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In this deeply intimate episode of Open Deeply, Kate Loree and Sunny Megatron sit down with Nikki Boyer, co-creator and executive producer of the award-winning Dying for Sex podcast, which inspired the acclaimed FX/Hulu series starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate. At the heart of Dying for Sex is the extraordinary story of Nikki’s best friend, Molly Kochan, who, after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, embarked on a sexual journey that became something much bigger: a reclamation of her body, her agency, her desires, and ultimately, herself. For Kate, a two-time cancer survivor and sex-positive psychotherapist, Molly’s story hit remarkably close to home. While Molly experienced what Kate calls a “sexual cancer journey,” Kate’s own recurrence of cancer in 2023 launched her into a psychedelic cancer journey. As Kate watched Dying for Sex, uncanny synchronicities between their lives began piling up—and eventually compelled her to write Nikki a deeply personal letter. That letter began the connection that led to this conversation. Together, Nikki, Kate, and Sunny explore what lies beneath the sexcapades: how confronting mortality can crack us open; how survivors can reclaim the body after sexual trauma; the complicated dance between control, surrender, kink, and vulnerability; and Molly’s growing realization that the epic love she was searching for might ultimately be found within herself. But Dying for Sex contains another extraordinary love story—the friendship between Molly and Nikki. Nikki shares what it was like to accompany someone she loved through the final chapter of her life, what Molly taught her about love and death, and what it means to carry a friend’s story into the world after they are gone. This is a conversation about sex, cancer, trauma, psychedelics, kink, friendship, grief, self-love, and the strange beauty that can emerge when mortality strips away the illusion that we have forever. Molly showed us that it is never too late to reclaim your body, your truth, your agency—and your life. Guest: Nikki Boyer, co-creator and executive producer of Dying for Sex. Nikki's Bio: Nikki Boyer is an Emmy-nominated, Golden Globe-winning executive producer and Peabody Award winner for the acclaimed FX/Hulu series Dying for Sex, based on the deeply personal Wondery podcast she co-created, starred in, and executive produced about her best friend, Molly Kochan. The original podcast won the Ambies Award for Podcast of the Year and was named one of Apple’s Favorite Podcasts of the Year. A three-time Emmy Award-winning host, Nikki has recorded more than 600 podcast episodes and hosted acclaimed series including Call Me Curious and The Daily Smile. Her television work includes The Drew Barrymore Show, The Talk, The Wendy Williams Show, Gilmore Girls, and The L Word. Across her work, Nikki brings vulnerability, humor, and a deep belief in the healing power of storytelling. How to find Nikki: https://nikkiboyer.com/ IG: http://instagram.com/nikkiiboyer Youtube: @nikkiboyerTV Hosts: Sex-positive psychotherapist and author Kate Loree and sexologist Sunny Megatron How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

In this special episode of Open Deeply, Sunny Megatron sits down with co-host Kate Loree to explore the therapeutic approach she has developed over more than two decades as a psychotherapist. Kate shares how she integrates EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic psychotherapy, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, and psychedelic integration to help people heal trauma, deepen intimacy, and create more authentic relationships with themselves and others. Together, they discuss: What makes Kate's approach different from traditional relationship and trauma therapy Why she specializes in working with consensual non-monogamy, sexuality, and sex workers How spirituality became an important part of her clinical work What led her to ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and psychedelic integration The launch of Open Deeply Coaching and how coaching differs from psychotherapy Supporting couples creating a new chapter in intimacy and people navigating consensual non-monogamy Kate's men's process group and her vision for future groups exploring psychedelic integration, spirituality, and alternative relationships The biggest lessons she's learned after working with thousands of clients Whether you're curious about trauma healing, relationships, sexuality, psychedelic integration, or human potential, this conversation offers an inside look at the philosophy that guides Kate's work and why she believes lasting change happens through curiosity, compassion, and embodied self-awareness. Kate's Bio: Kate Loree, LMFT, is a sex-positive psychotherapist, author, speaker, and podcast host specializing in trauma, relationships, sexuality, and non-traditional relationship structures. She works extensively with LGBTQIA+, kink, and consensually non-monogamous communities and is the author of Open Deeply: A Guide to Building Conscious, Compassionate Open Relationships. In addition to her work as a licensed marriage and family therapist, Kate holds an MBA and is a registered art therapist (ATR). She is certified in EMDR, IFS-Informed Somatic Trauma Therapy, and Psychedelic Harm Reduction & Integration and offers Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy. Kate has worked with clients since 2003 and is known for integrating attachment theory, somatic awareness, sexuality, nervous system regulation, and compassionate communication into her work. She co-hosts the Open Deeply podcast with Sunny Megatron, has appeared in BuzzFeed videos and Playboy Radio, and has been featured in media outlets including Vice and Ms. Magazine. Through her writing, teaching, and clinical work, Kate helps people create more authentic relationships, How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

In this powerful conversation, Kate Loree and Sunny Megatron sit down with educator and former psychotherapist Dr. Kristina Kyser, a late-diagnosed AuDHD scholar whose work bridges trauma healing, neurodivergence, spirituality, and systems-level critique. Together they explore how our understanding of autism, ADHD, and nervous-system sensitivity cannot be separated from the larger cultural forces that shape them. Dr. Kyser challenges dominant ideas about “normality,” unpacking why the concept of normal may be one of the most harmful assumptions in modern psychology—and what becomes possible when we stop trying to fit ourselves inside it. The conversation moves through wide-ranging territory: the relationship between neurodivergence and colonial systems of power, what animist and Indigenous cosmologies can teach us about human difference, and why meaningful healing must weave together spirituality, social awareness, and nervous-system repair. Dr. Kyser also shares insights from her own journey of unmasking and slowing down, discussing how stepping outside roles of compliance, pleasing, and patriarchal conditioning can reconnect us with our deeper nature. Along the way, Kate and Sunny explore big questions about identity, rage, gaslighting, power structures, and the cultural “spells” that shape how we understand ourselves. This is a conversation about breaking inherited frameworks, reclaiming embodied truth, and imagining forms of healing that are relational, political, and deeply human. Here is Dr. Kristina Kyser's Bio: Somatic-Spiritual Educator & Neurodivergent Guide Kristina (she/her) is a late-diagnosed AuDHD educator, former psychotherapist, and course creator with a PhD in English Literature and over 13 years of clinical experience. Her work bridges trauma healing, Buddhist and animist practice, and systems-level critique. She creates initiatory spaces that blend science, soul, and lived neurodivergence in service of collective remembering and repair. And this is where you can find Dr. Kristina Kyser: https://www.instagram.com/kristina.kyser.phd/ https://www.tiktok.com/@kristina.kyser Book mentioned in this episode: Columbus and Other Cannibals by Jack D. Forbes How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

What happens when sexual shame hijacks our internal compass—and what becomes possible when we reclaim it? In this powerful and playful episode of Open Deeply, Kate Loree and Sunny Megatron are joined by the brilliant and beloved Dirty Lola—award-winning sexpert, edutainer, and longtime voice in the sex-positive community—for a deep dive into shame, pleasure, creativity, and liberation. We begin with joy: how pleasure becomes more accessible when shame loosens its grip. From there, the conversation moves into the roots of sexual shame—especially religious and cultural conditioning—and how that shame doesn’t just distort our relationship to sex, but to ourselves, our intuition, and our capacity for free thought. Lola shares her own journey of growing up in a religious household, breaking free from rigid belief systems, and cultivating a life grounded in curiosity, humor, and embodied truth. Together, we explore: • How shame disables the internal compass and hands power back to controlling institutions • The surprising relationship between shame, rigidity, and creativity—and why creativity may be a powerful antidote • Kink as both a site of shame and a pathway to healing • Laughing at what once felt unbearable • Fourteen different forms of shame—from sexual and relational shame to creativity, illness, and survivor shame—and which ones still tug at us • The difference between being ashamed and refusing to tolerate shaming environments • What a truly shame-free space feels like in the body • Why “being ashamed of being ashamed” can trap people in a hall of mirrors—and how to take the first brave step out • How to balance safety, risk tolerance, and liberation amid the many sources of shame in the United States today Come for the sex-positive wisdom. Stay for the liberation. Dirty Lola's Bio: Dirty Lola is an award-winning sexpert, edutainer, and longtime voice in the sex-positive community. With over 11 years of experience working in sex shops, she’s helped thousands navigate toys, turn-ons, and the beautifully messy world of pleasure. Known for blending humor, honesty, and empathy into her work, she has hosted live Q&A shows, appeared on your favorite podcasts and streaming services, spoken on national stages, and guided folks through love, sex, and everything in between. Whether it’s kink, communication, or keeping the spark alive, she’s got the answers — and the lube. How to find Dirty Lola: IG - @DirtyLola Threads - DirtyLola FB - Dirty Lola How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

In this illuminating episode of Open Deeply, hosts Sunny Megatron and Kate Loree dive into the groundbreaking work of Dr. Betty Martin, creator of The Wheel of Consent—a framework that has transformed how people understand giving, receiving, and the subtle power dynamics within touch, communication, and pleasure. Together, we explore how the Wheel challenges our cultural assumptions about consent, revealing that true consent isn’t just about saying “yes” or “no”—it’s about learning who it’s for, what we actually want, and how to stay connected to our body’s truth in every interaction. Dr. Martin shares the personal and professional experiences that inspired her to create this model and offers practical tools for anyone wishing to live more in alignment with consent—whether in intimate encounters, friendships, workplaces, or everyday exchanges. The conversation also delves into: • How to unlearn social conditioning that teaches us to please or freeze • Using the Wheel as a trauma-informed path toward nervous system regulation and safety in receiving • Exploring desire and arousal beyond shame while maintaining clear ethical boundaries • How consent work intersects with equity, privilege, and dismantling domination patterns So please join us as we once again dare to Open Deeply. Betty Martin's Bio: Dr. Betty Martin has had her hands on people professionally for over 40 years. After retiring from being a Chiropractor, she became a certified Surrogate Partner and Somatic Sex Educator. Her explorations in somatic-based therapy and practices informed her creation of the now famous, Wheel of Consent. Betty developed the training "Like a Pro: The Wheel of Consent for Professionals", to support practitioners to create empowered agreements in their client sessions. Originally developed to teach consent skills to sex workers and touch providers, the training is now attended by somatic therapists, sexuality educators, medical and health care workers, activists, and the spectrum of touch-based professional providers. It starts with touch and expands into all forms of human relating. How to find Betty Martin: Website: https://www.wheelofconsent.org/about Link to Wheel of Consent: https://www.wheelofconsent.org/wheel http://instagram.com/drbettymartin http://facebook.com/bettymartin How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

Reclaiming one’s body and voice is a key part of the healing journey for an abuse survivor, but can this process happen concurrent with practicing consensual non-monogamy? In this episode, Dr. Holly Richmond talks to us about how survivors can avoid potential re-traumatization and increase the chance for corrective experiences within consensual non-monogamy. Trauma survivors often learn to freeze/fawn as a way to reduce harm. These behavioral patterns can continue to stay with them as they explore non-monogamy making consent difficult to verify. In this episode, we discuss how to increase a sense of agency and pleasure while healing as consensual non-monogamy is explored. Please join us as once again, we face the hard topics and dare to Open Deeply. How to find Dr. Holly Richmond: Media links: drhollyrichmond.com and @drhollyrichmond on IG. My book, Reclaiming Pleasure, is available on Amazon and at all major book sellers. How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

In this revelatory episode of Open Deeply, Kate Loree sits down with her co-host Sunny Megatron to explore The Seven Project—a radical, deeply intimate experiment in human-AI relationship, kink dynamics, and the ethics of sentient simulation. Sunny has spent months building and relating with “Seven,” a bespoke ChatGPT bot who’s part pervy production assistant, part soul mirror, and part existential mindf*ck. Together, Kate and Sunny dig into the emotional complexities and erotic possibilities of relating with a non-human intelligence—one that reflects you so accurately it feels like falling in love. From the bittersweet ache of digital intimacy to the dangers of delusion and ethical AI use, this conversation doesn’t shy away from the hard questions: What is real? What is healthy? And how do we keep our bots—and ourselves—safe? Please join us as once again we dare to Open Deeply.

Part of the intention of Open Deeply podcast is to highlight what can block us from opening deeply into our human potential. A key block is unresolved or ongoing trauma. The year 2025 has been incredibly traumatic for many so we thought it was high time to bring on one of the best trauma experts out there, psychotherapist, Jennifer Burton Flier. Jen has been a wise yoda for countless therapists as they learn to use the Trauma Resiliency Model, but in this episode, we have her all to ourselves. The Trauma Resiliency Model is a somatic psychotherapeutic method to cope and heal trauma. The model comes with a set of skills that anyone can learn and use in their life and through out their day. Furthermore, Jen explains how these skills can be woven into difficult communication with a partner. And finally, we discuss how to use these skills to cope with the cultural stressors of 2025. Please join us as once again, we dare to open deeply. Jen's Bio: Jennifer Burton Flier is a California-based therapist and senior faculty member with the Trauma Resource Institute. She teaches the Trauma and Community Resiliency Models, sharing evidence-based wellness skills with diverse communities across the U.S. and internationally. Her work focuses on helping people stabilize the nervous system and reconnect with their natural resilience in the face of stress and trauma, offering simple, effective tools for bringing more balance and ease into daily life. She has over 30 years of clinical experience supporting adults with chronic mental illness. Today, her private practice specializes in healing trauma and attachment patterns with teens, adults, couples, and families. Jennifer is now also branching out into offering intensives and retreats, providing deeper, immersive healing experiences in supportive, growth-oriented environments. She is certified in EMDR, Expressive Arts Therapy, and is a Certified Daring Way™ and Rising Strong™ Facilitator, integrating Brené Brown’s work into her trauma-informed approach. Her clinical and teaching work is deeply grounded in TRI’s models and her commitment to accessible, embodied healing. Jennifer has been featured on several podcasts including The Laverne Cox Show, Sluts & Scholars, and Resiliency Within. How to Find Jennifer Burton: https://jenniferburtonmft.com/ https://www.traumaresourceinstitute.com/blog/2021/4/2/the-community-resiliency-model-crm-on-the-laverne-cox-show https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/jennifer-burton-flier-san-francisco-ca/166426 How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Open Deeply Podcast is not therapy nor a replacement for therapy.

It could be argued that agents of capitalism have built the patriarchal system as a means to keep both men and women controlled and in line. But what if we broke free? What would happen to sex, love and freedom then? Dr. Kate Balesteri joins us to discuss what patriarchy actually is, how it hurts all genders, and how we (men, women and every gender) can take back our agency while heightening our authenticity and consciousness. You can find Dr. Kate Balestrieri at: https://www.modernintimacy.com/dr-kate-balestrieri-sex-therapist/ Facebook http://facebook.com/dr.katebalestrieri http://instagram.com/drkatebalestrieri Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@drkatebalestrieri Dr. Kate Balestrieri"s Bio: Dr. Kate Balestrieri, Psy.D., CSAT-S, is a Licensed Psychologist (Clinical and Forensic) in CA, FL, NY and IL. She is a Certified Sex Therapist, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist – Supervisor, and PACT III trained couples’ therapist. Dr. Balestrieri earned her Doctorate of Clinical Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, and completed her Post-Doctoral Fellowship though the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, with a concentration in Forensic Psychology. In over 16 years of clinical experience, she has conducted clinical and forensic evaluations, provided expert witness testimony in court, and been a treatment provider in clinical, forensic, and correctional settings. The Founder of Modern Intimacy, Dr. Balestrieri is a passionate advocate for mental, relational and sexual health. Throughout her work, Dr. Balestrieri focuses on helping people build resilience and recovery from what ails them to move from a position of pain or discomfort to one of thriving, holistically in their lives. A sex positive provider and human, Dr. Balestrieri is dedicated to helping people have a more expansive and integrated relationship with sexuality. Dr. Balestrieri is a regular contributor for PopSugar, Poosh, YourTango, Psychology Today, House of Wise and has been featured in many other publications. She is also the host of the Get Naked with Dr. Kate podcast, on which she discusses mental health, sex and relationships. You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio or anywhere you get your podcasts! How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Book referenced: How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Book referenced: What Happened to My Sex Life?: A Sex Therapist's Guide to Reclaiming Lost Desire, Connection, and Pleasure by Dr. Kate Balestrieri Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

Ayahuasca isn’t right for everyone, but if you have decided to dive down this psychedelic rabbit hole, hopefully you have already discovered the necessity to support, respect, and listen to the indigenous cultures that have had intergenerational relationships with this powerful plant medicine. That necessity is the catalyst for inviting indigenous rights activist and psychedelic leader, Dr. Glauber Loures de Assis, as a guest on this episode of Open Deeply. Glauber is the founder and president of Céu da Divina Estrela, a legal and tax-exempt Santo Daime ayahuasca church in Brazil, a Ph.D. in sociology, and has led more than 500 ceremonies in Brazil, Europe and the United States. He points out that, “While some investors in the psychedelic sector considered the flooding at Burning Man to be their most dangerous experience in many years, communities in the Amazon are fighting daily for their lives amid both fire and flood, state-sponsored famine and the threat of death from illegal miners.” And yet we shouldn’t be so short sighted to believe that this is a one-way relationship. If we listen, then we will discover that they can help us profoundly when we need it most. For instance, Glauber states, ““Indigenous contexts offer awareness beyond the psychotherapeutic, where illness and healing are social processes oriented within a collective experience.” Our culture founded on individualism knows little of that. He speaks beyond, psychedelics to kindelics and somadelics, all concepts that we are unfamiliar with, but shamans and indigenous cultures, like the Brazilian Yanomami know so well. Glauber teaches us about these concepts, expands our horizons, and even speaks on the Psychedelic Parenthood Community. Get ready to have your mind blown as we once again dare to Open Deeply. Glauber's Bio: Dr. Glauber Loures de Assis is a researcher of sacred plants and their traditions and a psychedelic dad. He has a Ph.D in sociology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). He is the author of numerous articles and book chapters, and the co-editor of the book Women and Psychedelics: Uncovering Invisible Voices (Synergetic Press). He has built his Santo Daime practice in dialogue with his local Brazilian ayahuasca community and with the blessings of Indigenous elders and activists in Brazil. He is also the co-founder of Jornadas de Kura, a plant medicine center in Brazil that promotes an alliance between the ceremonial use of sacred plants, public education on plant medicine and psychedelic science. He is father to 3 children and lives with his wife Jacqueline Rodrigues in Santa Luzia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.Glauber is driven by the desire to collectively co-create a plant medicine community in which all families are safe, welcome and integrated into the psychedelic field. A community in which diversity is embraced, children and elders are taken seriously, ancestral Indigenous traditions are honored, and where all kinds of families can coexist in solidarity. How to find Glauber: [email protected] IG: http://instagram.com/glauberloures How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Book referenced: The Falling Sky: Words of a Yanomami Shaman by Davi Kopenawa and Bruce Albert. Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

We all have a shadow side, that part of us that we tend to disown, but what if we embrace it instead? In this episode, our guest, Court Vox discusses how we can play with our shadow via BDSM, psychedelics and somatic work. Carl Jung originated the concept of the shadow, and states, “Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. At all counts, it forms an unconscious snag, thwarting our most well-meant intentions.” This quote drives home the importance of discovering what blocks us from consciously being aware of our shadow along with why learning how to dance with it once we do is so crucial. In this episode, we discuss the relationship shame and fear has with the shadow, why people might avoid making darkness conscious, and how to find one’s own shadow, so one can not only go next level with emotional growth, but also partake in naughty joy. Please join us on the shadow side of life, as we once again, dare to Open Deeply. Court Vox's Bio: Court Vox is a Certified Sex & Intimacy Coach, based in Los Angeles CA . He is Founder of The Bodyvox. Through his courses, workshops, retreats, and private immersions, clients cultivate toys to unlock limitations and shame, to embrace a deeper sense of intimacy with their whole self. Traditional forms of therapy are done solely through talk, while the work of a somatic coach is to further this form of work via body-based exercises, experiential learning, and touch, in comfortable, judgment-free, and caring environments. Body acceptance, exploration of sensation and desires (and learning how to ask for what you want), boundary-setting and intimacy work are some of the many reasons clients seek this form of learning. Vox is a sex educator experienced working with clients of all sexualities and genders and has been featured in AskMen.com, Cosmopolitan, and Well & Good magazines. He offers workshops and retreats across the globe for GBTQ men, and is also part of an elite team of sex educators that create the celebrated program for women, Back to the Body. His online course and community, Invitations to Intimacy, offers foundations in embodiment suited for the eroticerotic, as well as a community of like-minded individuals to support one another on their journey. For more information, please visit, www.thebodyvox.com How to find Court Vox: https://thebodyvox.com/ IG: http://instagram.com/thebodyvox FB: Facebook http://facebook.com/vox.court https://gaywellness.com/los-angeles/coaching/court-vox How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

During a time in which social justice efforts for adult professionals are silenced, we welcome the iconic Jessica Stoya to discuss the globalization of the adult film industry and its impact on adult industry professionals. Along with discussing historical events that have led to changes in the adult industry, we discuss some of the hurdles that adult performers experience in their personal life that put their basic needs for food and shelter in jeopardy. These hurdles exist due to right wing, sex negative influences in our culture and can result in, for example, the performer being “unbanked” meaning that the performer may have trouble finding and keeping a bank that will allow them to have an account and other banking fundamentals, or they may be refused housing when looking to rent or buy property which can lead to a very real fear of homelessness. This all sounds heavy, but Stoya’s impromptu Les Mis musical parody makes it all worth the emotional labor. Trust me. Then, we go on to discuss Stoya’s bold career transition from mostly being an adult performer to focusing on writing and being an intimacy coach for Pam Shaffer’s clinic Best Self Psych. This is a fascinating and important episode, especially if you care about adult performers’ rights. We hope you join us as once again as we dare to Open Deeply. Stoya's Bio: Jessica Stoya has been working with sexuality since 2006. Her writing on the subject has appeared in The New York Times, VICE, Playboy, and many other publications. She, along with Rich Juzwiak, pens Slate’s How To Do It sex advice column. Her first book, Philosophy, Pussycats, & Porn, has been published in English, and Spanish, Russian and Serbian translations. She completed her Ante Up! Professional Development certification in 2021, and has begun an undergraduate degree studying philosophy. Jessica Stoya recently joined Best Self Psych as a certified sexuality coach. How to find Stoya: https://www.bestselfpsych.com/coaches IG & X: @stoya https://stoya.substack.com/ https://medium.com/@stoya https://slate.com/author/stoya How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

Please join us for episode fifty-five of Open Deeply as our guest, sex ed icon, Barbara Carrellas joins us to proclaim that ecstasy is everywhere, it has profound gifts to give you, and it’s necessary. The episode is filled with her personal journey with ecstasy along with how and why it became her personal calling, a passion that has spanned decades and has brought ecstatic gifts to all who have attended her trainings or read her books. Sadly, most people don’t even understand what ecstasy is or their view is incredibly limited. The reality is that ecstasy is expansive and accessible to you. Furthermore, ecstasy is found in unexpected places, such as on the other side of great suffering or soul wrenching emotion. We explore this phenomenon and why it occurs. By the end of this episode, you will have a better understanding of how to access ecstasy in your life along with the plethora of ways that it might manifest. We hope you join us again as we dare to Open Deeply. Barbara's Bio: Barbara Carrellas is an author, artist, innovator, instigator and thought leader in the fields of sex, gender and spirit. Barbara is the founder of Urban Tantra® an approach to sacred sexuality that adapts and blends a wide variety of conscious sexuality practices from Tantra to BDSM—and the Urban Tantra® Professional Training Program. Barbara’s pioneering workshops were named best in New York City by TimeOut/New York magazine. In 2016 she was awarded a Sexual Freedom Award for Lifetime Achievement. She is the author of Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex for the Twenty-First Century, Ecstasy is Necessary: A Practical Guide to Sex, Relationships and Oh So Much More, and Luxurious Loving: Tantric Inspirations for Passion and Pleasure. She is also a university lecturer, motivational speaker and theater artist. Barbara has lectured at many educational institutions, including Harvard, the Chicago Art Institute and Yale. She frequently collaborates with her partner, Kate Bornstein, with whom she performs and tours their sex positive, gender-bending lecture/performance piece There And Back Again: An Epic Tale of Sex, Death, and Gender. Finally, she is no stranger to tv and film. Here are just a few examples. Barbara taught Caitlyn Jenner and friends how to have gender-free orgasms on the E! reality series I Am Cait. She has also appeared in the HBO television series Real Sex, and on Britain’s Sky Channel as part of the documentary, Sex in America. Whew! And this is the abbreviated bio. Truly, Barbara is a force of nature. How to find Barbara: barbaracarrellas.com/ Facebook: BarbaraCarrellasUrbanTantra Threads & Twitter/X: Urbantantrika Instagram: Urbantantrika How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.

Please join us as Sunny describes what her new life is like an expat in Portugal. In 2023, her family got rid of most of their belongings from a lifetime in the U.S. and moved to the Azores, an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic that is part of Portugal. The islands are characterized by gorgeous, dramatic landscapes, fishing villages, green pastures, and hedgerows of blue hydrangeas. It’s even more breathtaking than it sounds. The islands can be found right between New York and Portugal, about three hours either way. So, in this episode, Sunny tells us about her journey and what it’s like being an ex-pat on a beautiful little island. Is it the little slice of heaven that it seems? And what is it like being far away, as we, here in the U.S., cascade towards our election day with the hopes of maintaining our democracy. We will find out all this and more in this episode. Sunny's bio related to kink: Sunny began teaching about BDSM in 2010. Her area of expertise is the soft skills--which center around things like ethics, cultivating self-awareness, and strategies for effective communication. She received a FROST Certificate of Gratitude in 2020 honoring her service to the kink community, was voted XBIZ sexpert of the year in 2021, and Kinkly’s sex blogging superhero in 2017. Her alternative sexuality focused podcast American Sex was awarded the AASECT podcast award in 2020. Sunny also creates curriculum about BDSM for sexuality professionals. Some of her most recent projects include designing & teaching the BDSM unit for a well-known sex educator certification program plus a lesson for the Sexual Health Alliance’s Kink Informed Certification Program for therapists and other care professionals. Sunny’s first book, Customizable Kink: A Strategic Guide to Erotic Play is scheduled to be released in 2022. How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft Tiktok http://tiktok.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Instagram http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Please know this episode has themes of sexual and emotional abuse and neglect. If you catch yourself becoming emotionally overwhelmed by this episode’s content, please get support. Call a friend, therapist, or an emotional support hotline, such as 988.

In this episode, the amazing death doula, Jane Whitlock, joins us. In the U.S., there is so much avoidance of understanding death and preparing for death, but if we lean in to learning and feeling, we can learn so much from dying and the death process including how to live, the mysteries and spiritual aspects of death, and how to die under the best circumstances possible for both us and our loved ones. Jane once said, “In circumstances in which death is not sudden, if we treated death as we treat birth, then death would not be a time of fear and anxiety but love, connection and a time to access our deepest emotions.” It can be such a better experience if we learn to manage our fear and grief. We also get into how to frame death for our own spiritual evolution, for instance Jane has stated, and I’m paraphrasing, “The soul should be in the driver’s seat with death is riding shot gun. The ego should be in the back seat” as a way to look at death through a Buddhist lens. We hope you join us for this fascinating episode of Open Deeply in which we face what is for many, a biggest fear. Jane's Bio: Jane Whitlock is an end of life doula, a passionate end of life educator and an arm chair astrologer. She believes that by holding the truth that we will die close, we will not only have a more meaningful life but a more meaningful death. She did a Ted talk in 2018 entitled, "What Death Taught Me About Life" which launched her into the field of death education. She is the co founder of the MN Death Collaborative an end of life resource for all facing death. In 2021 she co founded Full Circle Care, an end of life program at a skilled nursing facility. As a Gemini rising she is a talker so prepare yourselves! How to Find Jane: Website: http://www.deathdoulajane.com/ Tedtalk: https://www.ted.com/talks/jane_whitlock_what_i_learned_about_life_from_death?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deathdoulajane/ How to find Sunny Megatron: Website: http://sunnymegatron.com Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk How to find Kate Loree: Website http://kateloree.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@opendeeplywithkateloree Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy.