Sovereign Self

Megan Phippen, MA LPC
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Sexuality
  • Updated Weekly

Sovereign Self is a podcast about erotic embodiment, relational sovereignty, and intimacy as a lived practice. Hosted by Megan Phippen, a licensed sex and relationship therapist, the show explores the relationship between sex, love, and spirit through a grounded, body-based lens. Sovereign Self invites you to unlearn inherited shame, question conditioned relationship norms, and cultivate a deeper relationship with desire, sensation, and truth. Liberation begins inside your own skin.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Ep 12: Shame and the Threshold of Desire

    Most of us are not afraid of desire. We are afraid of what happens when we actually follow it. This episode sits right at that edge. The moment you arrive at what you want and then collapse, not because the desire wasn't real, but because something old and protective shows up first. Shame is sneaky. It doesn't look the way you expect it to. And this episode is about learning to see it. Here's what we get into: Why desire and fear expand together, and what it actually means to grow your capacity to hold both The wall people hit when they arrive at the threshold of something they want, and why it almost always has nothing to do with the desire itself How shame hides in the relational moves we make after, not in the thing we did, and why it is so hard to catch in the moment The difference between caring about impact and needing approval, and why one is contact and the other is extraction What it looks like to bring something forward in relationship from a place of genuine connection rather than a reaching for absolution Why the real initiation of desire is not whether you can have the thing, but whether you can become the person who can hold it This episode is dedicated to everyone who is stepping into new territory right now. Who is following something true and alive and necessary, and also interfacing with the fear that comes along with it. You are not doing it wrong. This is what the practice actually looks like. Follow me on Instagram: ⁠@sovereignself.love⁠ Join my email list: ⁠Join my email list — Sovereignself.love⁠ Website: ⁠https://www.sovereignself.love

    1h 4m

  2. May 22

    Ep 11: Your Liberation Is Inside of Your Anger

    Anger has been alive in the field lately. My clients are feeling it, the collective is feeling it, and I woke up this morning feeling it too. So instead of waiting for it to settle, I recorded from inside it. What follows is me making the case for why anger is not the thing to get past and why your relationship with it is actually the path to liberation. Here's what we get into: Why anger and arousal run on the same current, and what that means for your capacity to feel pleasure, desire, and aliveness in the body The difference between clean anger and reactive rage, and how suppressing the first one leads directly to the second Subtle self-abandonment: the small moments of sweeping frustration under the rug to keep the peace, and how that quietly erodes both the relationship and yourself What actually happens in the sympathetic nervous system when anger moves through you, and why embodiment is not a meditation posture A lion's breath practice to move heat through the body when the charge is high The question I bring myself and my clients: what standard is your anger holding you to? Anger is a compass. It doesn't arise around things that don't matter. It arises around something you are not willing to betray. Follow me on Instagram: @sovereignself.love Join my email list: Join my email list — Sovereignself.love Website: https://www.sovereignself.love

    31 min

  3. May 18

    Ep 10: Erotic Embodiment in the Age of Sexual Fragmentation with Sureya Part 2

    In this episode, Sureya and I explore the nuance of what people often call “leaky” sexual energy and why these conversations around sexuality, desire, and intimacy are rarely as black and white as the internet makes them seem. Together, we unpack how unconscious relational patterns, nervous system responses, and cultural conditioning shape the way we express, suppress, or outsource our erotic energy. This conversation weaves through themes of conscious relationships, sexual embodiment, attachment styles, and nervous system regulation in relationships, while inviting a more honest and compassionate relationship with desire itself. At its core, this episode is about learning how to stay connected to yourself inside intimacy, rather than abandoning yourself for validation, performance, or control. Here, we explore: The difference between authentic erotic expression vs. unconscious, “leaky” sexual dynamics A nuanced conversation around repression, overexpression, shame, validation, and the complexity of modern sexuality How attachment wounds, trauma responses, and conditioning shape intimacy and relational behavior The role of embodiment, self awareness, and emotional responsibility in creating healthier relationships Why reclaiming your sexuality and learning to trust your own body changes the way you relate to love, desire, and connection Sureya Leonara is a Holistic Sex & Relationship Coach and Writer with a kink for sucking the marrow from each moment. Her work collapses outdated identities, expands capacity to stay with discomfort, and lives at the wild edge where fear and desire make eye contact and learn to breathe together. Free “Making Love with Life” Practice: https://blue-block-67264.myflodesk.com/nxsyaw1wyh Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/alchemyoferos Follow me on Instagram: @‌sovereignself.love Join my email list: https://sovereignself.myflodesk.com/emailsignup Website: ⁠⁠https://www.sovereignself.love⁠

    45 min

  4. May 8

    Ep 9: Erotic Embodiment in the Age of Sexual Fragmentation with Sureya Leonara Part 1

    This episode felt like dropping into the living edge between sexuality, embodiment, desire, and truth. Sureya and I explore what it means to relate to erotic energy as life force itself, not something confined to the bedroom, but something woven through creativity, connection, intimacy, and the way we inhabit our bodies. We talk about nervous system regulation in relationships, somatic healing, conscious relationships, and the ways conditioning disconnects us from our authentic self and sexual embodiment. This conversation is raw, relational, deeply alive, and an invitation to reclaim your sexuality without shame or fragmentation. In this episode, we explore: Why erotic energy is not separate from creativity, spirituality, or embodied intimacy How nervous system regulation and emotional regulation impact desire, attraction, and connection The link between somatic healing, attachment style, and sexual expression in relationships What happens when we suppress desire, disconnect from sensation, or abandon our authentic self How conscious relationships require vulnerability, self trust, and the capacity to stay present with fear, intimacy, and uncertainty Sureya Leonara is a Holistic Sex & Relationship Coach and Writer with a kink for sucking the marrow from each moment. Her work collapses outdated identities, expands capacity to stay with discomfort, and lives at the wild edge where fear and desire make eye contact and learn to breathe together. Free “Making Love with Life” Practice: https://blue-block-67264.myflodesk.com/nxsyaw1wyh Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/alchemyoferos Follow Sureya on Instagram: ⁠@‌alchemy.of.eros⁠ ⁠Holistic Sex & Relationship Coach | Sureya Leonara Follow me on Instagram: @‌sovereignself.love Join my email list: https://sovereignself.myflodesk.com/emailsignup Website: ⁠⁠https://www.sovereignself.love⁠

    1 hr

  5. May 1

    Ep 8: Activated & Alive - Staying Present with Fear, Anger & Your Truth

    In this episode, I’m bringing you directly into a real-time, activated moment in my body, because this is where the work actually lives. This isn’t about being perfectly regulated; it’s about staying with yourself in the intensity, practicing emotional regulation, and choosing how you respond from your authentic self. We explore what it really means to be in conscious relationships, where truth, fear, and connection are all in the room at once. This conversation is an invitation into deeper self trust, sexual embodiment, and the kind of embodied intimacy that begins within. Together, we dive into: What nervous system regulation in relationships actually looks like beyond being “calm” and how to stay present with fear, activation, and truth The fawn response, how it forms, and how it disconnects us from our voice, anger, and self trust Reclaiming anger as healthy, protective energy and why it’s essential for boundaries, truth, and breaking cycles The two core fears underneath people-pleasing: losing connection vs. losing yourself and how they shape your relational patterns How practicing honesty in real time supports your mental health, deepens embodied intimacy, and brings you back into alignment with your truth Follow me on Instagram: @‌sovereignself.love Join my email list: https://sovereignself.myflodesk.com/emailsignup Website: ⁠⁠https://www.sovereignself.love⁠

    31 min

  6. Apr 24

    Ep 7: Novelty and Erotic Aliveness

    In this episode, we explore the subtle but powerful relationship between novelty, perception, and our erotic aliveness. I’m inviting you into a deeper inquiry around how desire isn’t something we chase, but something we reconnect to through presence, awareness, and sexual embodiment. This conversation weaves together nervous system regulation in relationships, attention, and the ways we unintentionally disconnect from our own vital sexuality. If you’ve been feeling flat, disconnected, or like your desire has gone missing, this is a return to your authentic self and the aliveness that’s already here. Together, we explore: How novelty awakens the nervous system and reopens access to desire, pleasure, and erotic wellness The difference between consuming stimulation vs. being in true, present contact with your life and relationships Why “low desire” is often a perception issue, not a problem, and how to shift it through awareness and staying present The role of awe, anticipation, and imagination as gateways into deeper intimacy and embodied aliveness How to bring curiosity and newness back into long-term relationships by seeing your partner (and yourself) as ever-evolving beings Follow me on Instagram: @‌sovereignself.love Join my email list: https://sovereignself.myflodesk.com/emailsignup Website: ⁠⁠https://www.sovereignself.love⁠

    31 min

  7. Apr 16

    Ep 6: The Cost of Fragmentation

    In this episode, I’m naming something deeper beneath the surface of sexual harm, shame, and silence… what happens when we become disconnected from our bodies and our truth. This conversation moves into the territory of nervous system regulation in relationships, and how our capacity (or lack of it) shapes consent, boundaries, and voice. I explore what it really means to choose self trust and reconnect to your authentic self in a culture that has taught you to override both. This is an invitation into reclaiming your sexuality not just as personal healing, but as something much bigger, something that impacts how we show up in the world, in relationship, and in power. We explore: Why sexual harm cannot be understood without looking at nervous systems, and how dysregulation impacts our ability to recognize and respond to violation The role of shame in silencing our experiences, and how it disrupts our connection to self trust and embodied knowing Understanding freeze, fawn, and override responses and why they are not consent, but survival Reclaiming the “inner predator” as a necessary part of healthy boundaries, protection, and fully integrated sexual desires How reclaiming your sexuality becomes a path back to your authentic self, and why this work is both deeply personal and inherently collective Follow me on Instagram: @‌sovereignself.love Join my email list: https://sovereignself.myflodesk.com/emailsignup Website: ⁠⁠https://www.sovereignself.love⁠

    29 min

  8. Apr 11

    Ep 5: How to Actually Talk About Sex

    In this episode, I’m dropping you into the heart of what it actually takes to talk about sex without abandoning yourself. As a sex and relationship therapist, I see over and over that most people aren’t struggling because they don’t care; they’re struggling because their nervous systems were never given the conditions to feel safe enough for honesty. This conversation walks you into the foundations of conscious relationships, sexual embodiment, and the real work of staying connected to yourself while bringing your desire into the space between you. If you’ve been wanting deeper, clearer, more embodied intimacy, this is where it begins. Here’s what we explore inside this episode: Why most communication “tools” don’t work without nervous system regulation in relationships How cultural conditioning and shame shape our sexual expression long before we ever have sex What makes desire difficult to name and why somatic curiosity is essential for somatic healing A simple, powerful framework for navigating vulnerable conversations about sex How honesty, attunement, and shared language create the conditions for intimacy that feels real Follow me on Instagram: @‌sovereignself.love Join my email list: https://sovereignself.myflodesk.com/emailsignup Website: ⁠⁠https://www.sovereignself.love⁠ Explore my “The Way We Fight” course: https://www.sovereignself.love/the-way-we-fight

    37 min

  9. Apr 2

    Ep 4: Why Talking About Sex Feels Impossible (And Where to Start)

    In this episode, I drop into one of the most foundational pieces of sexual healing: learning to stay with yourself. As a sex and relationship therapist, I see every day how our nervous systems, our conditioning, and our silence shape the ways we relate to desire. This conversation explores why talking about sex feels so hard, what lives underneath that discomfort, and how we begin reclaiming our erotic truth from the inside out. Whether you’re here for conscious relationships, embodied intimacy, or deeper nervous system regulation in relationships, this is where the real work begins. Together we explore: Why cultural conditioning, shame, and avoidance make sexuality one of the hardest conversations in intimacy How your nervous system organizes around desire, vulnerability, and perceived relational threat The difference between performed desire and felt desire, and how somatic inquiry becomes the doorway to authentic intimacy What it means to build erotic sovereignty and trust your inner erotic knowing Why “tips and scripts” fall flat without embodied self-awareness and emotional regulation Follow me on Instagram: @‌sovereignself.love Join my email list: https://sovereignself.myflodesk.com/emailsignup Website: ⁠⁠https://www.sovereignself.love⁠ Explore my “The Way We Fight” course: https://www.sovereignself.love/the-way-we-fight

    34 min

  10. Mar 19

    Ep 3 : Conflict, the Nervous System, and Staying Connected

    In this episode of Sovereign Self, I explore why conflict in relationships can feel so intense and what is actually happening inside the body when we’re activated. As a sex and relationship therapist, I often remind people that conflict is physiological before it is verbal. When our nervous system perceives threat, our capacity for emotional regulation, empathy, and staying present can quickly disappear. Through the lens of trauma informed relationships, we look at how nervous system regulation in relationships allows us to move through rupture in ways that deepen embodied intimacy rather than erode it. Understanding what’s happening in our nervous systems lays the groundwork for embodied sexuality. In this episode we explore: Why conflict activates the nervous system and how our bodies respond through fight, flight, shutdown, or fawning The role of the social engagement system and why losing it makes communication and empathy so difficult How nervous system regulation in relationships expands your capacity to stay present during hard conversations The hidden cost of people pleasing and how the fawn response disrupts authentic connection Why learning to move through conflict consciously is one of the foundations of conscious relationships and deeper intimacy If you enjoyed the podcast, please subscribe & leave a review. Censorship is so prevalent with these topics and I want the Algorithm Daddys to know this is relevant & desired. Follow me on Instagram: @‌sovereignself.love Join my email list: https://sovereignself.myflodesk.com/emailsignup Explore my “The Way We Fight” course: https://www.sovereignself.love/the-way-we-fight Website: ⁠⁠https://www.sovereignself.love⁠

    39 min

  11. Mar 19

    Ep 2: Sexual Sovereignty

    In this episode of Sovereign Self, I’m exploring how the practice of sovereignty shows up in one of the most conditioned areas of our lives: sexuality. As a sex and relationship therapist, I see again and again how inherited shame, cultural messaging, and early relational patterns shape our sexual embodiment, our desires, and our capacity for embodied intimacy. This conversation is about reclaiming your inner signals and learning to trust what your body is actually communicating so you can relate from truth rather than performance. Through a trauma informed relationships lens, we explore how returning to the body and staying present with sensation opens the door to deeper self-trust, authentic connection, and a more honest relationship with your erotic life. In this episode we explore: Why our culture fragments sexuality and how that impacts sexual embodiment and intimacy The hidden sexual scripts we inherit from family, religion, and culture and how they shape desire What sexual sovereignty actually means and how it relates to self trust and authenticity Why comparing your embodied “no” to someone else’s performative “yes” disconnects you from truth How embodied intimacy and conscious self-referencing create the foundation for real connection and choice If you enjoyed the podcast, please subscribe & leave a review. Censorship is so prevalent with these topics and I want the Algorithm Daddys to know this is relevant & desired. Follow me on Instagram: @‌sovereignself.love Join my email list: https://sovereignself.myflodesk.com/emailsignup Explore my “The Way We Fight” course: https://www.sovereignself.love/the-way-we-fight Website: ⁠⁠https://www.sovereignself.love⁠

    25 min

  12. Mar 19

    Ep 1: What Does It Mean to Be Sovereign?

    In the first episode of Sovereign Self, we explore what it truly means to live from sovereignty. Through a somatic and trauma informed relationships lens, we examine how conditioning shapes our identity, our attachment style, and the way we show up in intimacy. This conversation invites you back into the body as the foundation for staying present, rebuilding self trust, and cultivating more conscious relationships. If you’ve ever struggled to balance authenticity with belonging, this episode opens the inquiry into what it means to live and relate from the inside out. In this episode we explore: What sovereignty actually means and why it is not the same as independence How conditioning and early relationships shape our attachment style Why the body is essential for staying present and reconnecting with your authentic self The role of awareness and somatic healing in reclaiming personal power How sovereignty supports deeper intimacy and more conscious relationships If you enjoyed the podcast, please subscribe & leave a review. Censorship is so prevalent with these topics and I want the Algorithm Daddys to know this is relevant & desired. Follow me on Instagram: @‌sovereignself.love Join my email list: https://sovereignself.myflodesk.com/emailsignup Explore my “The Way We Fight” course: https://www.sovereignself.love/the-way-we-fight Website: ⁠https://www.sovereignself.love

    17 min
  • 12 Episodes

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Sovereign Self is a podcast about erotic embodiment, relational sovereignty, and intimacy as a lived practice. Hosted by Megan Phippen, a licensed sex and relationship therapist, the show explores the relationship between sex, love, and spirit through a grounded, body-based lens. Sovereign Self invites you to unlearn inherited shame, question conditioned relationship norms, and cultivate a deeper relationship with desire, sensation, and truth. Liberation begins inside your own skin.

Information

  • Creator
    Megan Phippen, MA LPC
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Megan Phippen, MA LPC
  • Show Website
    Sovereign Self

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