvic floor (men/women/non-binary people) and that pelvic pain is not only a condition that impacts pergnant or postpartum women. That's because oftentimes, it isn’t until we experience pelvic floor pain or issues that we become aware of this part of our body. Sara's mission includes normalizing conversations about the pelvic floor, helping people understand what this muscle is,  and how to know when it needs to relaxed or be strengthened. We also chat about the different conditions that might bring you to a pelvic pain physical therapist and symptoms that are actually signals of pelvic pain. And that chronic stressors, conditioning and belief systems about sex or historical trauma can impact the tension in your pelvic floor. We end with Sara guiding us through a ribcage breathing practice that is a precursor to any pelvic floor releasing.

If Mark Tanaka sounds familiar to you that’s because he’s a past guest of LaidOPEN Podcast and featured on Episode 28. Untying the Knot. Mark’s a Qi gong and Yoga teacher, who specializes in nervous system regulation, parts-work, attachment coaching and one of my absolute favorite people. This week he returns as an expert to help answer your anonymous questions. The question this week is about the discomfort we can feel in being vulnerable. Especially, in relation to our significant other and the decision to have children and why we want them. An important conversation for anyone considering having children with reservations based on their own childhood. Plus, as always, we end the episode with an amazing exercise. Mark guides us through one that helps teach us to be with our vulnerable parts Additionally, if you have a problem or even question you need help with, please write in! I welcome listeners to write in any questions so a qualified expert and I can discuss how to navigate your questions and concerns. 

Welcome back to LaidOPEN Podcast! More and more I feel like I am magnetizing potential lifelong friends and like-minded collaborators I feature on my podcast. People like this week’s guest, @yestantra better known as Dominique D’Vita, spent her life as a cardiovascular RN until she found tantra and found her calling as a trauma-informed tantra coach.  Dominique has been a repeated guest on The Playboy Channel where she’s featured as a tantra expert. Together we chat about sex as a spiritual practice, the different kinds of tantra, what tantra is exactly, and how it can increase solo and partner-based pleasure.  We all deserve pleasure and if reading that makes you feel weird or gives you anxiety, this episode will be especially poignant for you.

While I don’t know Logan Cohen personally his authenticity, the deep work he has done on himself, and his willingness to feel his feelings and allow his vulnerability to shine through. I’m moved by the vital offering Logan contributes to the world as an author, a psychotherapist, and a trauma professional. He is bringing quality content to TikTok and IG, as well as through his work with couples and individuals in private practice.  Logan Cohen is a remarkable man driven by a purpose, being of service, helping men develop emotional intelligence, and educating people about the impacts of trauma. In his book “How to Hu(Man) Up in Modern Society: Heal Yourself and Save the World,” he puts gender role conditioning into a historical and social context. We discuss the importance of healing within the community, his work with volatile couples, and dealing with narcissists. Plus, we speak about how the suicide of his friend led him to write his book, the work he had to do in his personal and professional life to see his privilege as a man and unlearn his social and emotional conditioning, and his close relationship with his grandfather, who was holocaust survivor on Schindler’s List and how that has informed his commitment to building empathy in the world and being of service. We wrap up the episode with Logan leading an exercise around developing more awareness and connection to what you are feeling. There’s so much essential content in this episode, which is why I’m starting the season with it. I hope you’re ready to be as impacted by Logan’s work as I am.

For our Season 2 finale, please welcome Amanda Yates Garcia aka the Oracle of Los Angeles. In one of my most enchanting conversations, we speak about her book “Initiated,” being born into witchcraft, the trauma of colonization, surviving a legacy of trauma, and using witchcraft as a tool for healing.  Amanda also talks about her own excellent podcast (which I can’t recommend enough) “Between the Worlds,” where she interviews new guests each week on the topic of divination, tarot, and magic. I don’t like to play favorites, so I won’t, but there’s so much good stuff packed into the hour we’re together that you don’t want to miss. Plus, it ends with an exercise from Amanda about the ways we can incorporate sex magic into our sex lives. Learn more about witches and how any of us can use witchcraft to create the lives we want, in this week’s episode of LaidOPEN Podcast.

This week we welcome Media Midwife, Ahri Golden. She’s an award-winning artist, producer, podcast coach, professor, and mother of two. Ahri’s work is informed by a passion for making meaning through stories and creative responses to the world that is unfolding within and around us. Together we talk about her journey of becoming the Media Mid-Wife and what that entails. Plus, she speaks about her anti-hustle perspective, the importance of listening to our bodies, and making embodied art. Ahri ends the episode with an exercise she uses with her clients on how to use creativity to transmute and access their stories.