When the Body Says No: Trauma, Pleasure, and Reclaiming Sexual Selfhood with Brooke Bralove

When the Body Says No: Trauma, Pleasure, and Reclaiming Sexual Selfhood with Brooke Bralove

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196001/fan_mail/new] Trauma can shape far more than our memories—it can influence desire, pleasure, pain, and our ability to feel safe in our own bodies. In this deeply compassionate conversation, Dr. Ginger Garner is joined by psychotherapist and certified sex therapist Brooke Bralove, LCSW-C, CST, to explore the profound connections between trauma, sexuality, and pelvic health.  Together they discuss the subtle ways shame, resentment, and nervous system dysregulation can disrupt intimacy; why sexual struggles do not mean you are broken; and how healing can begin through reclaiming safety, voice, and pleasure. Brooke also introduces Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), an innovative, neuroscience-based approach that helps people process trauma without repeatedly reliving painful experiences.  This episode offers hope, practical wisdom, and a powerful reminder: pleasure is your birthright, and healing is possible. Read the blog post here! Resources: 1. BrookeBralove.com [http://brookebralove.com] 2. Instagram @BrookeBralovePsychotherapy [https://www.instagram.com/brookebralovepsychotherapy/] 3. Facebook: Brooke Bralove Psychotherapy [https://www.facebook.com/brookebralovepsychotherapy/] 4. Tik Tok @BBralovePsychotherapy [https://www.tiktok.com/@bbralovepsychotherapy] 5. Keep up with Brooke on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookebralovepsychotherapy/] 6. Brooke’s YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@brookebralovepsychotherapy] Enjoying The Vocal Pelvic Floor? Leave us a review! [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vocal-pelvic-floor-with-dr-ginger-garner/id1678127480] Reviews help more people discover the podcast and keep these critical discussions going! Thanks for your support—you’re helping grow this community and amplify the voices that need to be heard. 💛 - If you’ve found value in the content we share on women’s and pelvic health—including topics like endometriosis and pelvic pain—please consider supporting the show with a contribution. Your support helps us continue producing high-quality, evidence-based episodes. At this time, we don’t receive any funding to create the podcast, and production costs are coming entirely out of pocket. Every bit of support makes a meaning. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196001/support]

Beyond Libido: Testosterone, Desire, and Whole-Body Health with Dr. Nikitha Paluri, MD

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196001/fan_mail/new] In this episode of The Vocal Pelvic Floor, Dr. Ginger Garner welcomes Dr. Nikitha Paluri for a nuanced conversation about testosterone, women’s sexual health, libido, metabolism, menopause, and nervous system regulation. Together, they explore why testosterone in women is often reduced to libido, even though women’s hormone biology is far more complex. They discuss where the evidence for testosterone is strongest, how to avoid both medical dismissal and hormone hype, and why sexual health must be understood through a whole-body lens. This episode also looks at the many contributors to low desire — including pain, sleep disruption, stress, pelvic floor dysfunction, relationship safety, medications, metabolic health, and perimenopause. It is a validating and practical conversation for women who have been told their symptoms are normal, insignificant, or simply part of aging. Read the blog post here! [https://vocalpelvicfloor.com/beyond-libido-testosterone-desire-and-whole-body-health-with-dr-nikitha-paluri-md/] Resources: 1. IG @nikithapalurimd [https://www.instagram.com/nikithapalurimd/] & @drnikisbotanica [https://www.instagram.com/drnikisbotanica/] 2. Facebook: Dr. Nikitha Paluri [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582718249237&ref=PROFILE_EDIT_xav_ig_profile_page_web#] 3. Keep up with Dr. Paluri on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikitha-paluri-0b3934105/?skipRedirect=true] Enjoying The Vocal Pelvic Floor? Leave us a review! [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vocal-pelvic-floor-with-dr-ginger-garner/id1678127480] Reviews help more people discover the podcast and keep these critical discussions going! Thanks for your support—you’re helping grow this community and amplify the voices that need to be heard. 💛 - If you’ve found value in the content we share on women’s and pelvic health—including topics like endometriosis and pelvic pain—please consider supporting the show with a contribution. Your support helps us continue producing high-quality, evidence-based episodes. At this time, we don’t receive any funding to create the podcast, and production costs are coming entirely out of pocket. Every bit of support makes a meaning. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196001/support]

Endometriosis, Menopause & Pelvic Pain as Compiling Factors in Sexual Health with Jennifer Lanoff

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196001/fan_mail/new] Sexual health is often reduced to libido, hormones, or relationship status — but for many women, it is far more complex. Painful sex, endometriosis, pelvic floor dysfunction, menopause, vulvovaginal tissue changes, cancer survivorship, low desire, fear of pain, and medical dismissal can all shape a woman’s ability to experience intimacy safely and fully. In this episode, Dr. Ginger Garner is joined by Jennifer Lanoff, a board-certified Women’s Health and Gender-Related Nurse Practitioner specializing in gynecology, menopause, sexual health, pelvic pain, and complex vulvovaginal conditions. Together, they explore how endometriosis, menopause, genitourinary syndrome of menopause, vulvodynia, lichen sclerosus, pelvic floor dysfunction, and chronic pain can complicate sexual health — and why women deserve care that looks beyond “just use lube” or “just relax.” This conversation validates the reality that sexual health is whole-person health. Desire, arousal, pain, hormones, tissue integrity, nervous system regulation, trauma history, and pelvic floor function are all connected. Read the blog post here! [https://vocalpelvicfloor.com/endometriosis-menopause-pelvic-pain-as-compiling-factors-in-sexual-health-with-jennifer-lanoff/] Resources: 1. Washington-GYN.com [http://washington-gyn.com] 2. IG: @jlanoff_gyn_np [https://www.instagram.com/jlanoff_gyn_np/?hl=en] 3. Jen’s Substack [https://jlanoffwhnp.substack.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn45IaJW0InntoFK1LFUAdZAYEySU-VYdMg3kgP11sJzgJFSI8Tw_3NUG54IA_aem_pePzp8u9tkwfEZmJRl3XCQ&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3] 4. Washington Endometriosis & Complex Surgery [https://www.washingtonendometriosis.com/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=bio&utm_campaign=main&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn5nairw0aq8Z73F0QGODpoeENxQzAXBcmRGM9WoKeiaYwQloKCSdJlvH0v8g_aem_BVzgcDU9SL-6TUm1rkKk2A] Enjoying The Vocal Pelvic Floor? Leave us a review! [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vocal-pelvic-floor-with-dr-ginger-garner/id1678127480] Reviews help more people discover the podcast and keep these critical discussions going! Thanks for your support—you’re helping grow this community and amplify the voices that need to be heard. 💛 - If you’ve found value in the content we share on women’s and pelvic health—including topics like endometriosis and pelvic pain—please consider supporting the show with a contribution. Your support helps us continue producing high-quality, evidence-based episodes. At this time, we don’t receive any funding to create the podcast, and production costs are coming entirely out of pocket. Every bit of support makes a meaning. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196001/support]

The Sound of Pleasure: Voice, Breath & Pelvic Floor Tone

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196001/fan_mail/new] What if pleasure isn't just about arousal but about breath, voice, nervous system regulation, and pelvic floor health? In this solo episode, Dr. Ginger Garner explores the physiology of pleasure and the concept of "orgasmic confidence." She unpacks the powerful connection between breath, vocalization, pelvic floor function, and sexual wellness, while addressing common barriers like pain, tension, shame, trauma, and performance pressure. You'll learn why pleasure is a whole-body experience, how the nervous system influences sensation, and practical ways to cultivate greater safety, self-trust, and connection in your body. Whether you're navigating pelvic pain, changes in sexual function, or simply want a deeper understanding of how your body works, this episode offers a compassionate, evidence-informed perspective on reclaiming pleasure and pelvic health. Read the blog post here! [https://vocalpelvicfloor.com/the-sound-of-pleasure-voice-breath-pelvic-floor-tone/] Resources: 1. Ginger’s Breathing Playlist on YouTube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLssRl7MibHhGK_Fomd-jaH7z-42g1xdlE&si=_3rzRzI4CwXbam4S] 1. Ujjayi/Victorious Breath [https://youtu.be/rFL9CpBlN4M?si=e0ZY7OlRRWWNyyhd] 2. Belly Breathing [https://youtu.be/Ov3T8Rw3L3U?si=P-oVDkdeljj0yPSA] 3. 3 Part Breath [https://youtu.be/8AaOhnIXjcY?si=GKjYTOFWSzbwOl4n] 4. 4 Part Breath [https://youtu.be/sOcTa7VAunw?si=7coLuxo0hlKZwX3J] 5. Sandbag Breathing [https://youtu.be/499Z4zHER_4?si=FABNNuPOdokceJ05] 2. Keep up with Ginger on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drgingergarner/?hl=en], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/groups/635238689898696/user/100063803460551], &  LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgingergarner/] 3. Ginger’s Private Practice: Garner Pelvic Health [https://garnerpelvichealth.com/] 4. AASECT-Certified Sex Therapists [https://www.aasect.org/aasect-certified-sex-therapist-0] 5. APTA Pelvic Heath PT Locator [https://www.aptapelvichealth.org/ptlocator?CustomField_8713=&CustomField_17252=&CustomField_8705=&CustomField_29556=&CustomField_8715=&CustomField_32569=&CustomField_30231=&CustomField_25669=&CustomField_8709=&CustomField_8714=&CustomField_29554=&CustomField_29480=] 6. Becoming Cliterate Book by Laurie Mintz [https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Cliterate-Orgasm-Equality-Matters/dp/0062484389] 7. Ohnut device [https://thepelvicpeople.com/products/ohnut-depth-limiting-rings?srsltid=AfmBOoqVQwe5ZVidH8XoEjmd-ecI_T-gZsdY7PFILHD3pa3inuoduus7] Enjoying The Vocal Pelvic Floor? Leave us a review! [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vocal-pelvic-floor-with-dr-ginger-garner/id1678127480] Reviews help more people discover the podcast and keep these critical discussions going! Thanks for your support—you’re helping grow this community and amplify the voices that need to be heard. 💛 - If you’ve found value in the content we share on women’s and pelvic health—including topics like endometriosis and pelvic pain—please consider supporting the show with a contribution. Your support helps us continue producing high-quality, evidence-based episodes. At this time, we don’t receive any funding to create the podcast, and production costs are coming entirely out of pocket. Every bit of support makes a meaning. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196001/support]

The Holistic Intersection Between Psychiatry and Sex Therapy with Dr. Elisabeth Gordon

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196001/fan_mail/new] Sexual health is often treated as an afterthought in healthcare—something separate from our mental health, physical health, relationships, or overall well-being. But what if it’s all connected? Dr. Ginger Garner sits down with board-certified psychiatrist and certified sex therapist Dr. Elisabeth Gordon for a compassionate, stigma-free conversation about sexual health through a whole-person lens. Together, they explore how factors like stress, nervous system regulation, pain, hormones, relationships, culture, and body awareness all shape our sexual experiences. Dr. Gordon shares practical guidance for navigating shame, advocating for yourself in healthcare settings, understanding the mind-body connection, and moving away from performance-based ideas about sexuality toward curiosity, pleasure, and connection. Whether you're struggling with pain, low desire, communication challenges, or simply want a healthier relationship with your body, this episode offers validation, insight, and hope. Because sexual health isn’t separate from health - it’s an essential part of it. Read the blog post here! [https://vocalpelvicfloor.com/the-holistic-intersection-between-psychiatry-and-sex-therapy-with-dr-elisabeth-gordon/] Resources: 1. PsychandSexMD.com [http://psychandsexmd.com] 2. Instagram @psychandsexmd [https://www.instagram.com/psychandsexmd/?hl=en] 3. Sexual Medicine Society of North America: [https://www.smsna.org/patients] resource for finding sexual medicine specialists, particularly for sexual function concerns. 4. International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health [https://www.isswsh.org/]: provider directory and educational resources focused on women's sexual health. 5. Society for Sex Therapy and Research [https://sstarnet.org/]: directory of sex therapists and professionals specializing in psychological and relational aspects of sexual health. 6. American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists: [https://www.aasect.org/] certification body and directory for sex therapists, sexuality counselors, and educators. Enjoying The Vocal Pelvic Floor? Leave us a review! [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vocal-pelvic-floor-with-dr-ginger-garner/id1678127480] Reviews help more people discover the podcast and keep these critical discussions going! Thanks for your support—you’re helping grow this community and amplify the voices that need to be heard. 💛 - If you’ve found value in the content we share on women’s and pelvic health—including topics like endometriosis and pelvic pain—please consider supporting the show with a contribution. Your support helps us continue producing high-quality, evidence-based episodes. At this time, we don’t receive any funding to create the podcast, and production costs are coming entirely out of pocket. Every bit of support makes a meaning. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196001/support]