The Power of Burlesque

Let's Talk About Sex and Consent The very first time I heard Nathalie Mills speak was when I watched SBS Insight in May 2023 (episode 10). Nathalie was one of the guests talking about sex and consent and I was captivated by her energy and attitude towards sex and sexuality. I give my thanks to the producers of the show who put me in touch with Nathalie because I feel I have met a soul sister. Nathalie is French-Canadian, grew up in Haiti, was schooled by nuns, and received no sex education. Nathalie works as a nurse and runs her own clinic specialising in lymphodema therapy, Complex Decongestive Therapy and personal coaching. Nathalie has also commenced her journey learning the art of yoni repatterning and I cannot wait to learn more about this from Nathalie. If you want to connect with Nathalie you can reach out via her website and Facebook. www.livinginharmonie.com https://www.facebook.com/livinginharmonie I hope you enjoy this conversation! Please let me know your thoughts as well as liking and sharing this podcast amongst your network. With lush regards, Susan The Maven e. [email protected]

A warning about today’s conversation: domestic violence and strong language. Today’s guest is Amanda Kate, a Kinesiologist, Mentor, Mother and more.  Author of 'Divine. Messy. Human. A Spiritual Guide to Prioritising Internal Truth over External Influence', Amanda released the book with the information, tips and practices that have helped her move from self-loathing to self-acceptance, self-love and self-empowerment.  A recovering people-pleaser and self-flagellator, she walks the path straddling the Divine and Messy daily. Always growing, developing and learning new ways of being to, hopefully, one day leave the Earth better than she found it.  Amanda Kate helps people to regain their vitality, smashing through their internal glass ceiling and limitations to find new levels of health, vitality and abundance. She also works with business owners to increase their vibration and attract greater wealth and prosperity.  We explore the power of owning that special word C*NT and I offer myself to Amanda to perform publicly a kinesiology reading on me so that others can learn what a session is like. We also talk about Amanda’s experience with domestic violence. Knowing that this podcast is listened to by people all over the world, If this episode raises any issues for you, please contact a support agency, relative, friend or call your emergency number.  Website: www.amandakate.com.au Books: www.amandakate.com.au/my-book Wherever you are in the World, please share, like and review this episode!

Welcome to the Maven’s Private Diaries. My guest today is Samuel Hunter who I met during the recording of my appearance on SBS Insight talking about Midlife Sexual Awakenings. Samuel was there to discuss his experience as a sex worker.  Samuel has had a varied working life. He’s been a mower man, a videographer, specialist salesman in the mining industry and before COVID experienced a moment that changed his life. Samuel made the ultimate career switch and became a sex worker.  In our chat we explored sex and disability, emotional celibacy, female orgasm, movies to watch, and surprisingly, Samuel’s own personal experience of body shaming and how he feels about his ‘dad bod’. Samuel is certainly not a ‘dial-a-dick’ sex worker and is someone I would recommend to women who need a safe space to explore and reconnect with their sexuality.  I admire Samuel greatly. Make sure you explore his website and the links to recommended viewing. I hope you enjoy this special chat. I certainly did. Websites: SamuelHunterEscort.com Touchingbase.org Documentary and Movies to watch: How to Please a Woman  Good Luck to you, Leo Grande (starring Emma Thompson) ScarletRoad.com.au - Impassioned about freedom of sexual expression, sex worker Rachel Wotton has become highly specialised in working with clients with disability.

Welcome to The Maven's Private Diaries, where we chat with extraordinary individuals about sex, death and disability.  Today's special guest is Marci Warhaft, author of the memoir, 'The Good Stripper: A Soccer Mom's Memoir of Lies, Loss and Lap Dances’. Marci is also a resiliency coach and body image advocate who provides coaching to help individuals develop skills needed to thrive in today's world. Marci is also the host of the podcast, How to Ruin Your Own Reputation which has also featured our Maven, Susan Jarvis. "After spending years battling a severe eating disorder as a result of a multitude of traumas and low self-worth, I found the strength to regain my health and reclaim my life. Before my recovery, I allowed the shame I carried from a difficult past keep me from living my life freely. I lived in fear of being judged and never felt that who I was could ever be enough. I was wrong. Once I made the decision to make the changes necessary to be happy, I was finally able to enjoy my life in ways I never could have imagined." We really don’t want to give away any spoilers other than to say that we are sure that you will enjoy this chat between two women over 50 about life, sex and pleasure! We’d love to hear your feedback: [email protected] Find out more about Marci: www.marciwarhaft.com www.thegoodstripper.com Instagram: @marciwarhaft Facebook: @fitvsfiction Podcast How to Ruin Your Own Reputation: https://open.spotify.com/show/3R6Arzs9FI1xEmx6IbL6nF?si=2f67286c437543c2

Today, we have an inspiring guest, Candice Care-Unger, the founder of Care Rehab. Candice is a passionate advocate for people with disabilities and she is here to share her story and talk about the importance of sexual rehabilitation for people with acquired disabilities. This inspired her to start her own organization, Care Rehab, which is dedicated to helping people with disabilities reclaim their sexual lives. Candice's organization provides information, training,  support and counseling for people with disabilities, and their partners, to help them overcome the physical and emotional challenges that can arise after an injury or illness. Through her work, Candice has helped countless individuals with disabilities to understand that having an acquired disability does not mean the end of their sex life. Instead, it is a new opportunity to explore new ways of intimacy, pleasure and connection. Visit the Care Rehab website for updates on educational resources such as ‘Talking to your child about sex after spinal cord injury’ and ‘Talking about Sex in Disability - how to bring it up and then what?’ www.carerehab.com.au Book mentioned by Candice about neuroplasticity to rewire our brains:  The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, MD An astonishing new scientific discovery called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the adult human brain is fixed and unchanging. It is, instead, able to change its own structure and function, even into old age. Psychiatrist and researcher Norman Doidge, MD, travelled around the United States to meet the brilliant scientists championing neuroplasticity, and the people whose lives they've transformed - people whose mental limitations or brain damage were previously seen as unalterable, and whose conditions had long been dismissed as hopeless. We see a woman born with half a brain that rewired itself to work as a whole; a woman labeled retarded who cured her deficits with brain exercises and now cures those of others; blind people who learn to see; learning disorders cured; IQs raised; ageing brains rejuvenated; stroke patients recovering their faculties; children with cerebral palsy learning to move more gracefully; entrenched depression and anxiety disappearing; and lifelong character traits changed. Doidge takes us onto terrain that might seem fantastic. We learn that our thoughts can switch our genes on and off, altering our brain anatomy. We learn how people of average intelligence can, with brain exercises, improve their cognition and perception, develop muscle strength, or learn to play a musical instrument - simply by imagining doing so. Using personal stories from the heart of this neuroplasticity revolution, Dr Doidge has written an immensely moving, inspiring book that will permanently alter the way we look at our brains, human nature, and human potential. (Description from www.Booktopia.com.au)

**Warning:  You might need a lie down after this episode.  ⁠ From learning how to roller skate to learning how to give a blow job, you will LOVE this chat with Kate Toon!⁠ ⁠I'm not going to give away too much about this chat other than to say you will be captivated and you will chuckle throughout.  If you don't, please let me know why this chat didn't float your boat!⁠ www.katetoon.com Recommended reading and viewing:  Forever by Judy Blume Sex In The City (the original series)

Over the last 11 years, Nicole Stewart has coached, supported and led workshops for thousands of women, combining her experience in elite-level equestrian sports and training in spiritual and somatic coaching, facilitation, life and business coaching, feminine eros, professional dance and cognitive performance psychology. She works globally with ambitious and high-achieving women such as executives, business owners, athletes and medical professionals through individual mentoring and group programs, and is passionate and enthusiastic about supporting them to create their Deeply Satisfying Life. Follow and contact Nicole on the following platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-stewart/ Instagram: @nic.stewart.coach Web: https://nicolestewart.coach Masterclass Series Signup: https://bit.ly/thedeeplysatisfiedwoman

This podcast episode has a poll and a question for you to answer. We hope that you will give us, and our listeners, some insight. Responses are anonymous but our Maven will gladly share her responses when the poll closes. Have you ever faked an orgasm? What changes are you making in your life as you age? Faith Agugu is an Australian leader in the global positive ageing movement, which seeks to champion 50+ women and re-define how they approach ageing. As a mental health professional and founder of the Silver Sirens annual event and online resources, Faith is well-positioned to help women live their best life after 50. Who are Silver Sirens?  They are women 50+. ■ They are undergoing major life changes and making challenging life choices to create the life they want to live. ■ Some are choosing more autonomy to fulfill their potential beyond the traditional roles of wives, mothers, and grandmothers. ■ Others have independent children, giving them more time to focus on exploring their own dreams and desires. ■ Many are choosing to remain single and live alone. ■ Each woman has in common the desire to explore her agency and the opportunity to fulfill her full potential. ■ Their priority used to be taking care of others; now they seek to focus on their own development and potential. Follow www.silversirens.org for events and resources to help you discover your potential.

The fabulous Georgia Lashman aka Confessions of a G Cup on Instagram is our next guest! Georgia founded a body positivity event called The Big Boobie Bash and has a mission to show women, of all shapes and sizes, that they are indeed beautiful just as they are. Through Georgia's event, I was fortunate to meet and interview two of her guests, Ellie Sedgwick (500 Vulvas) and Mya Dia Monte (The Power of Burlesque), make sure you check those episodes out as well!

I have been an admirer of burlesque for many years and is something that I have wanted to try. I was fortunate to meet Mya Dia Monte at an event and I am delighted that Mya has agreed to chat with me on The Maven's Private Diaries. We covered many topics such as breast cancer awareness, pap smears, body positivity, confidence and even water yoga! You will have to listen to the episode for all the details!  These are the links to the topics we chatted about. Mya's dress: https://thenylonswish.com/ The Big Boobie Bash, hosted by Georgia Lashman (soon to be on The Maven's Private Diaries as well!)  IG: @confessions_of_a_gcup Jacqueline Furey, burlesque performer: IG @jacqueline_furey Water yoga with Anne Noonan, the Silver Yogi: https://www.annenoonan.com.au/ Do you have a question you would like answered by myself and Mya?  Send it through to: [email protected]  Remember to abide by manners.