Before you read on, here's a self-assessment to stoke self reflection.  

Take a look at Victoria's Secret's website and Rihanna’s SavagexFenty website.  Ask yourself: “if my sex and intimacy occupational therapy practice was either Victoria’s Secret or SavagexFenty, which one would it be?”

Here are some questions: 

1. If you have patient handouts, who is visually represented in them?
2. What clients do you address sex and intimacy with and which ones do you hesitate to address it with?
3. Do you ask your clients what kind of sex they have or what it typically looks like?  
4. Are you comfortable celebrating the expansive forms of sexuality and ways sexual activity can be engaged in?  Does this acceptance translate when you’re working with your clients?

Last week, I wanted to buy a few new pieces of lingerie. Like an old habit, I typed Victoria’s Secret into my google search bar and went to the website…I didn’t last 7 seconds.  

I quickly visually scanned the pictures and saw the bodies...

Something OT practitioners need to keep in mind as we (humbly) approach the topic of sex with clients is how people can have sex in countlessly different ways –many that may be unfamiliar to us, and some of ways that may even be considered…

Kinky.

Kink is a broad term that describes aspects of sexuality that fall outside of the mainstream ideas of sexuality. In more detail, The Kink Clinical Practice Guidelines Project defines kink as “…sexual identities, erotic behaviors, sexual interests and fantasies, relationship identities, relationship orientations, and relationship structures between consenting adults not accepted by the dominant culture. We specifically include BDSM (Bondage/Discipline,  Dominance/Submission, Sadism/Masochism), Leather, and Fetish as important parts of the umbrella term of kink” (p. 4). 

 The Kink Clinical Practice Guidelines Project is composed of a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers, therapists, educators, and advocates working in the area of s...

If you've been following along then you know this is the last post of my three part series: The Selfies, Sexplay and Sexual Communication. 

This week we're talking about Sexual Communication. Whether it's with a casual partner, one with relationship potential, or long time partner helping our clients learn how to establish sexual communication in their relationship is an important part of addressing sexuality and intimacy. 

If they are not already communicating about sex with their partner we may need to help them learn how to be the initiator, which can be uncomfortable for them. 

Establishing sexual communication is the foundation of good sexual experiences and most people will find it refreshing to share their preferences and boundaries.

So how do you teach sexual communication??

 Tip #1 - Teach your client to discuss their boundaries/ limits:

While reasons for setting sexual limits widely vary, it is not uncommon for individuals to set sexual limits. Sexual limit setting i...