Celeste Hirschman: Sex & Relationship Coach On Somatica, The Power Of Women Owning Their Sexuality, Sex Positivity & Feminism

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This powerful woman was born in San Francisco, California, and was a highly sexual child who grew up being interested in sex and sexuality. She ended up geeking out about sexuality more when she majored in Women's Studies at UC Santa Cruz in college, and went on to get her masters in Human Sexuality and become a certified sexological bodyworker. Today, Celeste works as a successful sex and relationship coach and is the Co-CEO of Celeste and Danielle. Celeste and Danielle created the Somatica Institute, a six-month training program that "prepares you to become a Sex and Relationship Coach and offers you a profound journey into your own personal growth and transformation in the realm of relationships." Celeste helps women and men gain more confidence, get clearer about their desires and give themselves permission to ask for what they want, and practice receiving pleasure.

In this interview, Celeste talks about how she uses what she learned in Women's Studies around gender socialization in the work she does today with individuals, couples, and with her Somatica students. The connection between the repression of sexuality and emotions and gender socialization is an important part of Somatica. Celeste talks about how the biggest barrier for women in relation to intimacy is repression of sexuality, and how slut shaming and the idea that women aren't supposed to be sexual contribute to this barrier. For men, the biggest barrier to intimacy is repression of emotions. In order for women to relcaim and own their sexuality and for men to connect to their emotions, being in and connecting to their body is the first step. Somatica teaches you how to be in your body more, and how being in your body will help you become more clear about what you want and need in all areas of your life. When women come back to their bodies, they come back to their power.

In addition, Celeste talks about how sex positivity is defined, how it's essential to our well being, and why it's important for us to think of sex as "part of what makes it worth while to be alive." In relation to sex positivity, we discuss women with high sex drives, and how women aren't used to being rejected by their male partners for sex and how they can be with that rejection. Sex positivity validates our sexual fantasies, which we explore more pointing out how fantasizing about oppression can be a safe space to heal and a way to gain power in areas where you feel powerless in society. I ask Celeste about this idea she brought up around the work ethic vs the pleasure ethic, and how we'd actually get a lot more done in society if we were more focused on pleasure.

Lastly, Celeste shares about her own ever-evolving journey with non-monogamy, and how non-monogamy relates to feminism. She expresses the desire to "have an ethic of relationship where people's freedom of choice and selfhood are supported."

I hope this interview will inspire you to connect to your body, reclaim your sexuality and power, get clearer about what you want and what pleasures you want to receive!

Where To Find Celeste:

Celeste and Danielle Website, Somatica Institute Website, Celeste and Danielle on Twitter and Facebook.

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