Sexual Health Alliance

Sexual Health Alliance Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Sexual Health Alliance, 1705 West Koenig Lane, Austin, TX.

The Sexual Health Alliance (SHA) offers sex therapy training, counseling certification, and AASECT-approved education led by top experts in an engaged, diverse, and inclusive community across 6 continents

QUIZ: bit.ly/4l1ZgYU
NEWSLETTER: bit.ly/SHASignUp The Sexual Health Alliance (SHA) promotes an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to sexuality with the goal of fostering cooperation and dialogue among diverse professionals. Throughout the year, SHA facilitates communication among sexual health providers through our signature lecture series, roundtable forums, and educational workshops.

02/18/2026

What If Interco//rse Isn’t the Entrée? 🍽️

In this clip, Kat Kova challenges a script many clients don’t realize they’re following.

When penetrative s//x becomes the default “main course,” performance pressure often follows. Anxiety increases. Creativity decreases. And intimacy narrows into a goal-oriented task.

But what happens when you take interco//rse off the table, even temporarily?

The menu expands. Curiosity returns. Pleasure becomes exploratory instead of evaluative. And for clients navigating performance anxiety, that shift can be transformative.

This kind of narrative-informed, biopsychosocial work, where we unpack internalized beliefs about masculinity, performance, and worth, is exactly what we’re diving into at the Advanced Practitioner Summit: Imago, EMDR, Trauma Healing & Applied S//xology on Feb 21-22: https://s*xualhealthalliance.com/2026-advanced-practitioner-summit

Is Cheating Genetic? 🧬We’re often told infidelity is a moral failure. But research suggests it may also be influenced by...
02/17/2026

Is Cheating Genetic? 🧬

We’re often told infidelity is a moral failure. But research suggests it may also be influenced by biology.

Twin studies estimate that 40–60% of the variation in infidelity can be linked to genetic factors. Early research points to neurochemistry-related systems (like DRD4) that influence novelty-seeking, reward sensitivity, and risk-taking.

Here’s what that actually means.

Neurochemistry fuels the falling-in-love phase. It thrives on anticipation, fantasy, and “what could be.” But the brain adapts. Through a process called habituation, repeated, non-threatening stimuli become less exciting over time. The spark shifts. Chemistry changes. Passion evolves.

For some people, that neurochemistry drop can feel like restlessness, emptiness, or anhedonia (a loss of pleasure). And novelty can start to look like relief.

But nuance matters. There is no single “cheating gene.” Biology may influence urges, but it does not excuse behavior. Long-term bonding relies less on neurochemistry and more on oxytocin, vasopressin, serotonin, and endorphins—the chemistry of trust, commitment, and stability.

Passion often begins with neurochemistry. Commitment is built on something deeper.

Understanding the neurobiology of desire helps us move beyond shame-based narratives and into clinically grounded conversations about behavior, bonding, and choice.

If you want a research-informed, stigma-free framework for working with desire and behavior, join us for our live, two-day online workshop with Dr. David Ley: Clinically Grounded S//xual Wellness: Modern Therapeutic Strategies for Treating Desire and Behavior Without Stigma or Junk Science (April 11–12).

02/16/2026

Studying S//xual Health in Europe? YES. 🌍

Not as a tourist. Not from a textbook. But immersed in the culture, history, policy, and lived experience that shape how s//xuality is understood around the world.

SHA Study Abroad 2026 isn’t just travel; it’s contextual learning. Walking the cities. Engaging with local professionals. Seeing how different countries approach education, pleasure, relationships, and s//xual health care.

Paris. Amsterdam. Berlin. Copenhagen. Four distinct cultural lenses. One global classroom.

If you’ve been craving education that expands both your worldview and your professional practice, this is your sign. Explore the 2026 Study Abroad programs and see where you’ll be saying “YES” next: https://s*xualhealthalliance.com/studyabroad2026

02/15/2026

Intimacy Isn’t About Performance... It’s About Safety 🌍

In this clip, Anita Krishnan-Shankar reframes something many couples and clinicians misunderstand: Intimacy isn’t binary. It’s not “we have it” or “we don’t.” It’s an ongoing negotiation.

And s//xual intimacy isn’t built on technique or compatibility alone. It’s built on emotional safety.

When safety is present, connection follows. When safety is absent, no amount of tips, tools, or exercises can force intimacy to grow.

The shift from asking “What’s wrong with us?” to “Do we feel safe with each other?” changes everything across cultures, identities, and relationship structures.

This is the kind of cross-cultural, clinically grounded conversation we’re exploring on March 14-15 at Global Love: Expanding S//xual Wellness, Pleasure & Connection Across Cultures: https://s*xualhealthalliance.com/2026-march-global-love

What Your Zodiac Sign Tells About Your Valentine’s Vibe? ✨❤️Astrology has always been shorthand for personality. Now it’...
02/14/2026

What Your Zodiac Sign Tells About Your Valentine’s Vibe? ✨❤️

Astrology has always been shorthand for personality. Now it’s becoming shorthand for desire.

A dating app analyzed nearly 1 million users to see which turn-ons showed up most by zodiac sign. The results aren’t destiny. They’re patterns. Repeated preferences around slow-burn tension, emotional intensity, power exchange, experimentation, comfort, novelty, dominance, submission, gifting, teasing, curiosity, and commitment.

The real takeaway isn’t “your sign determines your k/nk.” It’s that people like language to describe what they want. Astrology gives people a playful framework to talk about attraction, intimacy, boundaries, and relationship style without shame. And that alone can spark better conversations.

Because whether you believe in zodiac signs or not, desire still requires communication. Patterns are interesting. Consent is essential. Curiosity is powerful.

Now for the fun part. We’re giving away a copy of Caitlin V’s newest book. 💘

To enter, mention your Valentine, partner, crush, or best friend in the comments. We’ll choose one winner on February 28. 👀✨

02/14/2026

Valentine’s Reminder: Your Pleasure Is Not a Luxury 💘

Self-love isn’t just spa days and flowers. It’s unlearning shame. It’s honoring desire. It’s believing that pleasure is part of your well-being, not something you have to earn.

This Valentine’s, these affirmations hit deeper:
✨ Pleasure and joy are part of my birthright.
✨ My desires deserve acknowledgment and respect.
✨ My body is capable of giving and receiving pleasure.
✨ Intimacy should be consensual, fulfilling, and aligned with my self-worth.
✨ My s//xuality is a natural and beautiful part of who I am.

For many people, this kind of language feels radical because shame has been loud for so long.

If you’re drawn to conversations that normalize desire, consent, embodiment, and self-worth, there’s a place for you in this field.

👉 Take the SHA quiz to explore which certification aligns with your path: https://bit.ly/4l1ZgYU

Would You Rather Have S//x Or Chocolate? 🍫❤️Every Valentine’s Day, the playful debate resurfaces: s//x or chocolate? But...
02/14/2026

Would You Rather Have S//x Or Chocolate? 🍫❤️

Every Valentine’s Day, the playful debate resurfaces: s//x or chocolate? But why is it always framed as a competition?

Centuries ago, the Mayans and Aztecs called cacao the “food of the gods,” using it in rituals connected to passion and desire. Even Emperor Montezuma was rumored to consume large amounts daily to boost virility. Chocolate has long been tied to romance, intimacy, and sensual symbolism.

The science tells a different story. Studies looking for a direct link between chocolate consumption and heightened intimate aro//sal have found none. What chocolate does contain are general stimulants like caffeine, theobromine, and anandamide. These compounds can influence mood, energy, and feel-good sensations. That shift in mood can make experiences feel more romantic, even if chocolate itself isn’t a true aphrodisiac.

S//x, on the other hand, isn’t just physical pleasure. It’s connection, bonding, nervous-system regulation, stress reduction, mood support, and emotional safety. Research consistently shows that intimacy can support closeness, oxytocin release, and overall well-being.

So maybe it’s not really s//x versus chocolate. It’s comfort versus connection.

And here’s the real deal: Valentine’s Day pressure can turn intimacy into performance. Pressure is one of the fastest ways to shut down desire. The best intimacy doesn’t come from “having to.” It comes from feeling relaxed, wanted, safe, and playful.

This Valentine’s Day, embrace pleasure and passion in whatever form feels right to you: dark chocolate, deep connection, playful intimacy, or simply rest and nervous-system regulation.

And speaking of pleasure… We’re giving away Caitlin V’s book Harder, Better, Longer, Stronger. Want in? Comment HARDER to enter the giveaway!

02/14/2026

Don’t Forget Analog S//xuality 📵

In this clip, Amanda Jepson names something timely. Yes, digis//xuality is real. And yes, technology has reshaped intimacy in powerful ways. And yes, that normalization matters.

But so does the “analog” side of s//xuality. Embodied presence. Nervous system regulation. Physical attunement. Real-time relational cues.

When clinicians work only at the level of content (apps, platforms, behaviors) and not embodiment, we miss part of the picture. Integrating both digital and analog frameworks allows us to approach the whole client: attachment patterns, trauma history, desire, shame, and regulation.

This kind of integrative thinking is central to the Advanced Practitioner Summit: Imago, EMDR, Trauma Healing & Applied S//xology: https://s*xualhealthalliance.com/2026-advanced-practitioner-summit

The Loneliest S//x Of The Year Happens On Valentine’s 💔Valentine’s is marketed as the most romantic day of the year. But...
02/13/2026

The Loneliest S//x Of The Year Happens On Valentine’s 💔

Valentine’s is marketed as the most romantic day of the year. But for many people, it’s when intimacy feels the least connecting.

Holiday-linked s//xual pressure isn’t just a meme. Experts consistently note that pressure to perform on days like Valentine’s can backfire. When intimacy turns into a “relationship test” — the perfect plan, the perfect gift, the perfect night, the expectation that it should happen — connection often gets replaced with anxiety.

Research estimates that s//xual performance anxiety affects roughly 9–25% of men and 6–16% of women, and that anxiety is linked to lower intimate and relationship satisfaction. Add social comparison into the mix and it intensifies. Dr. Justin Lehmiller highlights how online comparison makes people feel like they need to “keep up,” increasing stress and insecurity instead of closeness.

Intimacy without emotional attunement can leave people feeling emptier afterward, confused about their desire, or disconnected from their bodies. When intimacy becomes symbolic, proof of love, proof of passion, proof that the relationship is “good”, it stops being playful and starts feeling like work.

The healthiest Valentine’s move? Flexibility.

Celebrate on a day that actually works for you, when both partners are rested and present. Plan together instead of relying on surprise. Focus on feeling chosen, seen, safe, and connected. Real intimacy isn’t about performing in bed. It’s about emotional safety, mutual desire, and shared presence.

And if you want to level up your intimacy skills beyond one calendar date...we’re giving away Caitlin V’s newest book Harder, Better, Longer, Stronger. Comment STRONGER to enter.

02/13/2026

The “Bedroom Gap” Is Cultural 🌍

In this clip, Maria Sophocles names something many couples feel but struggle to articulate.

As partners move through midlife, expectations and abilities can shift. Men may have easy access to medications for erect/ons. Women may experience menopause symptoms like dryness, pain, or loss of lib/do, often with far fewer accessible solutions.

But the gap isn’t just biological.

It’s shaped by patriarchy. By decades of underfunded research in women’s s//xual health. By cultural scripts about whose pleasure matters... and whose doesn’t.

Understanding these forces changes how we support clients, patients, and partners navigating desire differences across cultures and life stages.

This is exactly the kind of cross-cultural, research-informed conversation we’re having at Global Love: Expanding S//xual Wellness, Pleasure & Connection Across Cultures this March 14-15: https://s*xualhealthalliance.com/2026-march-global-love

Everything You Need To Know About Coreg//sm 💪Yes, it’s real.A coreg//sm is an org//sm that happens during core exercise,...
02/12/2026

Everything You Need To Know About Coreg//sm 💪

Yes, it’s real.

A coreg//sm is an org//sm that happens during core exercise, completely separate from s//xual thoughts or fantasy. In research, it’s called Exercise-Induced Org//sm (EIO) or Exercise-Induced S//xual Pleasure (EISP). Scientists have documented this phenomenon since the 1950s.

So why does it happen?

Researchers aren’t fully certain, but the leading theory links intense core engagement and fatigued abdominal muscles to involuntary pelvic floor contraction. When you stabilize your core, you also activate the pelvic floor. Together, blood flow, muscle fatigue, and repeated contraction can trigger org//smic sensations.

Coreg//sms can occur in people of all genders. They’re more commonly reported by women, but men can experience them too. For some men, the sensation may resemble a prostate-type org//sm, even without full er//ction.

What does it feel like?

Many describe a deep pelvic or lower-abdominal sensation. It may feel centered in the inner thighs or core rather than the cl/t0ris or pen/s. Some say it’s less “tingly” and more internal, steady, or spreading.

Exercises most often linked include crunches, leg lifts, planks, squats, pullups, climbing, cycling, running, and certain yoga poses like boat and bridge. Lower abs and stability work show up repeatedly in reports.

If someone wants to increase their chances, strengthening the core and pelvic floor, adding Kegel awareness, moderate cardio, repetition, and mindful attention to bodily sensations may help. If someone wants it to stop, avoiding triggering exercises, easing out when sensations build, shifting focus to breath, and moving to a different muscle group can reduce intensity.

Want science-based education on pelvic floor health, pleasure, and the body, without stigma or junk science?

👉 Join our FREE newsletter for evidence-informed learning: https://s*xualhealthalliance.com/signup

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1705 West Koenig Lane
Austin, TX
78756

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+15125536310

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