The Sanctuary

Israel Ekanem

5.0 (2)
PERSONAL JOURNALS
UPDATED DAILY

A safe space to speak from the heart.

FEB 6

Reequal Smith - Founder / Artistic Director - Oshun Dance Studios

Reequal Smith is a multidisciplinary artist, choreographer, and cultural leader from the Bahamas, now based in Prince Edward Island. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Oshun Dance Studios, where she fuses Caribbean traditions with contemporary movement to create spaces of celebration and reclamation for Black and Caribbean communities. An alumna of Holland College’s School of Performing Arts, her works include Calypso Secrets, Elysium, Unfold, and Caribbean Flamingo. She has collaborated with Neptune Theatre, River Clyde Pageant, Kemi Craig, and Charles Campbell. In 2025, she received the Kerri Wynne MacLeod Women of Impact Award and Diane Moore Creation Award, recognising her artistry and commitment to equity in the arts. Learn more about her @oshundance

46 min
FEB 6

Alex Van Hoff - Writer / Therapist

Alex, a writer, woodworker, and licensed therapist with over a decade in the BDSM community, pulls back the curtain on the world of dominance and submission. He shares his unexpected journey from a “vanilla” life to building his own home dungeon, revealing how his professional background as a therapist fundamentally shaped his approach to kink. He delves into the intricate ethics of power exchange, explaining the detailed psychological and physical assessments he conducts with new partners to build trust and establish boundaries before any play begins. He discusses the nuanced differences between humiliation and degradation, the distinction between a Dominant/submissive and a Master/slave dynamic, and the profound responsibility that comes with wielding power over another person. With candour and insight, Alex reflects on the importance of vulnerability for a Dominant, the dangers of narcissism in the scene, and offers crucial advice for both newcomers and seasoned practitioners on how to navigate BDSM with safety, respect, and authenticity.

41 min
FEB 3

Echo 202 - Host / Event Organiser / Erotica Writer

Echo shares her personal "kink origin story," tracing her journey from childhood curiosity to becoming an event organiser. She recounts how early online research led to virtual workshops, mentorship, and eventually local munches, all while navigating the initial overwhelm of discovering the "Fet-verse." She opens up about her motivations for starting her own events: a desire to combat the pressure to play, ensure women feel safe, and increase visibility for people of colour and diverse gender identities within predominantly white spaces. Echo discusses the practicalities of vetting attendees, organising security, and the thoughtful process behind her themed parties. The conversation delves into her personal explorations with kink, which she frames as acts of reclaiming autonomy and challenging sexual shame. Echo emphasises the mental and emotional aspects of kink, the critical importance of aftercare, and how she assesses play partners through consistency and genuine communication. Offering advice for newcomers, Echo encourages starting with education and virtual communities to build confidence before stepping into physical spaces. Tune in for a candid discussion on building trust, fostering representation, and creating joy on your own terms within the kink world. Echo is a young black woman who found herself researching and discovering about the kink/BDSM lifestyle through group chat and kink social online platforms such as Fet. Part of her self-discovery journey is to help others learn, discover and appreciate their kinks and fetishes while focusing on connection, acceptance and communication. In between hosting events, Echo writes erotica stories that stemmed mostly from her fantasy world. Outside of kink, Echo is a mother, wife, teacher, traveller, enthusiast and passionate about learning

40 min
JAN 14

daniika - Educational BDSM Content Creator

daniika is a writer, event organiser, and aspiring educator in the BDSM community. She’s a collared neurodivergent slave and leathergirl that lives in a 24/7 total power exchange Master/slave dynamic. Her writing focuses on her lived experience as a consensual slave, and on the knowledge she’s gained under her Master’s guidance. daniika is also the leader of Spokane’s Power Exchange Together chapter, where she facilitates discussions about building and maintaining dynamics. Along with her Master and her sister slave, she is a founding member of House Praxis, a Leather and M/s family whose mission is to be a resource for relatable education on sustainable and ethical power exchange.

44 min
JAN 13

Damir Fisher - Social Media Marketer/ Creative Portrait Photographer

Damir Fisher, the founder and creative force behind DF Media, shares his unconventional journey from streaming video games in his mom's basement to becoming a sought-after photographer and videographer. He reveals how a job as a restaurant server became his unexpected business school, teaching him the human connection skills that are now the foundation of his brand. He pulls back the curtain on his philosophy: that genuine relationships, not transactions, drive a successful creative business. He discusses why he believes passion must come before profit, why mastering editing is more critical than buying expensive gear, and how he built a content strategy by listening to what his audience truly wanted to learn. Learn how Damir transformed a side hustle into a fulfilling career by focusing on what came naturally, helping others grow creatively, and learn why he thinks the best business plan is to stop treating your passion like a business in the first place. Check him out @iamdfmedia

25 min
JAN 7

Courtney Boyer - Relationship Coach / Writer

In this episode of the podcast, Courtney gets raw about the loneliness, shame, and societal judgment she’s faced while living a “monogamous-looking life” in a small military town in Germany. She shares the psychedelic trip that made her realise she was polyamorous (after finding poly people “so annoying”), how opening her marriage completely reshaped her relationship with herself and her body, and the misconceptions about capacity and hierarchy that nearly burned her out. Courtney Boyer, M.Ed., M.S., is a therapist-turned-relationship coach, writer, and speaker whose work centres on love, desire, and authenticity. She has been featured in The New York Post, Cosmopolitan, The Huffington Post, and BBC Radio Live. Drawing on her background in mental health and sex therapy, she brings a unique blend of professional expertise and lived experience to conversations around relationships and identity. When she isn’t writing or coaching, Courtney can be found chasing joy—travelling, reading, or savouring delicious coffee and deep conversation. She is passionate about helping women break free from shame, reclaim their bodies and voices, and create relationships rooted in honesty and autonomy. Courtney lives in Germany with her husband and three children, where she is still learning, unlearning, and writing the next chapter of her story. Learn more @courtneyboyercoaching

33 min
2025-12-10

Danielle - Writer/Creator/Educator

Danielle Narveson is a writer, content creator, and the voice behind Openly Committed, where she shares honest stories about marriage, motherhood, and ethical non-monogamy. With a background in strategy and storytelling, she brings a fresh, deeply personal perspective to topics such as jealousy, boundaries, identity, and long-term partnerships. Her videos and essays reach millions of people looking for a more honest, expansive way to think about relationships. What does it take to build a thriving open relationship that lasts for over 15 years? In this profoundly honest episode of The Sanctuary, host Israel sits down with Danielle, the creator behind the popular platform Openly Committed. Danielle pulls back the curtain on her long-term polyamorous journey with her husband, from the first two years of trial and error to navigating parenthood, perimenopause, and the emotional challenge of telling her conservative Texan parents. She gets raw about the realities that often get glossed over, sharing why she rarely feels "compersion," why she and her husband abandoned the "veto" power, and how their communication has had to evolve through every life stage. This is a masterclass in the practicalities and emotions of ethical non-monogamy, filled with hard-won wisdom for anyone curious about relationships of any kind. You’ll hear about: The "Coming Out" Playbook: The six-year journey to telling her parents, including the powerful letter from her religious mother that offers a blueprint for unconditional love.Beyond the Hype: Danielle’s candid take on jealousy, the myth of constant "compersion," and why she no longer believes in strict rules like "veto power."Logistics of Love: How they manage time, privacy, and introducing partners to their children while running a business and writing a book.Advice for the Curious: Her top three pieces of advice for opening a relationship, starting with the most important question: "Why?"The Polyamorous Toolbox: What monogamous relationships can learn from polyamory about communication, jealousy, and granting freedom. Whether you're polyamorous, monogamous, or simply interested in the complexities of human connection, this conversation is a treasure trove of actionable insights about building a relationship on your own terms. Follow Danielle’s work: Openly Committed on Substack @openlycommitted on Instagram

51 min
2025-09-15

OG Mage - Artist

In this captivating episode of The Sanctuary, rising Nigerian artist OG Mage dives deep into his incredible journey from software engineer to full-time musician. OG Mage opens up about the viral success of his breakout hit "Head of State," revealing how a simple Instagram reel with a flute sample turned into one of the most talked-about drill songs. He shares the wild story of shooting the music video in just two days with help from his Abuja community, proving that grassroots support can create magic. The conversation explores his creative process, from his university days coordinating a Christian rap group to collaborating with legendary Nigerian rapper Ill Bliss on "Like An OG." OG Mage discusses his unique approach to features, his spiritual connection to music-making, and the stories behind his captivating cover art designs. Beyond the music, he reveals his multifaceted background as a digital artist and software engineer who taught himself to code by writing out the code on paper before he even had a laptop. From working at MTN to his recent role at D Brand, he explains how he finally leapt to pursue music full-time. Looking ahead, OG Mage teases his upcoming EP "The Calm" and hints at "The Storm" - a major project featuring collaborations with established artists like Skales. Throughout the conversation, his core message rings clear: consistency is everything. This episode offers an intimate look at an artist who's building something authentic in the Nigerian music scene, one collaboration and one consistent step at a time. Check him out @ogmagegram

37 min

5

out of 5

2 Ratings

A safe space to speak from the heart.

Creator

Israel Ekanem
Years Active

2021 - 2026
Episodes

162
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Copyright 2026 Israel Ekanem
Show Website

The Sanctuary