What You’ll Learn (And Why You Need to Listen): If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body—or wondered if you’d ever feel desire again after trauma, emotional pain, or childbirth trauma—this episode is for you. Inside, we unpack how: Sexual trauma recovery is possible even after years of shutdownEpisiotomy trauma can create long-term tension and avoidance in your bodyHigh-achieving women can unconsciously suppress desire and pleasureReclaiming sensuality starts with nervous system healing and embodied safetyThe Bring Him Closer method works when therapy has plateaued If you're tired of pushing through intimacy, tired of feeling "off," or secretly worried you’ll never fully enjoy sex again... hit play. Have you ever wondered why your body resists intimacy even when your heart craves connection? Or questioned if you’d ever feel true desire again after trauma, childbirth, or emotional disconnect? If you’ve felt the heartbreak of sexual shutdown, you’re far from alone. In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode, I sit down with Marianne Van Katwijk—a sex therapist, hypnotherapist, and mother—who courageously shares her story of physical trauma after childbirth and the journey it sparked: from pain, numbness, and emotional withdrawal to embodied pleasure, trust, and a new relationship with her feminine self. That’s just one of the reasons I knew Marianne’s voice belonged on this podcast. With nearly 10 years of professional experience and a deeply personal understanding of what it means to heal sexually, Marianne is a beacon for women navigating the silent struggles of intimacy. Her insights are not only validating—they’re liberating. What makes this conversation even more special is that Marianne is not just a guest—she's a client of the Bring Him Closer Academy. After experiencing a profound connection that left her heartbroken and confused, she joined the Academy to heal not just her intimacy, but the relational patterns that kept repeating in her love life. Inside the academy, we worked together to help her reconnect with her emotional truth, soften her masculine protector energy, and restore trust in her feminine power—without overriding her trauma. This conversation is your gentle permission slip to stop pushing through, pretending you’re fine, or performing pleasure. It’s your invitation to start feeling again—deeply, safely, fully. Inside this episode, Marianne shares: The truth about episiotomy trauma and how it impacts desireWhy your body tenses, shuts down, or “goes dry” after emotional painThe surprising reason so many high-functioning women feel numb in intimacyWhat self-pleasure can reveal (and heal) in your nervous systemHow the Bring Him Closer method helped her shift emotionally and energetically This episode is for you if: Sex feels like something you endure instead of enjoyYou’re secretly worried you’re “not normal” for avoiding intimacyYou’re tired of therapy, but still feel stuck in your bodyYou want to rediscover the part of you that used to feel alive, sensual, and open Wherever you are on your healing journey, this episode offers more than insight—it offers hope. Guests Resources: Visit: https://www.mariannevankatwijk.com/about Connect with Marianne on Instagram Connect with Marianne on LinkedIn Click play to hear all of this and: 00:00 – Introduction & Welcoming Marianne 00:45 – Marianne’s Background: From Occupational Therapy to Psychology 02:00 – Getting into University and Becoming a Psychologist 03:00 – Birth Trauma: Episiotomy and Its Impact on Sex 04:00 – Emotional & Physical Shutdown in Intimacy 05:10 – Partner’s Response and Emotional Support 06:00 – Beginning the Healing Journey: Reading, Courses, and Coaches 06:45 – Self-Pleasure Practice and Frustration in Early Attempts 07:30 – The Cheat Code to Reconnecting with Your Body 08:10 – Importance of Felt Sensation and Hypnotherapy 08:50 – Feminine Embodiment and Emotional Connection 09:40 – Spirituality, Sensitivity, and Sexual Expression 10:30 – Shifting from Performance to Embodiment 11:20 – How Emotions Anchor Intimacy and Presence 12:10 – Desire Discrepancy in Long-Term Relationships 13:10 – Creating a List of What You Gain from Sex 14:30 – Responsive vs. Spontaneous Desire 15:30 – Initiating from Self-Connection 16:50 – Tailoring Approaches for Different Feminine Archetypes 18:00 – Letting Go of Old Relationships to Step Forward 19:00 – Healing Through Breakup and New Self-Awareness 21:00 – How the Bring Him Closer Academy Helped Shift Marianne’s Energy 23:00 – Final Reflections: From Brokenness to Empowered Sensuality
