Maze Women's Health

Strangling a partner, grabbing and pulling hair, and slapping someone all sound like forms of physical abuse, and indeed can be. In fact as a clinic that works with many survivors of intimate partner violence these activities are often what is described. Many of them finally left the abuser when their partner put their hands around their necks and tried to strangle them. This was often the last straw and the victims feared for their life. Hearing these stories from survivors... of abuse was often chilling, and we help them understand that these actions are not ok, except if that is what you want. If you do not want your partner to slap you or pull your hair it is abuse, however if you mutually agree that this is what you want to do, and even more so if you get aroused and feel pleasure from it, you are not being abused. A friend recently reached out. She seemed a bit panicked in her email. She's a social worker, and worked with survivors of intimate partner violence. She had been single for a long time was now in a new relationship. The relationship sounded great, but she was worried about one thing their sex life. She had a fair amount of sexual experience, but there was something new in this relationship- KINK. Her partner had discussed with her that he liked being hit, whipped, and strangled. At first she had refused, but in time she decided to give it a try, and she found she really, really liked it. However, this made her fear that she was secretly an abusive person, and was afraid she would slap her or hit her boyfriend at times when they were not having consensual sex. Maybe when she was mad at him, or just because she wanted to. She was afraid she was an abuser. When asked if those feelings or urges had come up, she said no., but her fear was intense. We discussed that becoming sexually aroused by doing what her partner had asked her to do, was not abuse. It was so hard for her to realize that actions that hurt many people can also make others feel good.

"Sexual health organisations are reporting a spike in demand for consent education due to the media coverage of sexual assault stories this year." @ABC https://ab.co/3ed2dFF

Are you a therapist? Do you struggle with finding tools to talk with patients about sex? Check out this free webinar for therapists that @drbatsheva is hosting in June! THURSDAY, JUNE 10TH @12PM EST https://drbatsheva.com/workshop-for-therapists/

"On December 4, infectious disease expert Dena Grayson, MD, told Chicago TV station NBCLX that one of the potential complications of the virus is erectile dysfunction (ED)." https://bit.ly/3mgi2fx

If you are experiencing sexual pain or issues, talk to someone. Maze is a place where you can be yourself, tell your whole story and receive treatment uniquely attuned to your needs. And we can assure you, you’re not alone. Nothing you can say will shock us. We’ve heard it all.

Emily in Paris Have you seen the recent Netflix hit series, @emilyinparis ? Protagonist @LilyjCollins picks up her life and moves to Paris for her career. Let's just say there's definitely some sex positive scenes! But how realistic are these "sex" scenes?... Jennifer Dembo, LMSW at Maze has a lot to say on the topic: "Emily and Doug’s relationship lacks chemistry and just about everything else nothing makes me believe they are a couple. Emily is incredibly tone deaf to everyone around her, on both continents. The old let’s see what happens when a clueless American goes to France and is made to feel inferior by every person she encounters trope is very tired. Lily Collins tries, but she’s given so little to work with. Everything from the script to the direction seems forced. There is a tiny bit of sex, and maybe there’s more in future episodes, but what I did see was kind of snoozy." Read the full blog live now, link in bio Photo credit: @emilyinparis

Women have to take the time to focus on our mental healthtake time for self, for the spiritual, without feeling guilty or selfish, the Beyonce told Elle in 2016. The world will see you the way you see you, and treat you the way you treat yourself. We couldn't have said it better ourselves, Queen B. https://bit.ly/36F6ixd

Still need a gift for the holidays? We got you covered. Order our fan favorite T-Shirt before they run out. https://www.mazewomenshealth.com/maze-womens-shirt-purchase/

There is no scientific evidence that bras help keep your boobs from sagging.... some may say it even contributes! https://bit.ly/3jHhZJj

Let's talk about female orgasm! @TEDTalks https://bit.ly/3d6STRF

During Covid Queens University has launched a great sexual health initiative: "With COVID-19 hampering the ability to expand social circles, students hoping to engage in casual sex are facing the challenge of how to do it safely. To combat this challenge, the Sexual Health Team from Student Wellness Services (SWS) has launched an initiative to help students engage in safe sexual activity.... The Sexual Health Team recognizes the importance of preventing COVID-19, the challenges of engaging in sexual activity during the pandemic, and the need to address how students can effectively manage both, the Sexual Health Team wrote in a statement to The Journal. Our team is super passionate about Health Promotion, so we wanted to come up with an engaging way to provide students with up-to-date, relevant sexual health information from a peer perspective. The Sexual Health Team said it’s been looking extensively at government guidelines and recommendations to compile recommendations that are digestible, relatable, and relevant to students.'"

Babe, I'd Like You To Meet My... So you want to bring up the idea of using your vibrator with your partner. Here's why you should #bettersex #communication #enhance... https://bit.ly/3lgJ5r5 See more

"Diversifying our material assets is a well-known concept. As it turns out, doing the same with relationships is a good idea as well. Finding a significant other is wonderful, but may not be enough for meeting all of our emotional needs. Having different people around to help with varying emotional tasks seems to be linked to greater life satisfaction. There is even a word for it: 'emotionships'." Read more: https://bit.ly/2E9hk3K

Do you suffer from menstrual cramps or pelvic pain? Dr. Jordan Robertson and Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus discuss period pain and what endometriosis is about. All women should have autonomy over their health and reproductive life.

Why have women's bodies been a mastery for so long? https://bit.ly/30JPALa

What's your sexual north star? Thanks to the internet today, there is endless information out there. Whichever channel you choose, be sure to look for evidence-based resources. Check out some of our credible recommendations #resources #sexed #curious... https://bit.ly/2SuIxl5 See more

The other day we pulled some Sex Toy fun facts for you all on our insta story. Here are more! https://bzfd.it/3j44gem

Did you know face masks can help prevent the flu as well a Covid-19? https://bit.ly/33BXeZU

Missed last Tuesday's epsiode? See Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus & Shoshana Bulow (LCSW, PhD) talk about what couple's therapy really is. Going to Couple's Therapy is a sign of strength and an investment in your relationship. Next episode is tomorrow @9PM EST, on Edometriosis & Period Pain, with Dr. Jordan Robertson (stream it here: https://bit.ly/2HftFVe)... View our full schedule of topics and where to find them - https://www.mazewomenshealth.com/sex-points/

Here is your friendly reminder to get your flu shot! https://bit.ly/3daxxmm

It's #sexedsunday! People assume there are problems in their relationship because they are not particularly interested in sex. But that is not always the case. We know you might not like to hear it, or believe us, but the truth is you are probably more dependent on your hormones than you like to think. If your hormones are off, it can have a huge impact on so many aspects of your life, including our sex drive. Bad news: low hormones can lead to low desire, problems with arou...sal, with erections, with ejaculation and orgasm. (I know, we hate being a Debbie Downer) There are any number of hormones that can effect our sex drive, but the biggest driver, for men and women surprisingly, seems to be testosterone. Testing testosterone levels is a bit of a tricky business because it’s a very sensitive test and you have to make sure you are comparing apples to apples (and not oranges and bananas.) But it’s probably worth doing if you are worried about something going on in your sex life. Whatever you do, don’t immediately assume there’s a problem in your relationship. That can just make things worse.