Posts by Kim Atwood, MA, LPC, CST
Letting Go of Resentment in Relationships
Resentment rarely comes from one big rupture. More often, it grows quietly—from moments that didn’t get repaired, needs that weren’t met, and hurts that were carried forward instead of spoken. In long-term relationships, resentment can start to feel permanent. Letting go doesn’t mean pretending the past doesn’t matter. It means learning to stop carrying it…
Read More“Pleasure Is the Measure”: When Women Speak Up About Pleasure
Emily Nagoski’s phrase “pleasure is the measure” is such a simple reminder and it’s a total game changer. Instead of focusing on whether sex follows the “right” sequence or looks like what you’ve seen in media, it centers the only thing that actually matters: Does it feel good for the people involved? When pleasure becomes the measure, sex…
Read MoreWhy Opening a Marriage Takes More Than Permission
Lately, more couples are talking about open marriage—not just as a fantasy, but as a real possibility. We are living in a different day in age and the idea of expanding love, desire, and connection outside a primary partnership has moved from whispers to podcasts and dinner-table debates. And yet, for every story of freedom…
Read MoreEmbodied Wisdom – Erectile Dysfunction as an Inner Truth
Presenting ConcernMale client, 32 years old, professional, successful and in a long-term relationship. He presented with difficulty achieving and maintaining erections with his partner for over a year. He had no prior medical issues and confirmed that he experienced spontaneous morning erections and occasional erections when alone. He expressed shame, confusion, and fear that something was…
Read MoreMore Than Hormones: How Therapy Helps Navigate Perimenopause
Perimenopause — the transitional phase leading up to menopause — can feel like a storm that arrives without warning. For some women, it begins in their late 30s or early 40s and lasts anywhere from a few months to several years. Hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and unpredictable cycles are well-known hallmarks, but what often catches women off guard are the…
Read MorePleasure is Not a 4-Letter Word
Our culture is currently living in a pleasure drought. Let’s break free. By now, we all know we live in a sex-negative society. However, do we realize that we also live in a pleasure-negative world? Pleasure has become overly connected with sex, making it somehow just as taboo a topic. This connection is a false…
Read MoreWays to (Re)Connect Spiritually
I’ve been struggling with frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) for nearly a year now, but the most painful time has been over the past 6 months. I haven’t been able to stick to my typical morning routine — cardio exercise and/or strength training; stretching or yoga; and walks — due to severe, chronic pain and limited…
Read MoreHow to Soothe Your Anxiety: 10 natural remedies you can do right now to help reduce your anxiety.
Anxiety is on the rise, especially as a result of COVID19 and the global pandemic. Whether you struggle with more general anxiety or acute anxiety attacks, there are several things you can do to ease your suffering. Practice some of these tested tools to calm your anxiety: 1 — Take a deep breath. Ok, I know it’s…
Read MoreSelf-sex is good for you…really
And, there’s even research to back it up. Self-sex is just a nice way of saying masturbation. And, yes…I am definitely saying that masturbation is healthy. It’s good for your overall health, boosts your sex life, helps your partner, improves both mind and body. Good for your overall health Orgasms are just plain good for your…
Read MoreSexual Performance Anxiety
It’s not just a guy thing…it happens to women too. We most often think of erectile disfunction when we conceptualize sexual performance anxiety. However, most people don’t realize that some women have a version of performance anxiety as well, though it presents differently. This idea came to me as I was listening to the Savage Lovecast episode…
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