Pleasure and Intimacy
What is Sexual Pleasure and Intimacy?
Sexual pleasure is physical, emotional, and/or spiritual satisfaction from sexual experiences including dreams, thoughts, and autoeroticism.
Intimacy is a strong feeling of closeness, connection, and bonding.
These experiences can be with another individual, other individuals, or yourself.
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Some common types of activities that can provide sexual pleasure and intimacy are:
Masturbating alone or with others
Oral, vaginal, and anal sex
Kissing
Rubbing your bodies together
Massage
Using sex toys
“Sexting” or phone sex
Reading or watching porn
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Remember
What feels good to you sexually might not feel good for someone else.
Everyone is different when it comes to sexual preferences and desires.
It is importance to communicate what you like or don’t like and listen to what your partner likes and doesn’t like .
This can help you understand what’s okay and what’s off limits.
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Learn Your Body
There is no “right way” to experience sexual pleasure. Finding out what you like might take time, so practicing patience with yourself is important.
You can practice self-pleasure, aka masturbation, to get an understanding of how your body works.
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Communication is Key!
Pleasurable sex is based on communication!
It is important to trust and respect the person/people you are in intimate relationships with. This is the foundation for comfortable, intimate, and pleasurable sex.
What does open communication look like?
“I like when you touch me….”
“ Do you want me to….”
“I really enjoy when we….”
“How do you feel if we try….”
“ I am not interesting in doing….”
“I feel uncomfortable when you touch me on my….”
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You may find it difficult to communicate what you like and what you don’t like at first- and that is OK!
You may have sensory differences, and might not enjoy touching yourself or only like when your partner(s) touch you a certain way.
That is nothing to be ashamed of!
Communicate with your partner how you feel and what you like.
Talking about it helps you have comfortable and pleasurable interactions with your partner.
Keep practicing and it will get easier.
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Talk About It
Sexual pleasure comes from understanding how your body works and what feels good to you and others. As long as you and your partner(s) consent, you can be as sexually adventurous as you want!
You have the right to be a knower of your own sexual experiences!
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