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All life is sacred.
Your body is a living
temple.
Sex is raw life force;
it is connection to all of life.
We are born of sex.
Sexuality is sacred.
What if we had grown up with these life-affirming truths? What
if our sexuality was being honored as our birthright? What if the sanctity of
our bodies was a core value held by society, mirrored by our family and
reflected by our community? What if all consensual explorations of sexuality
were seen as part of our human experience? What if diversity was celebrated and
all individual choices based on consent respected?
In our society, sex is tricky. The invention of the pill and
the sexual revolution of the 60’s have given (foremost white privileged) women
much greater control over their sexuality and made sex outside of conventional
heterosexual marriage acceptable, yet we cannot escape the commercialization of
sex and particularly women as sexual objects and a prevalence of rape culture,
reflecting anything but true sexual liberation.
While the equal rights of non-hetero-normative people are
threatened or denied, sexual assault perpetrators on college campuses so often
walk away free from their violent actions due to a failed justice system and
sexual abuse is a leading health risk for children, most often perpetrated by a
family member or known person.
Often, children who were abused at a young age were robbed
of their natural innocence of exploring their own bodies. An inherent curiosity
about their bodies and the bodies of others and a natural desire for pleasure
has been taken, twisted, and used through the acts of violence and for the selfish
need of the perpetrator. Many who have experienced sexual abuse and the
exploitation of their bodies have learned to mistrust their own bodies and
emotions, and may feel afraid or disconnected from their own sensuality, desires
and experiences of pleasure. Some may have "learned" to hate their bodies or
feel disturbed by their sexual turn-ons and fantasies and some take refuge in
self-punishing or self-denying behaviors.
As therapists or health practitioners, working with those
who have experienced childhood sexual abuse, we assist people in the process of
uncovering and reclaiming their own sensuality, sexuality, desire and passion.
A sex-affirmative or sex-positive approach to trauma-informed
healing encourages and supports survivors to say ‘no’ as much as to say ‘yes’;
to set boundaries as much as to welcome intimacy and ultimately to freely
choose
Those who are healing from sexual abuse and violence can
reclaim their sexuality through the use of hypnotherapy, Reiki or other
trauma-informed care so that they may not only be free from flashbacks in
intimate situations or enjoy sex free of triggers, but clients can also learn
to utilize breathing techniques, guided imagery, dialogue with the body or energy
healing techniques to release blockages that may be preventing a full and
fulfilling sexual expression of the self.
When we work on reclaiming sex, we work not just with our
bodies but also with our minds. Yes, we invite our senses to open to the present
moment and we learn to trust ourselves in the exploration of pleasure. AND we
work on removing the damaging layers of traumatic memories and experiences as
well as societal, cultural and political messages. We help uncover that
authentic core self, that core that is whole and complete and alive with vital
life force. Clients learn to use the power of their own sexual energy as a
positive, creative force in their lives.
To reclaim the sexual self, ones own sexual power, we call
sex back from all the places it was taken from us, we call sex back from former
lovers or those we wish we would not have been lovers with, we call sex back from
those who violated us and those who disappointed, and we call sex back from those
who make us feel sexy and those who don’t. Calling sex back means that this is
your energy. It is life force energy running through all living things. You can
begin to feel this energy up and down through your body connecting you to earth
and sky.
Guiding those who have experienced sexual abuse in the
process of reclaiming sex, we are assisting them also in releasing shame, guilt
and suffering and reclaiming pleasure, passion, power and self-determination.
Having access to our own vital life force allows us to use this energy to fuel
all our endeavors, weather to dance, create art, garden, work, study, stand up
for justice and equal rights or make love with our whole selves.
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Ewa (pronounced Eva) Litauer works as a Certified Clinical and Medical Hypnotherapist (CCHT), Restorative Yoga Teacher and Reiki Master Teacher in the Usui Tradition.
Ewa brings a transpersonal approach to her therapy and teaching work. She draws on various systems of energetic healing, spiritual and meditative practices and a deep foundation in feminist psychology, blending them into a unique model of empowerment to assist everyone in bringing out their best selves. Compassionate, respectful, and caring, she is passionate about guiding people toward greater health and well-being by connecting them to their inner resources.
Ewa offers workshops, classes, and her one-on-one services to various medical and health clinics in the Bay Area, as well as in private practice in SF and she is available for private sessions worldwide on Zoom or Skype. In 2011, she assisted with a study with the University of California investigating the benefits of stretching and Restorative Yoga for the Metabolic Syndrome and she is bringing Restorative Yoga and Reiki workshops to various studios in the SF Bay Area.
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