Pleasure & Sensuality as Self-Love: Reclaiming the Part of Yourself You Were Taught to Hide
There is a part of many women that was never given permission to fully exist.
Not because it wasn’t real or because it wasn’t natural.
But because somewhere along the way through culture, religion, relationships, family dynamics, or the pressure to “be a good girl”, many of us learned that this part of ourselves was something to suppress, disconnect from, or feel ashamed of.
And that disconnection costs more than we realize.
Because sensuality and pleasure are not separate from confidence, self-love, power, aliveness, and connection.
They’re deeply tied to all of it.
In this episode, I sit down with Shannon Hamaker, sex and relationship coach, somatic practitioner, and someone who has personally supported my own healing and liberation in this area, for one of the most honest and important conversations we’ve had on this show.
We talk about:
* Why so many women feel disconnected from their own pleasure and where that disconnect actually comes from
* The guilt, shame, and conditioning many women inherited before they were old enough to question it
* How reclaiming this part of yourself impacts confidence, communication, relationships, and self-worth
* The pressure-protection cycle that shows up in intimacy and relationships
* Where to begin if this topic feels uncomfortable and why that discomfort might matter
* Practical, judgment-free resources to begin reconnecting to yourself
This episode is not about being explicit.
It’s about coming home to yourself in a deeper way.
If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body, your desires, or your sense of aliveness, this conversation may open a door you didn’t know was there.
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ABOUT SHANNON
Shannon Hamaker is a somatic practitioner, speaker, and certified sexual health educator who helps women reconnect to their bodies, heal nervous system patterns, and create deeper intimacy and well-being — especially through midlife.
With over 20 years in the sexual and mental health space and a degree in Human Development, she blends inner child work, somatic practices, and lived experience to support lasting transformation.
Shannon’s work reframes midlife as “Midlife Magic” — an opportunity for greater vitality, connection, freedom, and authentic living.
CONNECT WITH SHANNON
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonhamaker/ [https://www.instagram.com/shannonhamaker/]
Website: https://shannon.offeringtree.com/
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Liberated Love by Mark Groves & Kylie McBeath
https://markgroves.com/book#/ [https://markgroves.com/book#/]
Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Come-As-You-Are-Revised-and-Updated/Emily-Nagoski/9781982165314 [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Come-As-You-Are-Revised-and-Updated/Emily-Nagoski/9781982165314]
OMGYES
https://www.omgyes.com/ [https://www.omgyes.com/]
Sex, Love & Goop Documentary
https://goop.com/the-goop-lab-netflix/?srsltid=AfmBOopvHYuwsiUyPqSBCDiiE57CnuOYDQqy15UoKK62PETbfYhoMMjg [https://goop.com/the-goop-lab-netflix/?srsltid=AfmBOopvHYuwsiUyPqSBCDiiE57CnuOYDQqy15UoKK62PETbfYhoMMjg]