Unapologetic Pleasure: Healing Through Sexual Empowerment
What if pleasure isn’t a guilty indulgence—but the very medicine your body and soul have been craving?
In this unapologetic and deeply empowering episode of Happiness On Tap, host Leann Herron sits down with Dr. Ashley—Sexologist, Relationship Coach, and founder of Phoenix Ascending—to talk about reclaiming sexual power, breaking free from shame, and embracing pleasure as a radical act of healing.
With a PhD in Marriage & Family Therapy and nearly 20 years of experience helping people rewrite their sexual stories, Dr. Ashley takes a “don’t mess around” approach to sexual liberation. As a proud bisexual woman, a survivor of sexual assault and narcissistic abuse, and an advocate for mental health awareness, she shares how her lived experience fuels her work helping others rise from the ashes of shame and reclaim pleasure as their birthright.
Together, Leann and Dr. Ashley explore:
00:00 Greetings and introduction of Dr. Ashley
1:34 Dr. Ashley’s Journey to Sexual Liberation: Dr. Ashley shares how her personal story of healing and sexual liberation shaped the powerful, authentic approach she brings to her coaching clients today
4:43 The “Don’t Mess Around” Approach to Pleasure Coaching: Dr. Ashley explains how she helps clients reclaim pleasure through practical, grounded, and transformative work
10:53 Shame, Guilt, and the Barriers to Pleasure: A deep dive into how shame and guilt distort our connection to pleasure—and the first steps to start untangling those old, repressive narratives
17:21 Radical Transparency and Connection: Dr. Ashley opens up about how being candid about her bisexuality, mental health, and lifestyle choices fosters authenticity and trust with her clients
25:46 Dismantling Sex-Negative Myths: Dr. Ashley breaks down the most common sexual myths—and how we can begin to rewrite them
31:18 Pleasure as a Tool for Mental Health and Resilience: Leann and Dr. Ashley discuss the surprising ways pleasure supports emotional balance, self-acceptance, and mental well-being
32:14 Rewriting Sexual Stories: The Power of Co-Creation: Why it’s essential to rewrite your sexual narrative—and how doing so helps you reconnect to your most authentic, empowered self
34:54 Starting Your Pleasure Journey: For anyone who feels disconnected from their body or desire, Dr. Ashley shares simple, compassionate steps to begin reconnecting with pleasure
37:10 Reclaiming Pleasure After Trauma: As a survivor herself, Dr. Ashley offers insight into healing from sexual trauma and rediscovering pleasure as a form of liberation and wholeness
#sexualempowerment #traumahealing #authenticliving
Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!
Episode Resources:
Guest:
Dr. Ashley PhD in Marriage & Family Therapy, Sexologist in Marriage & Family Therapy. She specializes in Sexual Health and Relationship Coaching to assist in creating liberation from shame, guilt, and unhealthy control.
For more information on Dr. Ashley please visit:
Website:
https://www.relationshipandsexualhealthcoaching.com/
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ashley-81680b309/overlay/contact-info/
Just The Tip Blog:
About your host:
Leann Herron is a Certified Life and Holistic Health Coach who is a passionate advocate for women’s health and empowerment, devoted to helping Gen X women break free from cycles of over-giving and the stories that keep them stuck. Leann is also a Kink, BDSM, and Alternative Lifestyle Coach.
For more information on Leann Herron please visit:
Finding Resilience with Leann:
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.