Enhancing Intimacy

01/01/2022

Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good by adrienne maree brown

"How do we make social justice the most pleasurable human experience? How can we awaken within ourselves desires that make it impossible to settle for anything less than a fulfilling life? Author and editor adrienne maree brown finds the answer in something she calls “pleasure activism,” a politics of healing and happiness that explodes the dour myth that changing the world is just another form of work. Drawing on the black feminist tradition, she challenges us to rethink the ground rules of activism. Her mindset-altering essays are interwoven with conversations and insights from other feminist thinkers, including Audre Lorde, Joan Morgan, Cara Page, Sonya Renee Taylor, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. Together they cover a wide array of subjects—from s*x work to climate change, from race and gender to s*x and drugs—building new narratives about how politics can feel good and how what feels good always has a complex politics of its own."

See what the Enhancing Intimacy therapists are reading at: www.enhancingintimacyaustin.com/what-we-are-reading

12/01/2021

Becoming Cliterate: Why Or**sm Equality Matters- and How to Get It by Laurie Mintz, Ph.D

"We’ve been thinking about s*x all wrong. Mainstream media, movies, and p**n have taught us that s*x = p***s + va**na, and everything else is just secondary. The problem is, women don’t or**sm this way. We’ve separated our most reliable route to or**sm—clitoral stimulation—from how we feel we should or**sm—penetration. As a result, we’ve created a pleasure gap between women and men.

In Becoming Cliterate (HarperOne, May 2017), psychology professor and human s*xuality expert Dr. Laurie Mintz exposes the broader cultural problem that’s perpetuating this gap, and what we can do about it."

Check out the other books we are reading at our website: www.enhancingintimacyaustin.com/what-we-are-reading

11/19/2021

How can you help your partner with anxiety? Here is one tip from Clara's blog. Read the rest in the S*x & Intimacy Blog on our website. ⁠

Listen without fixing.

Sometimes your partner will need you to listen to their anxious thoughts without expressing advice or ways to fix it. While it may feel like you’re not doing much as you withhold advice, when anxiety rears its head, a compassionate, non-judgmental listening ear can be huge. You’re assisting your partner more than you may ever know just by holding that safe space for them.

11/13/2021

11/01/2021

Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Dr. Sue Johnson

"Hold Me Tight offers a revolutionary way to see and shape your relationships. The stories, ideas, and exercises, based on the science of love and the wisdom of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT), walk the reader through seven conversations that can define a love relationship. Learn to shape these crucial relationship moments and create a secure bond that will last for a lifetime."

See what else we are reading at Enhancing Intimacy at our website: www.enhancingintimacyaustin.com/what-we-are-reading

10/29/2021

How can you help your partner with anxiety? Here is one tip from Clara's blog. Read the rest in the S*x & Intimacy Blog on our website.

Ask your partner what they need.

You don’t have to try and read your partner’s mind. Next time your partner is experiencing anxiety, ask them what they need. Everyone’s needs in times of anxiety differ. For some, a hug can be nice. For others, physical touch can contribute to feelings of overwhelm. These differing needs are why it’s important to ask your partner how you can best support them in times of need.

09/19/2021

How can you help your partner with anxiety? Here is one tip from Clara's blog. Read the rest in the S*x & Intimacy Blog on our website.

Educate yourself about anxiety.

You’ll be better able to support your anxious partner if you have a good idea of what their symptoms are, and about what anxiety is in general. Anxiety can express itself in many ways mentally, physically, and in relationships. Just some of those symptoms might include excessive worry, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and increased tension in the body. How does your partner experience anxiety? Try asking them. Research their symptoms and maybe even pick up a few books on anxiety to educate yourself further.

09/02/2021

Burnout: the secret to unlocking the stress cycle by Emily Nagowski and Amelia Nagowski

"Wellness is not a state of mind, but a state of action. It is the freedom to move through the innate cycles and oscillations of being human - from effort to rest and back, from connection to autonomy and back, from adventure to homecoming and back. But we have been lied to our whole lives about what wellness “should” look like, and rejecting that lie, all those myths about “having it all” and “finally achieving lasting peace” is how we create space in our lives for that free action through the cycle of being human."

See what else we've been reading at Enhancing Intimacy at our website: www.enhancingintimacyaustin.com/what-we-are-reading

09/01/2021

Our Mindfulness Group starts today at 3:45-4:45 pm! This is a wonderful way to get to know mindfulness as it applies to your life. We will have time for mindfulness practices and education on how to be present in everyday life.

Contact us at enhancingintimacyaustin@gmail.com or 512-994-2588 to sign up.

08/04/2021

Enhancing Intimacy's Mindfulness Group is led by Clara Hayes and Skylar Naron. This group focuses on real world application of mindfulness principles to feel more present in your day to day life. Participants can attend as a drop in or use the weekly group as an ongoing mindfulness practice. Clara and Skylar will provide education on mindfulness, lead a variety of meditative practices, and facilitate processing of how to work through the barriers of living in the present moment.

Online on Tuesday's from 4:00-5:15
Please contact the office at 512-994-2588 or enhancingintimacyaustin@gmail.com to sign up.

*xtherapy

06/13/2021

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And I’ll say it over and over and over again. ❤️ This belief, that we are only loveable for what we can do or give, is something that can undermine our ability to connect with others- especially if we don’t know how this belief presents itself in our relationships.

Basically, this belief undermines the value of who we are and only places importance and worthiness on people who do “enough”. And it’s so hard to be fulfilled in a relationship when it’s safety and security is constantly being threatened by your own self; that you’re fighting your own mind/feelings/thoughts/actions to make sure you don’t do something to sabotage the relationship.

Sound familiar? I’m sure it does to all of us to a certain degree due to shame being so pervasive in our society. So, here is a gentle reminder to find something worthy and who you are rather than what you do. ✨

06/10/2021

Repost
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I’ve read it 16 times and I still can’t get enough! ✨



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Thanks, Jill, for a beautiful quote to think about today.

06/01/2021

Repost
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I love talking about the topic of - is it a feeling? A mindset? What does it even mean?!? 🥵

After the Affair - Abrams-Spring has SUCH a great chapter on this topic. It basically starts with allowing you to acknowledge any assumptions you may have about what forgive is supposed to mean, how it’s supposed to feel and when it’s supposed to happen. By exploring these assumptions we can decide what fits for us or not.

This is SUCH an important thing for all people in relationships to critically look at - not just those recovering from an affair.

happens all the time, although we may not name it that. Do you ever find yourself unable to stop thinking about something that happened in the past? Or find that every time there’s an argument your partner seems to list every little thing you’ve messed up on?

Maybe a more critical look at forgiveness could help you too!

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To schedule an appointment with Jill, contact us at 512-994-2588 or see our website at the link in our bio.

03/30/2021

"If you could design the perfect date, what would it look like?"

Grab your journal and write a little something about this question. Consider sharing with a trusted friend, therapist, or your partner.

*xtherapy

03/18/2021

"When was your favorite first kiss? Why was it so memorable?"

Grab your journal and write a little something about this question. Consider sharing with a trusted friend, therapist, or your partner.

*xtherapy