Sex, Pleasure & Pain: Exploring Sexual Well-Being w/ Dr. Shemeka Thorpe

Explicit content warning

02/11/22 • 45 min

EPISODE OVERVIEW: I interview Dr. Shemeka Thorpe, an award-winning sexuality educator and researcher at the University of Kentucky, to discuss all things sexual well-being. We talk about everything from sexual function and orgasms, to normalizing the use of lube prior to menopause and reasons your partner may not be initiating sex.This is the conversation that as women, we’ve all been waiting for, and Dr. Shemeka delivers a wealth of information (and it’s based on research) on how to explore and get more of, the big “P” - PLEASURE!
In this episode we talk about:

How to feel empowered to figure out what brings you pleasure and try new things
Dr. Shemeka’s research, which focuses on the sexual well-being of Black women – including pleasure, sexual function, desire, and more
Reasons why women fake orgasms
The 6 components of female sexual function
Causes of pain during sex, and why women don't mention it to partners or doctors
How Black women and men define pleasure (the results will blow your mind!)
The orgasm gap between Black women and their partners
Methods to have constructive conversations with your partner about your sexual needs and desires.

ABOUT THE GUEST: Dr. Shemeka Thorpe is an award-winning sexuality educator and researcher at the University of Kentucky. She obtained her PhD from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Community Health Education. Her research focuses on the sexual well-being of Black women using sex-positive and intimate justice frameworks. Dr. Thorpe strives to make research relevant for Black communities by integrating sex research and community health education.

How you can connect with Dr. Shemeka:

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Kimbritive - the sexual wellness home for Black women providing content, community, and expert care where we are seen, heard, and celebrated
Brittany Broaddus @theintimacyfirm
Goody Howard @AskGoody
Use Your Mouth Cards
Sexologist Shamyra - www.onthegreencouch.com
@Afrosexology_ or www.afrosexology.com

JOIN THE SISTA CIRCLE COMMUNITY

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How to feel empowered to figure out what brings you pleasure and try new things
Dr. Shemeka’s research, which focuses on the sexual well-being of Black women – including pleasure, sexual function, desire, and more
Reasons why women fake orgasms
The 6 components of female sexual function
Causes of pain during sex, and why women don't mention it to partners or doctors
How Black women and men define pleasure (the results will blow your mind!)
The orgasm gap between Black women and their partners
Methods to have constructive conversations with your partner about your sexual needs and desires.

How you can connect with Dr. Shemeka:

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Kimbritive - the sexual wellness home for Black women providing content, community, and expert care where we are seen, heard, and celebrated
Brittany Broaddus @theintimacyfirm
Goody Howard @AskGoody
Use Your Mouth Cards
Sexologist Shamyra - www.onthegreencouch.com
@Afrosexology_ or www.afrosexology.com

JOIN THE SISTA CIRCLE COMMUNITY

Subscribe to The Sista Circle Podcast:

Follow The Sista Circle Podcast:

Subscribe to The Sista Circle Podcast Mailing List HereBuy Me a Coffee (Support the Show): Here

Support the show

Previous Episode

How to Lose Weight and Feel Great: Demystifying Stress, Hormones, Diet & Exercise w/ Dr. Firlande Volcy

EPISODE OVERVIEW: I interview Dr. Firlande Volcy, a licensed naturopathic physician with more than 15 years of experience in natural medicine. She serves as a leading expert in her field, and specializes in weight management, digestive health, thyroid disorders, depression, and anxiety.

During our conversation Dr. Firlande breaks down all the things you need to know about how to lose weight - from the effects of stress on your hormones, when and what to eat to achieve maximum weight loss results, to exercise tips to optimize workouts and so much more! It was like talking to one of my favorite girlfriends who has an engaging way of breaking down complex concepts into consumable, bite-sized pieces. I walked away with so many “Ah-Ha” moments, and am sure you will do the same!

ABOUT THE GUEST: Dr. Firlande Volcy is a licensed naturopathic physician. Having more than 15 years of experience in natural medicine, she serves as a leading expert in her field. She specializes in weight management, digestive health, thyroid disorders, depression, and anxiety. She is a nationally recognized speaker, bestselling author, consultant and sought-after expert appearing frequently on the lecture stage, print, podcasts, and radio.

Dr. Firlande consistently educates her patients via her personalized concierge and telemedicine visits, weight loss coaching program, and her various online masterclasses.

She earned her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (SCNM), a four-year accredited Naturopathic Medical School in Tempe, AZ. She completed an additional year-long study in Classical Homeopathy at the American Medical College of Homeopathy (AMCH) in Phoenix, AZ.

She is dedicated to her patients. She is ready to help you with all your diverse health concerns. She is comprehensive in her care. She is the doctor who listens and gets to the root cause of your health issues.

How you can connect with Dr. Firlande:

Available on all social media platforms @DrFirlande

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Book: Courage to Lose
10 Ways to lose 10 lbs in 10 days Ebook PDF

JOIN THE SISTA CIRCLE COMMUNITY

Subscribe to The Sista Circle Podcast:

Follow The Sista Circle Podcast:

Subscribe to The Sista Circle Podcast Mailing List: HereBuy Me a Coffee (Support the Show): Here

Support the show

Next Episode

Consciously Coping: A Personal Story of Bipolar Disorder w/ Lindsay Anderson

EPISODE OVERVIEW: Disclaimer: This interview includes sensitive content that may be triggering, including, but not limited to suicide ideation and mental illness.

This episode is in honor of World Bipolar Day. I have the pleasure of interviewing Lindsay Anderson, who shares her personal experience of living with and managing multiple mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD. She delves into the complexities of being misdiagnosed for years, navigating the mental healthcare system, and the importance of self-advocacy, amongst other topics.

In this episode we discuss:

How Lindsay started her blog, Consciously Coping, after searching YouTube for black mental health providers and not finding any
Lindsay’s mental health journey, which began in middle school with extreme bullying
The symptoms of bipolar disorder and how different episodes can feel
How getting the right diagnosis and right meds made a world of difference in managing her symptoms
Her 30 day stay in the psych ward and what the experience was like
Having a stroke and being paralyzed for 3 months
Lindsay’s toolkit for managing her mental health
..and much more!

ABOUT THE GUEST: Lindsay (she/her/hers) is a mental illness advocate, writer, and scientist with 20+ years of lived experience. She is well known for her raspy, yet powerful voice and honesty about the mental health system in America.

How you can connect with Lindsay:

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

JOIN THE SISTA CIRCLE COMMUNITY

Subscribe to The Sista Circle Podcast:

Follow The Sista Circle Podcast:

Subscribe to The Sista Circle Podcast Mailing List Here

Buy Me a Coffee (Support the Show) Here

Support the show

The Sista Circle Podcast - Sex, Pleasure & Pain: Exploring Sexual Well-Being w/ Dr. Shemeka Thorpe

Transcript

EP.22 | Sex, Pleasure & Pain: Exploring Sexual Well-Being w/ Dr. Shemeka Thorpe
Intro: Hey queen, I'm Faith Alaribe, the founder and host of the Sista Circle Podcast. Around here we have honest and real conversations about our health, mental health and wellness, topics that deeply impact our lives as women of color. And all with the mission to provide the information, tools and resources to fill up our wellness toolkits, make informed decisions and to allow us to thrive