The “Intimacies” Discussion Group–In the Mood for Love?

by | Mar 31, 2008 | Events, Intimacies Discussion Group

Join The Good Life columnist Karen Kreps and special guest, Neil Stegall, LCSW, for a conversation about how to keep moodiness from mucking up your love life. Learn how to deal with the emotional fluctuations that affect all relationships. Neil practices psychotherapy to help individuals and couples find practical solutions to improve communication and relationships.

Meet Wednesday, May 21, 2008, 7 pm-8:30 pm on the third floor of BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar. Audience members will be encouraged to share their personal experiences. No charge, just bring your sense of humor and an open mind.

To join the email announcement list of this group, send email to p2paustin-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
This event is co-sponsored by The Good Life magazine and BookPeople.

Is Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) for You?

by | Mar 17, 2008 | Intimacies Discussion Group

Excerpt from the pamphlet “An introduction to Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous” Copyright 1985 : S.L.A.A. Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous is a fellowship based on the 12 Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. With established meetings in many cities in the United States and several cities overseas, this self-help fellowship is open to people of any age or sexual preference. Members include both those who suffer from a compulsive need for sex, and those with a desperate attachment to one person. What all members have in common is an obsessive/compulsive pattern, either sexual or emotional (or both, in which relationships or activities have become increasingly destructive to all areas of their lives — career, family, and sense of self-respect).

My guest at BookPeople on Wednesday, March 19, will be Michael Johnson, PhD a therapist who counsels people about sexual addiction. We’ll be talking about discerning the difference between intensity and intimacy. Got any questions for Michael? Post them here.

How to kiss

by | Mar 16, 2008 | About the Book, General

    My book has a chapter,”Sweet are the memories of the lips that first kissed ours.” Here’s an excerpt:

    “When performed well and received with pleasure, kissing signals our brains to produce the hormone oxytocin, an antidepressive agent that boosts feelings of affection and promotes caretaking behavior.

    “The best kind of kiss is shared with someone you really care about, but just the act of kissing can stimulate emotions
    and may bring you closer together. Passionate kisses may be savory, sweet or spicy. Dig in and enjoy.”

    I found this kissing tutorial on YouTube.com, and thought that the A/V instruction was charming.

Sex talk at the Remarkable Womens Conference

by | Mar 16, 2008 | About the Book, Events, General

I’ve been invited to speak on a panel at the Remarkable Womens Conference along with Gayle Michaels, Robin Heart Shepperd and Jade Beaty. The title and description of our hour-long program is:

SEX! Now that we have your attention

Everything you always wanted to know about sex but were afraid to…well, you get the idea. When we think of intimacy we generally think of time shared with a partner but it’s about more than that – it’s about falling in love with yourself. Our panel of experts will create a fun, safe environment where you can start to explore some paths to better relationships – not only with your partners but with yourself!

The panel will cap the weekend-long conference. The Remarkable Women’s Conference was created to fill a void in local conferences by providing a space for women from all cross-sections of the community to come together, make meaningful connections, and provide support and encouragement for one another while attending first class break-out sessions and keynote addresses from the best talent that Austin has to offer. The Conference provides a vehicle for women to grow their whole person and includes amazing speakers in topics such as family, workplace, health, relationships and business ownership.

The inaugural event was a huge success and its unofficial motto “Go Big or Go Home” continues to inspire and guide us. This year’s conference is being expanded to include a Friday all-day workshop intensive and a Friday night reception for last year’s participants. The conference itself will take place over Saturday and Sunday and include a Saturday Night networking reception and happy hour.

My book, Intimacies: Secrets of Love, Sex & Romance, will be available for purchase all day Sat and Sunday in the conference bookstore.