I read a New York Times article the other day that stopped me in my tracks.
It was about the rise of “Christian diet culture,” but what struck me wasn’t just the religion piece—it was how women, again and again, are being told their bodies are the problem. That shrinking ourselves is a form of righteousness. That thinness is not just desirable—but virtuous.
And here we are, again, being asked to disappear.
Body Shame: A Familiar Silence in a New Voice
We thought we’d come so far. For a while, it seemed like the world was waking up. Curves were being celebrated, diversity was showing up in campaigns, and we were finally questioning the decades of messaging that told us we had to be thin to be lovable, successful, holy, or good.
But now, quietly and powerfully, skinny culture is creeping back in.
It’s in the wellness influencers sipping green juice while posting Bible verses. It’s in the return of low-rise jeans and heroin-chic aesthetics. It’s in the headlines about “Ozempic face” and “clean eating” that’s really just old-fashioned restriction in a new outfit.
And it’s everywhere in the silent looks we give ourselves in the mirror.
My Story: From Shame to Sensual Embodiment
A few years ago, I stood in my closet surrounded by beautiful clothes—and nothing fit.
Not because my body was wrong. But because everything was made for a version of me that no longer existed: thinner, tighter, more “in control.” I had just come through a season of deep healing—therapy, embodiment work, healing sexual trauma—and for the first time in years, I felt at home in my skin.
But my jeans didn’t fit. My thighs rubbed. My belly was soft. And I hated that it still mattered to me.
The shame came rushing back:
“You’ve let yourself go.”
“No one will desire you like this.”
“You’re not doing it right.”
That voice? That’s the culture. Not your truth.
Intimacy Begins with Self: Your Body Is Not a Problem to Solve
This isn’t just about dieting. It’s about how we measure our worth, how we perceive desire, and how we define what’s sacred in our lives.
You don’t have to be religious to understand the messages we’ve been given: that our bodies must be controlled, our appetites suppressed, and our sensuality tamed.
But what if we flipped the script?
What if our softness, our curves, our desires were sacred?
This is the foundation of the work we do in our Couples Intimacy Retreats in North Carolina and Costa Rica—spaces designed to guide couples back to emotional and physical connection, starting with how each partner relates to their own body.
A Sexual Healing Retreat Starts with Reverence, Not Restriction
Your body is a sacred vessel for joy, for pleasure, for intimacy. It is not a billboard for virtue.
When you feel the pull to shrink again—to “tighten up,” to count every bite, to punish yourself with movement—you are not alone. These pressures are loud. But they are not your truth.
The path of embodied intimacy looks like:
- Nourishing your body with food and pleasure
- Moving because it feels good—not to burn something off
- Dressing to express sensuality, not hide your softness
- Practicing touch that feels connecting and consent-driven
This is what we explore in our sexual healing retreats and intimacy workshops—because reconnecting with your own body is the first step in building emotional connection with your partner.
Want to Reignite Intimacy in Your Relationship?
When your body feels safe, your heart opens. When shame is stripped away, desire can return. When we reclaim the sacredness of our bodies, we make space for true intimacy—in our relationships, and with ourselves.
This is not about doing more. It’s about slowing down. Creating a sacred space for intimacy at home. Listening to your body. Trusting it. Letting it lead.
If you’re craving deeper connection, more pleasure, or a return to self-worth, our Couples Sexuality Retreats in Asheville and Costa Rica are designed to help you reconnect—not just with your partner, but with your own sacred self.
Because your body is not too much. Your appetite is not shameful. Your softness is not a problem.
You are allowed to take up space. And you are deeply deserving of love.
✨ Want help reclaiming your sensual, embodied self? That’s exactly the kind of work we do in my retreats. Together, we strip away the shame, rewrite the stories, and return to pleasure as a source of power.
Explore our upcoming Couples Intimacy Retreats here: https://www.passionateintimacyretreats.com/
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