Advertise on podcast: Sex and Chronic Illness

Dr. Lee interviews surrogate partners Brian Gibney and Michelle Renee on the art of Surrogate Partner Therapy. Brian and Michelle Renee share with Dr. Lee how Surrogate Partner Therapy is an effective treatment for obstacles with emotional and physical intimacy, and they explain how it is legal. Brian and Michelle Renee discuss how they glide clients through the resolution of a variety of issues, including histories of trauma or abuse, social anxiety, poor body image, sensual awareness, orgasmic blocks, genital pain, disability, rediscovery of their bodies during/after transition, and late-life virginity in a safe, non-judgmental environment. They also discuss the rewarding and challenging aspects of their work. Dr. Lee and Michelle Renee share their personal experience working together using Sex Therapy and Surrogate Partner Therapy. Brian has worn many hats in his life: scientific researcher, educator, professional artist, and circus performer. His diverse life experiences have exposed him to a wide variety of people and lifestyles and helped him appreciate the common threads that bind us all together. As a surrogate partner and intimacy coach, Brian seeks to use his knowledge to help people overcome obstacles to physical and emotional intimacy. Applying techniques pioneered by Masters and Johnson, he uses an integrative approach to help others find balance in their intellectual, emotional, and physical selves. With the help of a therapist, His practice is rooted in patience, authenticity, vulnerability, touch…and sometimes a little bit of humor. Brian received his BA in Molecular Biology from Kenyon College in 1999 and his master’s in microbiology from the University of Massachusetts in 2006. He received his training in surrogate partner therapy from IPSA (International Professional Surrogates Association) in 2016. Brian is co-founder of the Surrogate Partner Collective and is currently serving as chair of AASECT’s Somatic Sexuality Professionals special interest group. In addition to working with clients, Brian is a passionate advocate for surrogate partner therapy and regularly lectures at private practices, universities, workshops, and professional conferences. Michelle Renee (she/her), based in both Baltimore, Maryland and San Diego, California, offers human connection and intimacy coaching ranging from platonic nurturing touch to surrogate partner therapy. Through her training with Cuddlist and Cuddle Party, Michelle gained a wealth of consent, communication, and boundary education and experience. In 2018 she expanded her offerings to include surrogate partner therapy, training with Integrative Mind Body Therapies (IMBT). Michelle is a supporting member of AASECT and a co-founder of Embrace, a professional resource group for surrogate partners and collaborating clinicians.

Dr. Lee interviews Gigi Robinson, a GenZ thought leader and mental health advocate. Gigi is a thought leader in the creator economy, explicitly focusing on authentic partnerships. She is known for her podcast on Spotify called, Everything You Need Is Within and she has been featured in 60 plus podcasts. Gigi is pursuing a Master of Science degree in innovation, design, business, and technology from the University of Southern California. She has created content for many companies including Spotify, Best Buy, and Instagram. In addition, she is a guest speaker at universities including USC, UCLA, and many more. Gigi has been on speaking panels for Yahoo, Meta, Reuters Pharma, and USC. Gigi shares with Dr. Lee how her Ehlers Danlos Syndrome journey allowed her to be a voice and advocate for others. Gigi discusses her challenges with the medical community and offers tips when dating with a chronic illness.

Sex and Chronic Illness is back for Season 2! Tune in for shame-free conversations about chronic illness, disability, and intimacy. Through discussions with educators, couples, and experts, Dr. Lee explores strategies for overcoming the sexual challenges caused by illness and disability.

Dr. Lee interviews Rachael Rose (she/her), a chronically disabled, bisexual, neurodivergent, and polyamorous Certified Sex & Relationship Coach and Educator. Her work focuses on an inclusive, sex-positive, and pleasure-focused approach to sex education and sexual health for all, and she specializes in the ways chronic illness, disabilities, and ADHD impact sex and relationships. She’s presented about sexuality topics both in the US and internationally and she has been featured in media such as Teen Vogue, Bustle, and Sexual Health Magazine. Rachael is also the creator of the award-winning sexuality blog Hendonish.com and is the co-founder of Glittergasm Events, an event company that hosts inclusive and accessible sex-positive play parties for the LGBTQ+ community. Rachael is also an advocate for disability rights and accessibility, and her work on fragrance accessibility has been featured in UCLA’s Accessible spaces Toolkit. She’s volunteered her time to help multiple conferences and events create and fine-tune their accessibility policies to be more inclusive of the 30% of the population who live with fragrance sensitivities. Dr. Lee and Rachael dive into an overview of what Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis is and how there is a lot of emotional labor that comes from educating people about disabilities, including the advocacy for accessibility. Rachael shares her experience on how she became a sex and relationship coach. Dr. Lee and Rachael also discuss how being disabled has affected her approach sexually- emotionally, physically, and mentally. Rachael shares with the audience her approach to advocating for sexual health with new doctors.

Dr. Lee interviews Bianca I. Laureano, an award-winning educator and sexologist. She is a founding member of the Women of Color Sexual Health Network (WOCSHN) and her most recent project is ANTE UP! a virtual freedom school offering professional development and certification. She has written several curricula and is the lead writer for the Netflix film Crip Camp’s curriculum rooted in Disability Justice principles. She is an AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator and Supervisor, and in May 2020 was awarded an honorary doctorate from the California Institute Studies for her work in expanding the US sexuality field. Dr. Lee and Bianca discuss the importance of disability justice, noting that it is a framework needed in moving away from the medical model and how it is rooted in the individual experience. Bianca shares the unique knowledge that disabled people have that non-disabled people can learn and ways to incorporate disability justice in our lives daily. Dr. Lee and Bianca also discuss the value of community and self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Lee interviews Gina Sangster on the topic of shame and sexuality concerning chronic illness and pain. Gina is a DC native who holds an MFA from Columbia University and an MSW from Catholic University. She has also received additional training through the Mid-Atlantic Group Psychotherapy Society and the Washington School of Psychiatry. She is a published author of poetry and personal essays and works as a psychotherapist and supervisor with the Capitol Hill Consortium for Counseling and Consultation. Gina enjoys individual, couples, and group therapy as well as providing individual and group supervision and consultation. Gina likes to approach therapy as an engaging and interactive dialogue using a combination of psychodynamic, family systems, and solution-focused techniques. Gina discusses her personal journey with being diagnosed with scoliosis (curvature of the spine) at the age of 11 and the shame she experienced while growing up with the condition. Dr. Lee and Gina dive deep into how childhood, familial, and cultural messages can leave an indelible imprint and have an impact throughout our lives. Gina shares with the listeners some of the formative experiences she had in terms of body image, physical well-being that she is still aware of today. Dr. Lee and Gina share some of the issues they tend to see among clients in terms of coping with illness, physical limitations, and body image issues of concern.

Dr. Lee interviews Katherine Zitterbart, aka KayteeZee on her non-dual approach to BDSM and how BDSM has helped in managing her chronic pain/ illness. Kaytee is a no-touch facilitator of practices that helps to cultivate compassion, personal power, and balanced relationships. She is sex-positive, which means she believes that all expressions of human sexuality that do not harm the people involved and occur in a context of consent are valid and worthy. For over 25 years, she has guided somatic practices, such as yoga and emotional alchemy, which help folks feel better in their bodies. As a designer of workshops and immersions, Kaytee draws on decades of experience and training in myriad communication skills. Some of the areas in which Kaytee has expertise are yoga/somatics, BDSM, consensual non-monogamy, living with chronic pain and illness, power exchange, body acceptance/positivity, and creating non-ordinary states on consciousness without substances. She shares with Dr. Lee her personal journey with breast cancer and how she has not LOST her sexuality, it has simply changed and the lesson that cancer currently shows her.

Dr. Lee interviews Erika Miley on the power of acceptance. Erika is mental and sexual health therapist, podcaster, PhD candidate and your resident sex nerd. She wants to challenge the shame monster in your head. Dr. Lee and Erika discuss the process of acceptance of chronic illness and pain and how changing our flexibility in our thinking can improve our experiences in sex and the rest of our lives. Dr. Lee and Erika have a candid conversation on how people who deal with a chronic illness begin the acceptance process and how acceptance impacts sex. Erika shares her personal acceptance journey of having a heart condition, in addition to dealing with chronic pain due to being athlete.

Dr. Phillips introduces himself to the listeners and shares his personal battle with Lyme disease and how he became an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist.  He shares with the listeners the purpose of his podcast, and this episode he also discusses the stages of chronic illness and how this will be talked about on future podcast shows with various guests.