I spent many years studying, practicing and then teaching somatic sexology. It is also called Sexological Bodywork. I experienced much healing and benefit from this over the years. During this time, I felt a need to keep an internet alias. I was fearful the board of trustees of the college I worked for would not approve of what I was doing due to the world’s erotic-phobia. Somatic Sexology is still a relatively unknown modality with many misconceptions about it.
I’ll explain so you can explore what Somatic Sexology is, what it isn’t, the history, and who might benefit from it. Somatic sexology, or Sexological Bodywork is also known as Somatic Sex Education. It is a form of coaching that is “hands on” where practitioners are trained to work on the body and on the genitals, although much of the work is done without touch.
It uses methods from Taoism, Tantric bodywork, embodiment, breath-work, and evidence-based sexuality education.
Sexological Bodywork and Somatic Sex Education training includes:
Breath-work
Trauma theory (including Polyvagal Theory)
Nervous system regulation
Touch
Erotic bodywork
Empowering embodied consent
Scar tissue remediation
Orgasmic Yoga coaching
Masturbation coaching
A core component of Sexological Bodywork training is in boundaries, consent and the practice of asking for what you want. Some of the curriculum includes The Wheel of Consent by Dr. Betty Martin, who pioneered this model specifically for sexological and erotic bodyworkers.
Dawn Davidson, a well-known figure in the field of somatic sex education, emphasizes the importance of accessing a state of arousal that transcends societal and personal limitations. Allowing individuals to connect with their bodies as sources of wisdom and to access a sense of freedom. Davidson writes, “One of the somatic realms that Somatic Sex Educators introduce to our students is a state of arousal that is free of fantasy, unfinished emotional business, religious dogma, cultural caveats and habitual sexual behaviors. In this meditative state, an individual becomes aware of the body as a source of wisdom and freedom. One of the ways to access this fecund state is by actively receiving erotic bodywork. Helping others access and make use of a variety of erotic states is foundational to the education we offer.”
From sexologicalbodywork.com
Sexological Bodyworkers are Somatic Sex Educators. We teach through body experiences designed to nurture, deepen, or awaken the sensual self. These experiences can include coaching in breath, movement, body awareness, boundary-setting, communication, anatomy, sensate focus, massage, erotic trance, and other body-based teaching about sex. Uniquely in the professions, we are trained to do genital and anal touch for education, healing, and pleasure. We touch in ways that assist students in developing presence within the body, opening interior awareness, and learning how the body can feel more and more alive.
The experiential learning opportunities available through Somatic Sex Education can help you engage in a respectful dialogue with your autonomic nervous system, so that physical and emotional processes that usually happen to us can be held in mindful awareness and transformed. Love and fear, excitement and relaxation, arousal and happiness, reverence and bliss all have biochemical and physiological components that can be regulated, with training and conscious practice over time.
As part of the training to become a practitioner, students are required to commit to their individual embodiment and “Orgasmic Yoga” practice so clients can be supported from a place of experience.
Not all Sexological Bodywork involves touch. Most client sessions are around 30% touch and 70% non-touch— such as establishing boundaries, breath-work, nervous system regulation, embodiment techniques, and movement.
All touch is strictly “one way”— from the practitioner to the client, and any genital touch is done using gloves and hygiene measures. Sessions are client-led and client-centered, with an educational purpose, and practitioners abide by a clear Code of Ethics.
There are many misconceptions about sexological bodywork. What Sexological Bodywork is not…
Erotic massage with a “happy ending”
Erotic entertainment
Another form of Tantra
Many people trained in Sexological Bodywork are also trained in erotic massage and/or may have done or still be doing sex work. The training is a welcoming and inclusive place for people in the adult sex worker industry who want to bring a more healing and therapeutic modality to their current work.
This is different from the world of Tantra or Neo-Tantra where the boundaries and roles between practitioner and clients vary and are often not clearly defined, and many Tantric practitioners do not practice embodied consent throughout the whole process. Which causes confusion and problems when it comes to personal awareness and healing.
Sexological Bodywork is designed for a wide range of sexual concerns, and practitioners believe that anybody can benefit from it—even if they don’t have a specific problem—because it is also designed to teach enhanced pleasure skills and sexual wellness practices.
Many people choose to work with a Sexological Bodyworker after having done prior work with a talk-only professional because they need somebody to work with touch and nudity.
Sexological Bodywork is especially helpful for:
- Early Ejaculation or Delayed Ejaculation—by teaching body awareness, breathing techniques, genital mapping, and masturbation coaching.
- Scar tissue remediation—especially for women and vulva owners’ post-childbirth and for trans/nonbinary folk after gender confirmation surgery.
- Vulvar and vaginal pain—such as dyspareunia, vaginismus, vulvodynia, and vaginitis
- Anal pain—anal dyspareunia and pain on penetration.
- Healing after sexual trauma—by empowering the client to understand consent, experience healing touch, learn to feel safe in their body again, trust their arousal, and learn new pleasure practices.
- Sexual inhibition—by teaching the client to feel good in their body, to embrace their pleasure, heal their relationship with their genitals, and feel more sexually confident.
- Issues with porn dependency—by learning new self-pleasuring skills and ways to cultivate their erotic energy without needing the intense stimulation that porn can provide.
- Couples who want to learn more about each other’s bodies and be more sexually satisfied
- Trans and nonbinary folk who want to explore their pleasure potential and learn how to have sex while affirming their gender.
Sexological Bodywork is a distinct practice in that it teaches clients how to relate differently to their genitals and sexual pleasure. However, it is not suitable for everyone, as many sexual concerns may need prior work with another professional, such as a trauma therapist, a relationship coach or therapist, a licensed mental health provider, or a medical professional.
Most Sexological Bodyworkers will offer a consultation call before working with clients, which is to ascertain if they can help you or if you need to work with somebody else.
The History of Sexological Bodywork
The practice of Sexological Bodywork was originally pioneered by Dr. Joseph Kramer—a former Jesuit priest—in the 1980s as a response to the AIDS epidemic. This approach was designed to enable homosexual men to connect to their sexuality. He founded The Body Electric School in Oakland, California, where he trained thousands of professional massage therapists, erotic bodyworkers, and somatic educators. In 2003, he created the first certification program for the profession of Sexological Bodywork™.
Kramer has described how his 10 years in the priesthood informed this work: “My psychoanalyst says that Sexological Bodywork is my secular, erotic version of the Jesuits.”
Since the founding of the Body Electric School (which is still running today in many countries around the world), the practice of Sexological Bodywork has evolved, with many leading figures within sexology and the world of somatics contributing.
Is Sexological Bodywork Legal?
Unfortunately, due to fact that Sexological Bodywork can involve intimate touch, many states in the USA and countries around the world classify it as a form of sex work, and thus, it is illegal to work with touch. Thankfully, there are many elements of Sexological Bodywork that do not require direct touch from the practitioner, so many Sexological Bodywork professionals who live in these areas can still work with clients using a talk-only or non-contact approach.
Of course, there are some that will work using touch and fly “under the radar,” or combine their expertise with sex work. While we would never encourage a sex coach to engage in any illegal activity, we want to acknowledge the healing power of touch and that some sexual skills are best taught on the body. We also acknowledge and support the work of sex workers who provide unique care, skills, and expertise to their clients.
Participation is up to your discretion and risk tolerance.
Many sex coaches who are cross trained in Sexological Bodywork still prefer to work without touch, even if they live and work in areas where it is legal. This is either due to personal preference, the code of ethics of other professional organizations they may be part of, or because it means they can work online and therefore need not be tied down to one location.
Sexological Bodywork is a comprehensive practice that more people need to know about. Certified Somatic Sexologists are highly skilled professionals who provide a unique and much needed service: healing touch and pleasure-focused sexuality education.
If you have more questions, please reach out and ask.
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