Following is a list of the topics we’ve discussed and the special guests I’ve had at the public discussion groups that is sponsored by the The Good Life magazine at BookPeople, the state’s leading independent bookstore (named by Publisher’s Weekly as Bookstore of the Year in 2005). The purpose of the group was to build community by bringing readers together to talk about “Intimacies” face-to-face. We talk about love, sex and romance. The Intimacies Conversation Group, which was promoted by both the magazine and the bookstore, usually attracted between twenty and forty people, singles and couples, first-timers and returnees, with a fairly even mix of men and women, ages eighteen to eighty.
The “Intimacies” Discussion Group 2007
January 17, 2007
Canceled due to icy roads.
February 21, 2007
The Art or Erotic Dance
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Donna Starnes to talk about the art of erotic dance. Donna teaches the core workshop in the national program, The Art of Exotic Dancing for Everyday Women. We’ll discuss what the right moves can do for you.
March 21, 2007
From Flirting to Forever
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Jane Cobb, LCSW, to talk about getting from flirting to foreplay to forever. Learn from this psychotherapist what happy (emotionally intelligent) couples do to make their relationships last.
April 18, 2007
BDSM for Everyone
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Lynn Raridon, owner of Forbidden Fruit for a forthright discussion of how a little kink can crank up your sex life.
May 16, 2007
Sex Drive
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Rick Lannoye for a discussion about how to create sexual attraction–and keep it going. Rick is the author of The Honeymoon Ends with ‘I Do’ —The Adverse Effect of Marriage on Lasting Love and What You Can Do About It.
June 20, 2007
Heart and Soul
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Diana Vela for a discussion about how the Heart and Soul enhance intimate fulfillment in bed and in everyday life. Diana, founder and director of Programs of the Heart, facilitates relationship courses for couples and singles.
July 18, 2007
How to Touch
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Jessie Dingler for a candid discussion about touchy feeling fun. Jessie is a massage therapist who has produced a DVD, “How To Touch Your Woman.”
August 15, 2007
On vacation. See you in September.
Sept 19, 2007
What Pornography Does
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Robert Jensen, PhD, for a startling discussion about the effects of pornography, personally and for a people. An associate professor in the School of Journalism at UT Jensen is the author of the book, Getting Off: Pornography and the End of Masculinity.
October 18, 2007, Thursday
Soul to Soul Love
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Taber Shadburne for a mind- and heart-opening discussion about overcoming inner obstacles to create deeper, more intimate relationships. Founder of the Church of Soul in Oakland, California, Taber has been studying comparative mysticism, Buddhism, psychology and conscious communication since the early ‘80s and teaching and counseling since 1990.
November 14, 2007
Flirting
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Janet Trent Moorehead for pre-holiday coaching about how to connect with others using fun, play and ease. Janet runs Mo-jo Maker and helps people unleash their personal magnetism so others are captivated by their appearance and conversation.
December 19, 2007
On vacation. See you next year.
The “Intimacies” Discussion Group 2006
January 18, 2006
Balancing Dependency and Autonomy
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Barbara Davis, for an open discussion of intimacies issues and how we draw our boundaries. Davis is a clinical social worker with 35 years’ experience integrating a number of clinical approaches as a psychodynamic somatic psychotherapist.
February 22, 2006
Courtship and Marriage
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Dr. Ted Huston, for a discussion about the elements of courtship that lead to successful marriage. Dr. Huston is one of the nation’s leading authorities on relationships. He has led a long-term study at the University of Texas on conjugal lifestyles.
March 15, 2006
Ask the Opposite Sex.
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Lynn Rhodes for an evening in which we will get to ask questions of the opposite sex about just about anything you want to know. Lynne is a licensed therapist who guides clients into experiential understanding of their real selves.
April 19, 2006
Fantasies for Fun
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Lynn Raridon, owner of Forbidden Fruit, for an engaging discussion about how your imagination–-and the right costumes and accessories–can improve your sexual experience and that of your partner’s. Be prepared to play, laugh, and learn.
May 16, 2006
Touch Me, Feel Me
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Charla Hathaway for a playful discussion about the human need for touch and cuddle parties. Charla is a certified erotic educator who is trained to facilitate these adult social events. An optional cuddle may occur at the end.
June 21, 2006
Polyamory
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Robert McGarey for a revealing discussion about how to have open, honest, responsible non-monogamy. Robert McGarey, founder and executive director of the Human Potential Center, is a local Austinite who has been poly for 30 years.
July 19, 2006
Passion and Compassion
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Pat Siebert, for a discussion about how to deepen your emotional connections through intimate conversations. Pat uses the work of Dr. Marshal Rosenberg, of Center for Nonviolent Communication to help adults take responsibility for their communications and actions.
August 16, 2006
Intimacies is on vacation. See you in September.
Sept 20, 2006
Causing Ripples in Relationships
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Steve Harper, to talk about the response created by our subtle behavior. We’ll learn how to apply his business networking theories to our personal lives. Steve is the author of The Ripple Effect: Maximizing the Power of Relationships for Life and Business.
October 18, 2006
Getting Physical
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Gerry King, PhD, for a group discussion and an optional, pleasurable exercise about reclaiming our lives through our bodies. He has been a integrative psychotherapist for 30 years after earning his doctorate at Stanford University and his certification as an bioenergetic therapist from the International Institute for Bioenergetic Analysis.
November 15, 2006
Tantra for Bubba
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and intimacy consultant Jade Beaty of Sensual Wisdom for a group discussion that will de-mystify tantra. With six years in private practice as a sacred sex teacher, Jade is committed to bringing sacred sexuality to the masses.
December 20, 2006
Intimacies is on vacation. See you next year.
The “Intimacies” Discussion Group 2005
January 19, 2005
Love & Change
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest psychotherapist and author John Breeding for a discussion about remaining authentic as relationships change. For almost two decades, Dr. Breeding has been counseling couples that change is a healthy part of our maturing love lives.
February 16, 2005
Power & Surrender
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Charla Hathaway for a frank discussion about domination and submission. Learn how to introduce spontaneous play into your lovemaking and participate in the yin/yang game of power and surrender. Charla is a certified erotic educator.
March 16, 2005
Commitment Phobia
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Michael Parish for an insightful discussion about why it’s so hard for some people to make commitments and how that fear can be overcome. Michael is the president of Commitment Facilitation and develops workshops for schools and residential rehab centers.
April 20, 2005
Enhanced Relationship
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Frederick Hill, PhD, for an insightful discussion about intimate relationships—what works and what doesn’t. He’ll share from both his own thirty-year experience counseling couples and research on marriage by John M. Gottman, PhD.
May 18, 2005
Genuine Love
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Karen Thompson for an open conversation about attracting and sustaining a conscious, loving relationship. Use clarity and power in your choice rather than choosing relationships by default.
June 15, 2005
From Profane to Sacred
What is Tantra? Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Jade Beaty, of Sensual Wisdom, a relationship enhancement center, for a discussion about the benefits of sacred sexuality. Jade has had an active practice as an intimacy coach for five years.
July 20, 2005
Undressing the Personality
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Lynne Rhodes to talk about the personality types we adopt. Understanding your own and your lover’s personality type can help you get behind the adaptation to the juicy essence. Lynne is a licensed therapist who guides clients into experiential understanding of their real selves.
August 24, 2005
Intimacies is on vacation. See you in September.
Sept 21, 2005
What Do You Want in Bed?
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Gayle Michaels, of Intimate Wisdom, for a candid discussion about how to answer the question, “What do I like in bed?” Gayle is a certified sexologist who helps men and women understand each other’s desires.
October 19, 2005
Speaking with Love, Honesty and Compassion
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Pat Siebert, for a conversation about emotions, thoughts and words and how to align all three in personal relationships. Pat uses the work of Dr. Marshal Rosenberg, of Compassionate Communication, and Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais-Awareness Through Movement, to help adults connect authentically and communicate compassionately.
November 16, 2005
As Good As It Gets!
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Reppy Kirkilis, for a conversation about being grateful for what’s working in our relationships, rather than wishing people were different and making them wrong. Reppy is an entertainer, theatre teacher and director, relationship coach and co-author of Trusting You Are Loved: Practices for Partnership.
December 21, 2005
No meeting.
The “Intimacies” Discussion Group 2003
January 21, 2004
Sexuality & Body Image
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Cay Crow, when we celebrate the variety of human form. If you believe that you have to be a certain shape or size in order to enjoy sex, this discussion will help change your perspective. Cay is a Licensed Professional Counselor who writes about sexuality for the San Antonio Express-News and teaches sex education classes in Austin and San Antonio.
February 18, 2004
To Tell the Truth in Dating and Marriage
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Dr. Susan Campbell, for a revealing conversation about telling the truth in relationships. Dr. Campbell is a best-selling author of six books. She has over thirty years experience in relationship counseling for couples, individuals and businesses. Learn how to tell the truth: how much, when, and how!
March 16, 2004
Are You My Type?
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Jeff Johannigman, for a lively discussion about how your personality type affects your relationships. Do birds of a feather flock together, or do opposites attract? Discover what types you might be compatible with, how type differences can create conflict, and how to use your differences constructively. Jeff Johannigman is an award-winning speaker, trainer, and consultant certified in use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
April 21, 2004
Crossing Borders in Love
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Viviane Vives for a conversation about cultural differences between Europeans and Americans in regard to sex and relationships. Viviane is an articulate and opinionated Spanish actress and director. She stars as an aging sex worker in a controversial new film that explores teenaged sexuality.
May 19, 2004
The Right Environment for Love
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and three special guests for a conversation about how to create conditions for great sex. Guests include Marvin Allan, author of “Angry Men, Passive Men,” Kip Piper, author of “101 Ways for Women to be Sexually Irresistible,” and “Spicy Spaces” makeover artist Cara Polk.
June 16, 2004
Seeking the Big O
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Shelley Imholte of Women Partners in Health for a frank conversation about orgasm. Shelley is a social psychologist who has been working with women on improving their sexual desire and educating them on what leads to climax.
July 21, 2004
Fit for Love
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Darline Turner-Lee, the owner of Next Step Fitness and the fitness columnist for Good Life. We’ll have an inspiring conversation about how to stay fit for all the demands and pleasures of an intimate relationship.
August 18, 2004
No Meeting
Intimacies is on vacation. See you in September.
Sept 15, 2004
Stress-Free Relationships
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Dr. Moe Peck, for a frank conversation about what it is about intimate relationships and dating that stresses us out. Find out how to cope and keep a relationship that is easy and relaxed Dr. Moe Peck has been counseling couples and singles in Austin for 23 years and leads workshops in stress reduction.
October 20, 2004
Friends and Lovers
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest an assistant professor in the department of human ecology, division of human development and family sciences from the University of Texas. We’ll explore how friends can influence a romantic relationship and how a romance can affect your friendships.
November 17, 2004
Asking for What You Really Want
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guests David Nayer and Helen Roberts for a discussion about how to make requests in ways that inspire fulfillment in personal relationships. Together, David and Helen have thirty years experience with Nonviolent Communication and they have studied directly with NVC founder Marshall B. Rosenberg.
December 2004
No meeting.
The “Intimacies” Discussion Group 2003
January 11, 2003
Communicating Compassionately
Get the Messages Between the Lines
Join Good Life “Intimacies” columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Meri Walker for an engaging discussion about how the use of non-violent communication can enhance and empower relationships. Meri is the founder of Between the Lines and has twenty-five years experience teaching business leaders and individuals to connect deeply with others and to stay connected.
February 2003
Sense and Sensuality
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Diana Quicksilver for an open discussion about heightening sensory awareness through food, music, movement, and more. “Chef Keem” of Sweet Venus Delights will provide free samples of his sexy “SweetHeat™” chocolates.
Meet Wednesday, February 19, 2003, 7 p.m. on the third floor of Book People, 603 N. Lamar, to discuss the variety of things that titillate, delight, and make you feel more alive. Audience members will be encouraged to share their personal experiences.
March 19 2003
How ethical are your relationships?
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Lauren Sloan for an open discussion about using ethical culture to build solid relationships. Lauren is the president of the Austin chapter of the Ethical Culture Society. Ethical Culture is a humanistic movement in which people share common values: the worth of each individual, ethics as central to our lives, eliciting the best from each other, and doing good in the world.
April 16, 2003
Lovers and Lyrics: Music of the Heart
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest for an evening of music, song, and discussion about the feelings and experiences that come from real life relationships. Leeanne is a country and blues singer-songwriter, a recording artist whose vocal power and control has enthralled audiences in South Austin and beyond.
Meet Wednesday, April 16, 2003, 7 p.m. on the third floor of Book People, 603 N. Lamar. Audience members will be encouraged to share their personal experiences. Leeanne will have CDs of her music available for sale and autographing.
May 21, 2003
Languages of Love: Which One Do You Speak?
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guests Greg Aurand and Colleen Knox for an engaging discussion about the many way in which we express and experience love. Learn to understand the various vocabularies of love so that you and your lover are speaking the same language. Greg and Colleen facilitate ongoing singles groups called “Conversations That Matter.”
June 18, 2003
Building Trust
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Bob Karstens for an engaging discussion about how to know who you can trust and how to establish trust in your personal relationships. Bob is a former KVUE and KTBC news reporter and anchor and president of WisdomTools, Inc., a training and consulting company that helps people “put the power of trust to work.”
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July 16, 2003
The Dow of Toys
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Lynn Raridon, owner of
a href=”http://forbiddenfruit.com” target=”_blank”>Forbidden Fruit, for an engaging discussion about adult toys. We’re breaking taboo and talking about sex. Be prepared to play, laugh, and learn.
August 20, 2003
You Don’t Have To Rehearse To Be Yourself
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Joseph Acosta, a private counselor and couple’s therapist, about the rewards of being open and genuine. Being able to express yourself authentically is an integral part of being in an intimate relationship. Don’t hold back.
September 17, 2003
Intimate Caring
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Larry Bugen for a discussion about personal relationships. We’ll talk about ways to express caring feelings. And, we’ll explore ways to respond to such intimate expression. Larry Bugen has been in practice as psychologist for over 25 years. He is the author of two books including “Love and Renewal.”
October 15, 2003
Femininity & Masculinity
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Gayle Owens for a discussion about the qualities that make us feminine or masculine. We’ll talk about what happens in relationships when femininity and masculinity cross paths. Intimate Wisdom, is a psychologist in private practice for 15 years. She is currently writing a book on femininity and masculinity.
November 19, 2003
Incompatibility: Grounds for Marriage
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Imago therapist M. Dorsey Cartwright, LMFT, for an engaging discussion about being THANKFUL for the differences and the opportunities they bring in your love relationships – past or present. Dorsey gives both the Harville Hendrix’s “Getting The Love You Want” Couples’ Workshop & “The Keeping the Love You Find” singles’ workshops.
December 17, 2003
No meeting
“Intimacies” Group — Special Guest Speakers 2002
February 20, 2002
Mature love v. romantic love
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Karen Vandiver, Pres of Jung Society.
March 20, 2002
Money Matters
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Marjory Gentsch for a discussion about where the buck stops and romance flourishes. Marjory guides people who want to live a debt-fee, stress-free lifestyle leading to financial independence. She has lead hundreds of seminars at colleges, universities and businesses throughout the country, including the University of Texas, GM, 3M, and Motorola.
April 17, 2002
Explore the Cs to a Successful Relationship: Who Cooks. Who Cleans, and other Challenges for Couples
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Mary Gordon Spence for a lively discussion about men, women, and using the alphabet to spell what goes on between them. Mary Gordon is a professional storyteller, humorist and radio personality renowned for her wit and wisdom. Her ability to find magic in the mundane is a gift to her audiences—not to mention her ukulele playing.
May 15, 2002
Birter or Brooder?
Do you tend to blirt out your thoughts, or do you brood? Your answer has important implications for how deal with stress and what type of partner is best for you.
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Dr. William Swann for a discussion of a new personality dimension called “blirtatiousness.” Dr. Swann is a distinguished U.T. professor of psychology who has published dozens of research articles on the roots of satisfaction in relationships. He will share his recent findings regarding “blirters” and “brooders” and discuss how you can use this information when choosing a partner or when trying to get along optimally with your current partner.
June 19, 2002
The Mystery of Love
Join Good Life “Intimacies” columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Dr. Bob Lively for an engaging discussion debunking many of our cultural myths about love. : What is love and can it involve a spiritual bond that leads to personal transformation? Dr. Lively is the popular Presbyterian minister and award-winning author who leads workshops for singles at the Riverbend church called “Breaking New Ground: Making Relationships Work.” For over a decade he has contributed a regular column in the Austin American-Statesman.
July 17, 2002
Singing Your Heart Out
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and a group of great singer-songwriters, including Sara Hickman, Rebecca Pitts, Janet Hailey, and Hank Woji, for live acoustic music and an engaging discussion about love songs and torch songs. What can¹t be expressed in mere conversation is often best expressed in a song.
August 21, 2002
Getting Through It and Getting On With It:
Join Good Life “Intimacies” columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Dr. Larry Miller for an engaging discussion about how to enjoy healthy relationships and opportunities for living a full and enriching life after a deep loss. Psychologist and founder of the Divorce Recovery and Family Resources Center, Dr. Miller returns to this group due to popular demand.
Sept 18, 2002
Crisis-Free Life Transitions
Join Good Life “Intimacies” columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Greg Maksymowicz, M.D. for an engaging discussion about the passages of life. A board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Maksymowicz will share his insights into emotional coping strategies that can help you negotiate big life transitions—without damaging your relationships.
Oct 16, 2002
The Highs and Lows of Love–And How You Can Make It Last Forever
Join special guest Pat Love and Rasa Sittler, stand-in host for Good Life “Intimacies” columnist Karen Kreps, for an engaging discussion about the physiology of love. Dr. Love is an Austin-based relationship consultant; a frequent guest on Oprah, the Today Show, and CNN; and author of four books. Her latest book is “The Truth About Love.”
Nov 20, 2002
Expect the unexpected. When roles are reversed, relationships become healthier—but more complex.
Join Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Dr. Ruth Fagan-Wilen for an open discussion about gender role reversal. Dr. Fagan-Wilen is a faculty member with the University of Texas School of Social Work and a psychotherapist in private practice. She has tracked recent trends for men and women to fulfill roles outside of gender stereotypes. We’ll explore ways of dealing with the complexities of role reversal so that we can enjoy improved relationships in a whole new paradigm.
Dec 18, 2002
The Highs and Lows of Love–And How You Can Make It Last Forever
Join Good Life “Intimacies” columnist Karen Kreps and special guest Dr. Joan Offerle, for a discussion of how to create harmony with your lover’s family–just in time for the holidays and all those family gatherings. Dr. Offerle has offered relationship counseling to adults in Austin since 1986. She counsels singles and couples on how to find someone to love and how to make the relationship fulfilling.
