This episode of The Pleasure Principal features Licensed Professional Counselor, Sharon Bien. Sharon is a highly skilled counselor holding a Master of Arts in Counseling from St. Edwards University in Austin. With a strong commitment to professional growth, Sharon has pursued additional comprehensive training in areas such as the body's stress response, trauma processing, and the application of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy.

Throughout her career, Sharon has provided valuable support to adolescents, adults, and families facing a wide range of life challenges. These include anxiety, depression, codependency, life transitions, marital and relationship conflicts, addiction, serious mental illness, ADHD management, parenting concerns, behavioral management, and trauma recovery.

Sharon's expertise in narcissistic abuse recovery stems from her own personal journey of moving from surviving to thriving. This transformative experience sparked her passion to gain a profound understanding of the various forms of narcissism, including those that are elusive, as well as the cycle of narcissistic abuse. Her unwavering commitment is to guide others through their own paths of survival and healing. Currently, she is authoring a book on this subject, sharing her wisdom and insights with those in need.

Sharon runs an on-line private practice, A New View Counseling, PLLC, in Austin, Texas.

https://www.sharonbienlpc.com/

In this episode we are talking to Courtney Brame and his mission to destigmatize STIs with a focus on Herpes (HSV-2). This is a topic that is often avoided due to shame, judgment or overall emotional discomfort, even though it is more common than you think. It is estimated that worldwide - 1 out of 6 people are living with HSV-2. Courtney combines his personal journey, curiosity, and presence to destigmatize this prevalent health condition and provide support to individuals grappling with the diagnosis or supporting someone who is.

Courtney W. Brame is a sexual and mental health advocate for people struggling with their positive herpes status. Diagnosed with the virus himself in 2013, he stumbled through the stigma from all sides, including communication with health care providers, potential sexual partners, family, friends, and most important — his relationship to himself. This was brought to light in 2017 when Courtney began researching herpes groups, only to find others struggling with their diagnosis to the point of expressing suicide ideation. This led to the weekly interviews on his podcast, Something Positive for Positive People, which is now a 501c3 nonprofit organization that offers donation-based mentorship, community, along with the free support resources for people navigating all aspects of herpes stigma.

Website: https://www.spfpp.org/

IG: @courtneybrame_

TikTok: @courtneybrame_

Podcast: Something Positive for Positive People

Check out Courtney’s Inaugural Herpes Conference to learn more about HSV-S, find support and gain community!!

Conference: www.spfpp.org/events/spfpp-virtual-conference

Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Pleasure Principal, where we take a deep dive into the world of sexual exploration, self-discovery, and the right to pleasure. In this episode, we have a truly special guest - my own mother. We'll be journeying through her personal sexual evolution, from the silent household she grew up in where the subject was taboo, to the societal messages that tainted her perception with guilt and anxiety - "good girls don't do that."

We'll delve into her struggles with discomfort and pain and ultimately, her triumphant embrace of her inherent right to pleasure. This episode promises to be a compelling narrative of transformation, grit, and a woman's refusal to be shackled by societal norms. So, buckle up as we embark on this remarkable journey, and remember, the right to pleasure is not a luxury, but a necessity.

https://thepleasureprinciples.co/podcast/

https://www.facebook.com/The.Pleazure.Principal/

https://www.instagram.com/the.pleasure.principal/

https://twitter.com/pleasure_tammy