Sexual grief has many dimensions and is defined by therapist and grief expert Edy Nathan as "a natural response to an unnatural sexually traumatic event or experience that makes you feel as if you are being held hostage." It is through this lens that this episode explores a wide range of aspects about sexual grief including survivor experiences of rape, sexual violence, sexual abuse, disenfranchised grief from the loss of a partner, the impact of pornography, and more. We also take an in-depth look at healing sexual grief and related trauma through self-regulation methods like breathwork, labyrinth exploration, talk therapy, and using more precise language when discussing experiences of grief. Listen to the end of the episode for information about a special event with Edy Nathan coming up in September 2023: The Inner Voyage Women’s Empowerment Cruise with specific workshops by Nathan focused on sexual grief.
Edy Nathan is an author, public speaker and licensed therapist. She is an AASECT certified sex therapist, hypnotherapist and certified EMDR practitioner with more than 20 years of experience. Edy earned degrees from New York University and Fordham University, with post-graduate training at the Ackerman Institute for Family Therapy. She practices in New York City.