Live on Soapbox Radio! Sex Talk

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Listen in to the live interview on Soapbox Radio! Trish talks about the work of Sensual Solutions and the importance of sexual health.

Helpful Pressure Point

Ever thought about acupressure? There have been some amazing stories and testimonials from people who practise this ancient form of medicine. Check out this short video for a pressure point that assists with digestion, bloating, fatigue, and more.

Live on The Sunday Night Sex Show - Sept 20 at 8pm

Let's Talk About Sex Baby!

Hey - tune in this Sunday night at 8pm to CKNW 980AM and listen to Maureen McGrath interview Trish from Sensual Solutions. Discussing the work of Intimacy coaches and intimate care for adults living with disability. No holes-barred discussion around sexual identity and sexual health of people who are differentlyAbled.

Call in and let's talk!

New Device To Make Wheelchairs Obsolete!

Join Us On LinkedIn

We're now reaching the professional masses on LinkedIn. Check out the Sensual Solutions profile page.

https://ca.linkedin.com/in/sensualsolutionscanada  Click Here

Come Visit Us Friday May 15

Come say hello. 
We'll be here all day ready to answer your questions. 
Free hugs too!

Making a new erogenous zone

VICE Article about Sensual Solutions

https://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/for-disabled-people-seeking-intimacy-its-a-fine-line-between-health-care-and-sex-work-646

For #Disabled People Seeking Intimacy, It’s a Fine Line Between Health Care and Sex Work

March 6, 2015

by Jen Muranetz

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Sensual Solutions customer Dave. Photo by Jen Munaretz

"It's unusual to be in a room with three naked people lathered up with oil and having a massage with candles and soft music."

Seated in his wheelchair, Dave recounts a time he had a sensual threesome with two sex workers.

"I basically went to everyone, from escort to massage to body work," he lists off some of the services he's visited over the last decade to meet his intimacy needs. "I had some really, really good experiences, I had some really negative experiences."

Dave, who asked us not to publish his last name, hasn't always turned to the sex trade. He tells stories of long-lasting girlfriends and spontaneous relationships, but when you have a spinal cord injury, the options are limited.

"My injury is considered complete," says Dave, who has only minor mobility below his shoulders. It was a diving accident that put him into this state 40 years ago, depriving him of his independence, sensory functions, and, in turn, his sex life.

Trish St. John has heard countless stories similar to Dave's. She worked as a receptionist for a Vancouver escort agency for seven years, answering many phone calls from disabled men, women, and couples. With every call came the voice of someone admitting to loneliness, pleading for affection, and craving companionship.

"Most of the ladies this company represented didn't feel comfortable going out and seeing someone with a disability," she says. "Plus, it could be a whole different body type that you're dealing with."

Yet the calls kept coming and the thought lingered in St. John's mind that these people deserved to be treated like whole sexual beings. So in 2010, she started Sensual Solutions, a Vancouver business that hires intimacy "coaches" to help people with physical disabilities looking to explore their sexuality.

"What kind of services do you offer?" I asked.

She pauses before saying, in her most diplomatic voice, "educational services." A laugh follows, hinting to the hands-on approach that is practiced.

Priced at $225 an hour, their website lists three different "educational" practices: massage and body work, coaching and healing, and tantra. This essentially means anything from caressing, massaging, or kissing to unclothed body play.

Taryn is one of Sensual Solutions' intimacy coaches. Photo courtesy Sensual Solutions

One of Sensual Solutions' intimacy coaches is 22-year-old Taryn, who chooses to use a pseudonym to protect her day job. She admits the difference between her work and the work of a prostitute is "blurry," with the defining factor being that an intimacy coach doesn't necessarily partake in intercourse or perform oral sex. Instead, Taryn describes the most common work she does as cuddling and body mapping, which means using physical touch to help people find erogenous zones on their body.

"Often these are places I think most people would find pleasurable if they weren't so hyper-focused to achieve orgasm through genital stimulation," she says.

For Dave, it's his ears.

He tilts his head to the side, his hand instinctively cupping his right earlobe as he talks about the biting, nibbling, and scratching sensations he considers erotic. "Which is not why I'm touching my ear right now," he clarifies, before playfully adding, "but maybe it is. Would you just tug on that a little bit?"

Dave's had a total of eight coaching sessions with Sensual Solutions, but he refers to the most recent meetings as "training sessions" for an advocacy group he co-founded several years ago. Dave's goal is to use his time with the intimacy coaches to develop informed orientation sessions for anyone looking to get intimate with a person who has limitations.

"So we'll talk about things like how to assist with a transfer, what a urinary bag is like, or things to be aware of: spasticity, sensation, pain, communication, how to use certain types of equipment, general functional traits."

Sensual Solutions founder Trish St. John. Photo by Jen Munaretz

The subject matter of sex for the disabled community is viewed differently around the globe. In the United States, for example, surrogacy partner therapy has been legal since 2003, whereas in Canada, surrogacy is only recognized if you're trying to get pregnant. (Surrogacy in the US was explored in the 2012 film The Sessions, based on the life of Mark O'Brien, a Berkeley, CA poet who was paralyzed from polio and wrote about sex for people with disabilities, eventually detailing his own experience losing his virginity in his 30s to a sex surrogate.) In Israel, the topic of sex for the disabled is looked at from a medical perspective, using established sex therapy clinics to offer "experiential learning." In some European countries, such as the Netherlands, people with a disability are eligible for government funding to have a visit from a sex worker 12 times a year.

"So it would be great if there was something in the middle here," St. John says, although she considers it wishful thinking at this stage because of the newly implemented Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act. Made law in November 2014, this legislation is based on the Swedish prostitution laws, making it illegal to buy sexual services but not to sell them.

"I know the law," St. John says, with one of the new clauses making it illegal to advertise the sale of sexual services for other people. "I don't feel that we fit into that category per say, and that's because we do get a lot of referrals from relationship therapists, from doctors."

One doctor working in the field of sexual medicine is Dr. Stacy Elliott. She's quick to express compassion for her patient's sexual needs, yet mindful of the legalities around the topic.

"Hiring a sex trade worker is still an illegal act," she says, before adding almost regrettably, "We are not allowed to suggest off-site sexual services, but we certainly encourage [patients] to reach out to potential resources they find themselves. But we have to, by the law, be hands-off on that."

Instead, Dr. Elliott emphasizes the efforts being done at Vancouver's GF Strong Sexual Health Rehabilitation Service, the only sex therapy centre of its kind in Canada where a team of doctors and nurses work together around sexual health. "I think our best work is done within the medical system, the patients have access to it without cost."

Even though Sensual Solutions comes at a heftier price, St. John believes the experience of physical touch comes with great reward. She says that, for the clients, it's a confidence booster—especially for people who've had little to no sexual experience.

That wasn't the case for Dave.

He was 19 when he acquired a disability, in the "prime of his sex life," as he describes it. Still, he takes a moment to pause and glance out the window before giving me an ironic look. "I've had more satisfying experiences post-injury, sexually, than I had before."

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Cheerleader Safety Month

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/cheerleading-safety-month/
March Cheerleader Safety Month


Let's face it - pom poms can be deadly! So, if you happen to know a practising Cheerleader please, for the love of god - check out this link. Our goal is simple- to raise awareness about the dangers of cheerleading and to warn the general public as a community service.

March - in memory of injured and dead cheerleaders is celebrated with Cheerleader Safety Month. High-5 the cheerleaders in your life.

Staring at Cleavage Like a Gentleman

Staring at a Girl’s Cleavage like a Gentleman

(from Lovepanky.com)

Staring at a girl’s cleavage can be fun, but no amount of fun is worth it if it makes a girl feel uncomfortable. Stare at women, but never in a manner that would make them feel nervous, uneasy or awkward. Learn the true art of staring at breasts like a gentleman.

Remember the biggest rule of staring at breasts, when you stare at a girl, you should have a good time, and she should still feel comfortable around you.

If you think they asked for it just because they wore something revealing, try this. Walk into some part of your town or a park that is filled with homosexual men, wearing a short tight pair of silk boxers.

Sit down for a while in a quiet corner of the park, and see if you can survive a few hours. Then you’d know how it feels to be a woman who gets stared at all the time.

Girls stare too, but they do it in a very discreet manner. They don’t loll their tongues or undress men mentally when they look. And the best part, a guy always feels appreciated when a girl looks, so try making a woman feel appreciative of you instead of hating you.

Women do wear revealing clothes so they can look good and attract men. So you’d probably say the women who wear low cut blouses and push up bras asked for it, and have no right to complain about men staring at their breasts or peeping down their cleavage.

But just because they wear something that accentuates their assets doesn’t mean you have the right to harass women, nor does it mean that particular woman wants you.

All the pretty girl in the revealing top is trying to say is “Hey guys! Look at me, I’m beautiful and sexy… but don’t you dare touch me.” There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s their bodies, after all. But why should men be forced to look away when God gave us the gift of sight?

Are we supposed to turn away every time we think a stare or two will offend some woman? Nope. Look, stare, and let your eyes linger. Have a great time looking at her breasts or staring down her top.

But remember, subtlety is the key. The next time you see a great looking girl with the perfect breasts or a cleavage that makes you go va-va-voom, admire her from afar and as she approaches, just catch a brief glimpse of her and don’t pause there to admire the view. Just go on your way after about half a millisecond. Be quick with your eyes, and you can have a great time, and thankfully not at her expense.

Now go on, walk across the street and behave like a good gentleman, and stare at those great breasts without pissing anyone off. Who said men can’t be pigs and gentlemen and the same time?

And all you men reading this, for the sake of the women who still think men are shameless pigs who can’t stop drooling and staring at a girl’s cleavage and breasts, go prove them wrong!

NATIONAL HUG DAY - JAN 21

Tomorrow is National Hug Day.  So, in honour of this spectacular event, let's learn a little about why hugging and cuddling are so darn good for us.... 
 
10 INCREDIBLE FACTS ABOUT CUDDLING


It’s no secret that cuddling makes you feel good when you’re in a new or established relationship. It’s also something that you miss greatly when you’re single. But did you know there’s actually a scientific reason for that? It’s true! There are many surprising benefits of cuddling—so read on, and you’ll want to cuddle someone right now!

1. Cuddling releases oxytocin.

Oxytocin is a hormone that does everything from making you feel good to helping you feel connected to others. Oxytocin is crucial in the act of cuddling, as you’ll see from its benefits popping up in the list below.

2. Cuddling boosts your immune system.

When you’re so in love you feel invincible, you’re experiencing oxytocin release. This feel-good hormone makes you feel like nothing can hurt you—which is an amazing benefit! It also increases hormones that help fight infection. So, basically, you’re boosting your immune system because you’re feeling too good and healthy to get sick. The power of positive thinking—and feeling loved and secure—actually works!

3. Cuddling relieves pain.

Just as it boosts your immune system, cuddling and releasing oxytocin will decrease your pain levels. Whenever your neck hurts, what do you do? Rub it, right? Even simple touches like that release enough oxytocin to make you feel better, so imagine the effect cuddling has!

4. Cuddling helps deepen your relationships.

Communication is important in relationships, but people often forget how effective and meaningful touch can be. When your career is so stressful you come home and can’t stop thinking about the job, you’re taking a negative toll on your relationship. Instead, imagine coming home and cuddling with your partner for even ten minutes a day. This brief break from the stress of everyday life will not only give you all the other benefits listed here, but will also deepen your relationship. You’ll be taking time to focus solely on your partner and what you feel for them.

5. Cuddling can lead to more.

Even non-erotic touch can release dopamine, which is a hormone that increases sexual desire. Getting a sweet hug or massage from your partner after a long day can lead to more, which is win-win for both of you! Regular sexual activity will strengthen your relationship as well. Also, sex is a good stress reliever, and an easy way to get in some physical activity.

6. Cuddling helps women bond.

Have you heard the term “oxytocin” in relation to childbirth and breastfeeding? It’s because this chemical doesn’t just inspire good feelings between couples—it also works for women and their babies. Oxytocin helps relax the mother, so that breastfeeding may come more easily. It also enables sleep, even when the mother might have difficulty sleeping with a newborn in the house.

7. Cuddling reduces social anxiety.

Oxytocin inspires positive thinking. It helps you have an optimistic outlook on the world. Which means when you get a hug right as you arrive at the party where you only know one person, you’re going to feel happier and more social going in. You’ll feel like you can charm everyone at the party. And with oxytocin coursing through your system, you will!

8. Cuddling reduces stress.

It’s obvious by now, right? Oxytocin is an amazing natural hormone that has so many benefits for the human body. It’s only natural that all these positive effects are going to release stress, also. You’re feeling more connected with your partner, you’re feeling confident in social situations, your immune system is stronger—what do you have to be stressed about? You have a great, cuddle-filled, loving life. Enjoy it!

9. Cuddling lowers your risk of heart disease.

Yup—oxytocin again! All the benefits listed above add together to mean less stress, less anxiety, lower blood pressure and—you got it—a lower risk of heart disease! Because your heart is happier and not working as hard to combat the effects of stress and sickness, you’ll be healthier, longer.

10. Cuddling doesn’t have a definition.

Cuddling doesn’t have to be between you and your romantic partner. It doesn’t even have to be with another person—you can rub your own shoulders! You can also hug friends or play with your pets. If you don’t want to be social or don’t have a furry friend, never fear! You can take a warm bath or get a massage. Feeling warm and connected by some sort of touch is enough to release oxytocin into your system and get you feelin’ good!

Featured photo credit: Lovers kissing and cuddling on a city street with passersvia Shutterstock

This article was reprinted and was written by: Allison Renner