Permission for Pleasure
A podcast to educate and equip women with the information and confidence they need to express, experience and enjoy their sexuality. Cindy Scharkey RN, BSN, brings her 35+ years of experience as a healthcare professional to open the doors to healthy conversations about sex. This is a community where you can listen and learn to give yourself permission for pleasure. Visit www.cindyscharkey.com for educational blogs and newsletter.
Episodes
It’s time to unlock your erotic potential with somatic psychotherapist and sex therapist Carly Mountain. She joins me to talk about her newest book, Untamed Pleasure: Unleash Your True Erotic Nature. Learn about embodied pleasure, why women need relaxed arousal, and how the cervix can be a powerful portal of orgasmic potential.
Learn more about Carly Mountain
In this episode:
Embodiment and pleasureJust how muc...
Vanilla sex is loved by many, but for some it can get a little mundane. Have you ever wanted to add a touch of variety? Nothing too crazy or complicated but something to spark curiosity? In this episode I share four easy ideas to add a cherry on top of vanilla sex.
Visit our episode sponsor Uberlube and use code CINDY
Mentioned in this episode:
Ten tips to a better bedroom on the blogSexify your space episodeGuide to lubeUsing you...
Women often feel burnout from taking care of everyone around them before caring for themselves. The term self-care is trending, but how can we go about doing it? Therapist Jen Hershey joins me to share her perspective, including ideas around alignment and learning to listen to your inner authority. This conversation is an invitation to move through life with more trust, clarity and intention.
Learn more about Jen Hershey, LMFT
ORDER ...
Dial up the heat of arousal using your fingers! Listen in to learn some new techniques including various kinds of pressure, rhythms and motions. Discover broadening, hinting, and different styles of finger touch for increased pleasure.
Visit our episode sponsor Uberlube, use code CINDY
More on these topics
The clitoris is a whole networkThe clitoral hoodThe G-spot24 conversation starters to help you talk about sex with a par...
Have you ever been having sex and suddenly your arousal just disappears? From this episode you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how arousal and desire really work, as well as factors that influence it. You’ll also learn three things research shows that long-term couples can do to experience sexual satisfaction as desire changes over time.
Mentioned in this episode:
Sex on the brainUnderstanding sexual desire st...
Vibrators and sex toys don’t have to be scary or overwhelming. And they certainly aren’t bad or taboo. In this episode I walk through why vibrators work for women and how to choose one. I also offer a few communication tips for introducing a toy with a partner.
Mentioned in the episode:
Clitoral Network blog
Pleasure techniques with penetration
Maude use code CINDY10
The Clitoris has a hood
Megan’s e...
Vanessa Carlisle, PhD, MFA joins me to talk about their book co-authored with Stephanie Covington called: Awaken Your Sexuality: A Guide to Connection and Intimacy after Addiction and Trauma. We discuss the prevalence and normalization of substances as a pathway to sexual behavior, and how sexual responses can be filtered and affected through this lens. Vanessa also shares how shame can keep us from using our personal power to find...
Did you know it’s possible to have more than one orgasm in a single sexual session? In this episode we discuss how women can experience multiple orgasms including techniques to explore for wave after wave of pleasure.
Visit our episode sponsor Uberlube with code CINDY
Mentioned in this episode:
The clitoral networkWhat is edging?A woman's arousal takes more than 5 minutesDifferent kinds of orgamsLevel up your ple...
Have you ever been curious about kink? If so, this is the perfect conversation for you! Certified Sex and Relationships Psychotherapist, Sex Educator, and Author Gigi Engle joins me to offer a guide to exploring kink and erotic sensation. We discuss popular kinks, power dynamics, impact play and more. Expand your sexual menu with ideas and suggestions to amplify your senses through kinky play.
Listen in for the five questions to answer with a partner for greater pleasure and discovery. Sexual communication is your key to unlocking boredom, assumptions and resentment in the bedroom. Lean into your curiosity with these questions and discover more intimacy and vibrancy in your sex life.
Find the podcast page with all the links
ORDER my Book: Permission for Pleasure: Tending Your Sexual Garden
JOIN my Newsletter: Go...
Want to re-eroticize your long-term relationship and keep the fires burning for the long-haul? Somatic Psychologist, and Sex Therapist Dr. Holly Richmond joins us with expert advice for couples. She gets practical with flirting techniques, understanding your sexual template, and the four things healthy couples do to have a thriving relationship in and out of the bedroom.
Dr. Holly Richmond is a licensed marriage and family ...
Take a peek into the role of Intimacy Coordinator for Heated Rivalry, the TV show everyone’s talking about. Chala Hunter shares what an intimacy coordinator’s job is, and how she worked to create comfort and safety on set for the simulated sex scenes, nudity and all things intimacy. We discuss the cast and crew vibe while filming the show, and the intentionality around modeling safe, consensual and pleasurable sex. Lear...
This season we are going to lean into deeper curiosity about our bodies, sex and pleasure. Through education and conversations with experts, we’ll increase our knowledge, and challenge ourselves to ask the burning questions. Let’s cultivate curiosity, give ourselves permission, and embrace more pleasure in and out of the bedroom. Welcome to Season Six!
ORDER my Book: Permission for Pleasure: Tending Your Sexual Garden
Did you know that bone building starts to decline at age 30? That means for many of us, especially women in midlife, osteoporosis is a real concern. Registered Dietician, and Integrative & Functional Nutritionist Susan McCandless joins me to share what breaks down your bone health and what builds it up. She offers practical suggestions and guidelines to help you adjust your diet for strong, dense and flexible bones. You’l...
Dr. Jessica Vernon and I continue our conversation about transitioning to parenthood. In this episode we focus on postpartum sex, the challenges women face with their changing bodies, and creating intimacy with a partner. We also call out the common myths of motherhood that in reality are unattainable: the martyr, the goddess, the superwoman and the homemaker.
Jessica Vernon, MD is an obstetrician, perinatal mental health ex...
Did you know that 45% of women report birth trauma? The ripple effects of that are often never talked about. Obstetrician, and perinatal mental health expert Dr. Jessica Vernon joins me for a straightforward conversation about her book, Then Comes Baby: An Honest Conversation about Birth, Postpartum, and the Complex Transition to Parenthood. We discuss sleep deprivation, baby blues, and how to recognize postpartum depression and an...
Have you ever been curious to explore new ways to communicate through touch? Anne-Lorraine Selke, the creator of Touchcards, shares why she created a card deck that offers people ways to “rediscover the richness of touch with the people you love.” She gives us examples from intimate cards to playful ones, as we offer ways to bring more connection into your relationships through touch.
Find Touchcards and use my 10%...
Engage in flirty conversation to add some playful energy to your relationship. These “Would you rather” game questions offer you an easy way to play together and can spark meaningful discussion if something takes you by surprise! Use this episode on your next date night, long car ride or walk around the block.
Mentioned in this episode:
Bedroom GamesPermission for Pleasure: Tending Your Sexual Garden on GoodReadsToys,...
We talk a lot about the repercussions of purity culture for women, but what about men? This topic is often silenced, creating what sexuality educator Erica Smith calls a “fertile ground for shame.” She joins me to break the taboo, sharing the after effects men frequently encounter.
Erica Smith is an award winning sexuality educator and consultant with 25 years of experience. She developed the Purity Culture Dropout...
Is orgasm a learnable skill? My guest Dr. Erica Marchand outlines the necessary components women need to orgasm in this top 10 episode from Season One. We discuss faking O’s, ranking O’s, and the mind-body shift of allowing rather than making orgasm happen.
Erica Marchand, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist offering individual, couples and sex therapy in Los Angeles.
Learn more about these topics
Answerin...
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