What Excites Us!

Gwyn Isaacs
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  • SEXUALITY
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

What Excites Us! is a podcast about sexuality, pleasure, and being human. Hosted by certified clinical sexologist Gwyn Isaacs, this show explores what turns us on, what holds us back, and how we can reclaim our desires without shame. Through honest conversations, personal stories, and expert interviews, Gwyn invites you to get curious, get real, and reconnect with what truly excites you — in bed and beyond. Whether you’re just starting to explore or ready to go deeper, this is a space where pleasure is valid, desire is welcome, and you are never too much.

  1. FEB 20

    Feel Safe in Your Body Again: incl. a guided nervous system practice to rebuild trust

    What if your body isn’t broken… it’s protecting you? After trauma, many people feel disconnected from their bodies. Touch can feel overwhelming. Pleasure can feel distant. And safety can feel like something that belongs to other people. In this masterclass replay with trauma recovery coach Arci Grey, we explore how to begin rebuilding trust with your body through gentle, guided nervous system practices you can follow along with. This episode includes grounding exercises, breathwork, and simple somatic tools designed to help you reconnect with yourself without forcing or pushing past your edges. We also talk about shame, dissociation, and why your body’s responses during trauma don’t mean what you may have feared they meant. Healing doesn’t happen by overriding your body. It happens by learning to feel safe inside it again. You are not broken. And you don’t have to rush. In this episode, we explore: • Why safety must come before pleasure • The difference between sex, intimacy, and pleasure • How trauma affects the nervous system and body trust • Why shame after trauma is so common • What genital non-concordance is and why it matters • How dissociation and disconnection show up in daily life • Gentle, guided exercises to help you reconnect with your body • How small, repeatable practices create lasting change This episode includes guided nervous system exercises you can follow along with, including grounding, breathwork, and somatic awareness practices designed to help you reconnect with your body in a way that feels supportive and safe. This is not about forcing yourself forward. This is about starting exactly where you are. Explore more episodes and resources: https://whatexcitesus.com Learn more about Arci Grey: https://arcigrey.com If this episode resonated, follow the show and share it with someone who might need this reminder. Safety, trust, and pleasure can be rebuilt. One small step at a time.

    55 min

  2. FEB 6

    Chemistry Isn't Enough: The 3 Pillars to Great Sex with Deborah Kat

    Chemistry can spark attraction… but it rarely sustains intimacy. In this episode, Gwyn Isaacs talks with Deborah Kat about what actually carries relationships past the honeymoon phase: empowerment, communication, and pleasure skills. If you’ve ever felt deeply connected at first… and then slowly confused about why desire faded, this conversation offers a grounded, compassionate reframe. Deborah Kat is a sex expert, tantric educator, professional dom, and host of The Better Sex Podcast. Together, she and Gwyn unpack the myth that chemistry alone is enough and explore the real skills that sustain intimacy over time… skills most of us were never taught. This episode dives into Deborah’s three pillars of great sex and relationships: Empowerment — knowing your yes, your no, and your wants Communication — timing, tone, nervous system safety, and repair Pleasure skills — touch, attunement, curiosity, and practice Along the way, they talk about how cultural scripts (romance novels, sitcoms, movies) quietly sabotage real relationships, why fantasies don’t equal obligations, and how treating relationship like a lab instead of a performance can bring more ease, safety, and desire. You’ll also hear: Why willingness and permission matter more than “doing it right” How pleasure is a learned skill, not instinct Common communication mistakes couples make around sex How to start hard conversations without pressure or shutdown A grounding boundary practice for knowing what’s yours (and what’s not) This is a thoughtful, practical, deeply human conversation about intimacy as something you practice, not something you magically master. Links & Resources Deborah Kat’s website + Relationship Lab PDF: https://deborahkat.com Deborah’s podcast: The Better Sex Podcast Join Gwyn’s email list: https://whatexcitesus.com Learn more about the Reclaiming You in person retreat: ReclaimingYou.net Sponsor: Momotaro Apotheca Plant-based intimate care supporting vulva comfort and pleasure Use code GWYN20 for 20% off: https://momotaroapotheca.com

    44 min

  3. JAN 23

    From Survivor to Sovereign - Trauma, Identity, and Embodied Leadership with Dr. Lisha Antiqua

    From survivor to sovereign … without turning “healing” into a full-time job. Dr. Lisha Antiqua (soul psychologist, founder of Your Own University) joins me for a conversation about post-traumatic growth, identity reclamation, and why trauma is an injury … not a life sentence, not a personality trait, and definitely not proof you’re broken. We talk about why pleasure can feel unsafe after trauma, how to start with “micro-pleasures” that don’t overwhelm your nervous system, and how to shift from coping forever into actually living. We also get into Lisha’s Reclaim Intimacy work (brain, heart, and “part”) and the stages many survivors move through as they become leaders … Rebuilder, Messenger, Architect. We wrap with where to find Lisha, what she’s teaching at the Women Thrive Summit, and what she’s building next.   We unpack: Post-traumatic growth (and what it looks like in real life) Why pleasure can feel terrifying after sexual trauma “Micro-pleasures” and nervous system re-patterning (without forcing anything) Identity reclamation … and why you don’t have to stay in the identity of “healing” Reclaim Intimacy: reconnecting brain, heart, and “part” The stages of leadership after trauma: Rebuilder, Messenger, Architect Building a platform, a message, and a legacy from lived experience Connect with Dr. Lisha Antiqua: lishaantiqua.com yourownuniversity.com TikTok + Facebook: Dr. Lisha Antiqua   The Women Thrive Summit: Watch both Dr. Lisha and my talks free by registering here   More from me / the show: whatexcitesus.com   And don't forget to get your vulva care products from: Momotaro Apotheca https://momotaroapotheca.com/GWYN20 or code GWYN20 at checkout

    40 min

  4. JAN 9

    The Hidden Connections between Sex, Food and Health with Dr. Dawn Dalili

    What if your “health issues” aren’t just hormones… or willpower… or the latest supplement trend? In this episode, Gwyn talks with Dr. Dawn Dalili, a naturopathic physician who connects the dots between sex, food, shame, boundaries, and what we allow ourselves to feel. We dig into how emotional eating often isn’t about hunger, why guilt is a reliable pleasure-killer, how “being safe” can show up as weight, pain, or fatigue… and the concept that might change everything: the pleasure ceiling, aka how good you believe you’re allowed to feel. You’ll also hear practical ways to rebuild trust with your body (starting with how you eat), plus why “feeling better” can accidentally turn into “doing more”… unless you build space for actual satisfaction.   Please visit Dr. Dalili at dawndalili.com And Gwyn at WhatExcitesUs.com   Don't forget Momotaro Apotheca ( use code GWYN20 for 20% off).

    1h 3m

  5. 12/12/2025

    Conflict Happens - The Polyamory Paradox with Irene Morning

    If you’ve ever wondered why opening your relationship feels exciting and like your nervous system is staging a coup… this episode is your new best friend.  In this conversation, I sit down with somatic coach, pleasure witch, and bestselling author Irene Morning, whose book The Polyamory Paradox finally names the body-based realities of non-monogamy that most people tiptoe around. We talk about:  • how your body reacts to big relationship transitions • why “thinking it through” only gets you so far • jealousy, conflict, and co-triggering… and what to do when it all goes sideways • the difference between what someone says and what you hear • listening to your body when you’ve spent years overriding it • micro-practices for regulation, repair, and pleasure • permission to be poly, permission to be monogamous… permission to be YOU Irene brings humor, nuance, lived experience, and the kind of grounded wisdom that makes everything feel less overwhelming and more possible. Whether you’re polyamorous, poly-curious, monogamous, or still deciding… this episode gives you real tools for real relationships, rooted in body awareness and compassion.   4sjL0GleleZTOOXVexbI

    48 min

  6. 11/03/2025

    Exploring Psilocybin’s Healing Potential with Amory Jane

    What if the same medicine that helps you face your shadows could also melt sexual shame and reconnect you to pleasure? This week I sit down with Amory Jane—sex educator, mom, and one of Oregon’s first licensed psilocybin facilitators—to talk about the very real places where psychedelics and sexuality meet. We get into the messy, beautiful stuff: what “set and setting” actually look like in the real world, how a facilitated journey unfolds start-to-finish, and why integration (not the trip) is where so much healing lands. Amory shares how Measure 109 opened the door in Oregon, what a skilled facilitator does (and never does), and the ways psilocybin can support folks navigating anxiety, depression, PTSD, and PMDD. We also dig into releasing sexual shame, learning to trust your body again, and building relationships with more honesty and consent. Plus, yes—her delightfully nerdy side project: handcrafted, sex-positive furniture. If you’re curious about legal psychedelic work, trauma-aware sex education, or you just want a compassionate, grounded conversation about healing and pleasure—this one’s for you. Find Amory Jane: Website: https://www.amoryjane.com/ Psilocybin services (Fractal Soul / Triumphant Unfolding): https://www.triumphantunfolding.com/ Sex-positive furniture: Amory.Design

    59 min

  7. 11/03/2025

    OCD, Anxiety & Intimacy: Why We Don't Talk About It (But We Should) - An Encore Episode

    What if the thoughts you were most ashamed of weren’t actually you—but symptoms of OCD?  And what if those thoughts were silently sabotaging your intimacy, relationships, and sense of self?   Most people think OCD is only about handwashing and perfectionism—but what happens when it shows up in your sex life, your relationships, or the thoughts you’re terrified to say out loud? In this episode, I’m joined by licensed clinical social worker Sarah Hazleton to explore the lesser-known faces of OCD, including relationship OCD, sexual intrusive thoughts, and “Pure O.” We talk about how OCD hijacks intimacy, triggers shame, and convinces people they are their thoughts—when they’re not. Sarah explains what OCD actually is, why intrusive thoughts are so common (and so misunderstood), and the gold-standard treatment that works: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). We also discuss how to find the right therapist, red flags to watch for, and why traditional talk therapy can actually make OCD worse. If you or someone you love has ever thought: ❌ “What if I secretly don’t love my partner?” ❌ “What if I’m attracted to the ‘wrong’ person?” ❌ “What if my thoughts mean something is deeply wrong with me?” —this episode is the one you’ve been waiting for. 🧠 Article referenced: https://www.verywellmind.com/impact-of-ocd-on-sex-life-5086811 🌿 Connect with Sarah: https://www.hazeltoncounseling.com Released in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. Because intrusive thoughts don’t make you broken—they make you human. And help is possible.

    59 min

  8. 11/03/2025

    Aging and the Power of Pleasure with CJ

    Aging isn’t the end of desire—it can be the gateway to your erotic evolution. 💥 In this conversation, CJ of No Shame with CJ shares how she went from quiet and compliant to boldly pursuing pleasure, non-monogamy, and kink—and why midlife is the perfect time to rewrite the rules. We get into hormone shifts, self-advocacy with doctors, queering jealousy, and building a pleasure practice that supports brain health and longevity. If you’ve ever wondered, “Is it too late for me?” this one’s your permission slip. Connect with CJ and grab her freebies: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noshamewithcj Website: https://www.noshamewithcj.com/

    56 min
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About

What Excites Us! is a podcast about sexuality, pleasure, and being human. Hosted by certified clinical sexologist Gwyn Isaacs, this show explores what turns us on, what holds us back, and how we can reclaim our desires without shame. Through honest conversations, personal stories, and expert interviews, Gwyn invites you to get curious, get real, and reconnect with what truly excites you — in bed and beyond. Whether you’re just starting to explore or ready to go deeper, this is a space where pleasure is valid, desire is welcome, and you are never too much.

Information

  • Creator
    Gwyn Isaacs
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    What Excites Us!