Intimacy and Emotions
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Active Listening
Active listening refers to the practice of fully engaging with someone in a conversation, focusing on their words, tone, and body language without interrupting or judging them. This skill is essential in building trust, understanding, and intimacy in personal relationships, including romantic partnerships and friendships.
Aftercare
Aftercare refers to the emotional support and care provided by one partner to another following a romantic or intimate encounter, particularly in situations where power dynamics are involved, such as BDSM or other non-monogamous relationships. This can include activities like checking in with each other, providing physical comfort, and engaging in conversations about boundaries and consent.
Aromantic
Aromantic (often shortened to "aro") describes someone who experiences little to no romantic attraction towards others and generally does not desire romantic relationships, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This orientation is distinct from asexuality, as romantic and sexual attraction are separate aspects of human relationships and identity.
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Codependency
Codependency is a complex behavioral pattern in relationships where one person excessively relies on another for approval, identity, and emotional well-being. In a codependent relationship, one partner often takes on a caretaker role, sacrificing their own needs to meet the real or perceived needs of the other. This dynamic can occur in romantic, familial, or platonic relationships and is often characterized by an imbalance of power and responsibility.
Compersion
Compersion is an emotion characterized by feelings of joy, happiness, and pleasure when witnessing one's partner experiencing joy, happiness, and pleasure with another romantic or sexual partner. It is often described as the opposite of jealousy. Compersion is most commonly associated with polyamorous relationships, but can be experienced in any type of open or non-monogamous relationship dynamic.
Constructive Feedback
Constructive feedback in a sexual context refers to the process of providing thoughtful, specific, and actionable input to a sexual partner about their performance, techniques, or behaviors during intimate activities. This form of communication aims to enhance sexual experiences, improve intimacy, and strengthen the overall relationship by addressing both positive aspects and areas for potential improvement in a respectful and supportive manner.
Couples Vibrator
A couples vibrator is a sex toy designed to be used by two partners simultaneously during sexual activity. These devices are typically shaped to fit between the bodies of both partners during intercourse, providing stimulation to both individuals. Most couples vibrators are designed to stimulate the clitoris, vagina, and sometimes the penis simultaneously, enhancing pleasure for both partners.
Cuddling
Cuddling is a form of physical intimacy that involves close body contact between two or more people, typically in a comfortable, relaxed position. It often includes embracing, holding, or snuggling, and can be both a sexual and non-sexual activity. Cuddling is associated with feelings of warmth, comfort, security, and affection.
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Emotional Aftercare
Emotional aftercare refers to the process of providing emotional support and comfort to a partner after engaging in intense sexual activities, particularly in BDSM or kink scenarios. It involves creating a safe and nurturing environment to help partners transition back to their everyday mindset and process the experience they've just had.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence, in the context of sexuality and relationships, refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions as well as the emotions of others. It involves being aware of emotional states, interpreting emotional cues accurately, and responding appropriately in sexual and romantic situations.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. In the context of sexual relationships, empathy plays a crucial role in fostering emotional connection, improving communication, and enhancing overall sexual satisfaction. It involves being attuned to a partner's emotional state, needs, and desires, and responding with compassion and understanding.
Erotic Massage
Erotic massage is a form of sensual touch that combines elements of traditional massage techniques with sexual stimulation. It involves the manipulation of the body's soft tissues with the intention of arousing sexual desire and enhancing intimate connection between partners. Unlike therapeutic massage, erotic massage focuses on pleasurable sensations and may include stimulation of erogenous zones.
Erotic Touching
Erotic touching refers to the sensual and intimate physical contact between partners with the intention of arousing sexual desire or pleasure. It involves using hands, fingers, or other body parts to caress, stroke, or stimulate various areas of the body, particularly erogenous zones. Erotic touching is often an essential component of foreplay and can be a standalone sexual activity.
Eye Contact
Eye contact is a form of non-verbal communication that involves two people looking directly into each other's eyes. In sexual and romantic contexts, eye contact can be a powerful tool for expressing interest, attraction, and intimacy. It can create a sense of connection and intensity between partners, often heightening sexual tension and emotional closeness.
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Holding Hands
Holding hands is a form of physical affection that involves clasping or interlocking fingers with another person. It's a common gesture of intimacy, comfort, and connection between romantic partners, friends, or family members. While not inherently sexual, hand-holding can be a precursor to more intimate activities or simply an expression of closeness and affection.
Hugging
Hugging is a form of physical intimacy involving close embrace between two or more people. It's a universal gesture of affection, comfort, and support that can be both platonic and romantic. In sexual contexts, hugging can be a form of foreplay or a way to express intimacy before, during, or after sexual activity.
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I-Statements
I-statements are a communication technique used to express feelings, needs, or concerns in a non-confrontational way. In the context of sexual relationships, they involve framing your thoughts and emotions from your personal perspective, typically starting with "I feel" or "I need," rather than making accusations or placing blame on your partner.
Intimate Communication
Intimate communication refers to the open, honest, and vulnerable exchange of thoughts, feelings, desires, and needs between partners in a romantic or sexual relationship. It involves sharing personal information, expressing emotions, and discussing sexual preferences and boundaries in a safe and respectful manner. This form of communication is crucial for building trust, deepening emotional connections, and enhancing sexual satisfaction.
Intimate Relations
Intimate relations refer to close, personal interactions between individuals that involve physical and/or emotional closeness. In the context of sexuality, it often describes sexual activities between consenting partners, but can also encompass a broader range of intimate behaviors and feelings. These relations typically involve trust, vulnerability, and a deep emotional connection.
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Karezza
Karezza is a sexual practice that emphasizes intimacy, sensuality, and emotional connection over physical stimulation and orgasm. Derived from the Italian word "carezza," meaning "caress," this approach involves gentle, prolonged sexual activity without the goal of climaxing. Practitioners of karezza focus on maintaining a state of arousal and connection for extended periods, often incorporating meditation, eye-gazing, and slow, deliberate movements.
Kissing
Kissing is a physical act of pressing or touching lips against another person's body, most commonly another person's lips or mouth. It's a universal expression of affection, intimacy, and sexual desire in many cultures. Kissing can range from brief, closed-mouth contact to more passionate exchanges involving tongue and oral exploration, known as "French kissing."
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Love Languages
Love languages are a concept introduced by Dr. Gary Chapman that describes five ways people express and experience love in relationships. These "languages" include Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. Understanding one's own and their partner's primary love language can help improve communication and strengthen emotional and physical intimacy in relationships.
Love Notes
Love notes are written expressions of affection, desire, or romantic sentiment exchanged between partners. These can range from short, sweet messages to longer, more elaborate declarations of love. In a sexual context, love notes may include flirtatious or erotic content, serving as a form of foreplay or to build anticipation for future encounters.
Lovemaking
Lovemaking is a term used to describe sexual activity between partners that emphasizes emotional intimacy, affection, and connection. It often involves a combination of physical and emotional elements, including kissing, caressing, foreplay, and sexual intercourse. Lovemaking typically implies a deeper emotional bond between partners compared to casual sexual encounters.
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Making Out
Making out refers to an extended period of passionate kissing and intimate physical contact between two people, typically as a form of sexual expression or foreplay. It usually involves deep, open-mouthed kissing (often called French kissing), as well as caressing, touching, and embracing. Making out can vary in intensity and duration, ranging from a few minutes to longer sessions.
Mindful Sexuality
Mindful sexuality is an approach to sexual experiences that emphasizes being fully present and aware during intimate moments. It involves bringing mindfulness techniques into sexual activities, focusing on sensations, emotions, and thoughts without judgment. This practice aims to enhance sexual pleasure, deepen connection with partners, and promote overall sexual well-being.
Mindfulness in Sex Therapy
Mindfulness in sex therapy is a therapeutic approach that incorporates mindfulness techniques into sexual health treatment. It involves cultivating present-moment awareness and non-judgmental attention to thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations during sexual experiences. This practice aims to enhance sexual satisfaction, reduce anxiety, and improve overall sexual well-being.
Mutual Masturbation
Mutual masturbation is a sexual activity in which two or more partners stimulate themselves or each other's genitals manually, typically to the point of orgasm. This practice can involve partners touching themselves while in the presence of each other, or directly stimulating their partner's genitals with their hands. Mutual masturbation is a form of non-penetrative sex that can be both physically pleasurable and emotionally intimate.
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New Relationship Energy (NRE)
New Relationship Energy (NRE) refers to the intense feelings of excitement, euphoria, and passion that often occur at the beginning of a romantic or sexual relationship. This heightened emotional state is characterized by increased energy, enthusiasm, and a strong desire to be with the new partner. NRE typically lasts anywhere from six months to two years, depending on the individuals involved and the nature of their relationship.
Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication in a sexual context refers to the exchange of information and emotions between partners without the use of words. This includes body language, facial expressions, touch, eye contact, and other physical cues that convey desire, consent, pleasure, or discomfort during intimate interactions. Nonverbal communication plays a crucial role in sexual encounters, often complementing or even superseding verbal communication.
Nuru Massage
Nuru massage is a type of erotic body-to-body massage that originated in Japan. The term "nuru" comes from the Japanese word for "slippery." In this practice, both the giver and receiver of the massage are nude, and a special nuru gel is applied to their bodies. This odorless, colorless gel is typically made from nori seaweed and is extremely slippery, allowing for full body-to-body contact and sliding movements.
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Pair-bonding
Pair-bonding refers to the formation of a close, long-term emotional and physical attachment between two individuals, typically in a romantic or sexual relationship. This biological and psychological process involves the development of strong emotional ties, often accompanied by behaviors that promote closeness and intimacy. Pair-bonding is believed to have evolved as a survival strategy in humans and some other species, encouraging cooperative child-rearing and resource sharing.
Passionate Friendship
A passionate friendship is an intensely close, emotionally intimate relationship between two people that may resemble a romantic partnership in many ways, but typically does not include sexual activity. These relationships are characterized by a deep emotional bond, strong feelings of affection, and a level of commitment that goes beyond casual friendship.
Pillow Talk
Pillow talk refers to the intimate, often relaxed conversation that occurs between partners, typically after sexual activity or while lying in bed together. This form of communication is characterized by its openness, vulnerability, and closeness, often touching on personal topics, emotions, or shared experiences.
Platonic Intimacy
Platonic intimacy refers to a deep, close, and emotionally intimate relationship between individuals that does not involve sexual or romantic elements. It's characterized by a strong emotional bond, mutual trust, and affection, but without the physical or sexual aspects typically associated with romantic relationships. This type of intimacy can exist between friends, family members, or even colleagues.
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Responsive Desire
Responsive desire is a type of sexual desire that emerges in response to sexual stimuli or arousal, rather than occurring spontaneously. It's characterized by a person becoming interested in sex only after being exposed to erotic cues or physical intimacy. This pattern of desire is common and completely normal, often misunderstood as a lack of libido.
Romantic Attraction
Romantic attraction refers to an emotional response that typically involves a desire for a romantic relationship with a specific person. It's characterized by feelings of emotional intimacy, affection, and often a longing for a deeper connection beyond friendship or sexual desire. Romantic attraction can occur with or without sexual attraction and can vary in intensity and expression among individuals.
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Sensate Focus
Sensate focus is a therapeutic technique used in sex therapy to help individuals or couples enhance intimacy, overcome sexual difficulties, and improve overall sexual experiences. Developed by Masters and Johnson in the 1960s, this practice involves a series of structured touching exercises that emphasize sensual awareness and pleasure without the pressure of sexual performance.
Sensual Massage
Sensual massage is a form of intimate touch that combines elements of traditional massage techniques with erotic stimulation. It involves the use of various strokes, pressures, and movements on the body to promote relaxation, increase arousal, and enhance intimacy between partners. Unlike therapeutic massage, sensual massage often includes attention to erogenous zones and may lead to sexual activity, though this is not always the case.
Sensual Undressing
Sensual undressing, also known as a striptease, is the act of slowly and deliberately removing clothing in a manner intended to arouse sexual interest. It involves the gradual revelation of the body, often accompanied by teasing movements, to build anticipation and excitement in a partner or audience. This practice can be a form of foreplay, a performance art, or both.
Sexual Self-Esteem
Sexual self-esteem refers to an individual's perception and evaluation of their own sexual worth, competence, and desirability. It encompasses how comfortable and confident a person feels about their sexuality, body, and sexual experiences. High sexual self-esteem is associated with positive sexual experiences, better communication with partners, and overall sexual satisfaction.
Situationship
A situationship is a romantic or sexual relationship that lacks clear definition, commitment, or labels. It typically exists in a gray area between casual dating and a committed relationship. Participants in a situationship may engage in romantic or sexual activities but without the explicit agreement or expectations that come with traditional relationships.
Skin Hunger
Skin hunger, also known as touch starvation or touch deprivation, refers to the emotional and physical need for human contact and physical touch. It's a very real phenomenon where individuals experience a longing for physical connection, be it through hugging, holding hands, cuddling, or other forms of non-sexual touch. This need is deeply rooted in human biology and psychology, playing a crucial role in emotional well-being and overall health.
Snogging
Snogging is a British slang term for passionate kissing or making out. It typically involves prolonged, intimate kissing, often with tongue involvement, and may include embracing, caressing, or other forms of physical affection. Snogging is generally considered a form of foreplay and can be a standalone activity or lead to further sexual interactions.
Spontaneous Desire
Spontaneous desire refers to a type of sexual desire that occurs seemingly out of nowhere, without any obvious external stimuli or conscious effort. It's characterized by sudden feelings of sexual interest or arousal that arise independently of sexual context or physical stimulation. This type of desire is often associated with the traditional model of sexual response, where desire precedes arousal.
Spooning
Spooning is a form of physical intimacy where two people lie close together, side by side, with one person's back against the other's chest. The position resembles the way spoons nest together, hence the name. Typically, the person in front is called the "little spoon," while the person behind is the "big spoon." Spooning can be both a non-sexual act of affection and comfort, or a prelude to or position for sexual activity.
Subdrop
Subdrop is a term used in BDSM communities to describe the physical and emotional crash that a submissive partner may experience after an intense scene or play session. It typically involves feelings of sadness, anxiety, or depression that can occur hours or even days after the BDSM activity. This phenomenon is believed to be caused by the sudden drop in endorphins and adrenaline that were released during the intense experience.
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Tantra
Tantra is an ancient spiritual practice originating in India that encompasses various traditions and techniques aimed at harnessing sexual energy for personal and spiritual growth. In the context of sexuality, tantra involves mindful, slow, and intentional sexual practices that emphasize the connection between partners, breath work, and energy flow. It's often described as a way to achieve higher states of consciousness through sexual union.
Tantric Sex
Tantric sex is an ancient Eastern practice that combines sexuality with spirituality. It emphasizes slow, mindful, and intimate lovemaking as a pathway to heightened awareness, spiritual growth, and deeper connection between partners. Unlike conventional sex, the goal of tantric sex is not necessarily orgasm, but rather the experience of sexual energy throughout the body.
Taoist Sexual Yoga
Taoist Sexual Yoga is an ancient Chinese practice that combines principles of Taoism with sexual techniques and yogic practices. It aims to cultivate and circulate sexual energy (also known as "chi" or "qi") throughout the body for physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits. This practice views sexual energy as a powerful force that, when properly harnessed, can lead to improved health, longevity, and spiritual enlightenment.
Teasing
Teasing is a playful and provocative sexual behavior intended to build anticipation, arousal, and desire in a partner. It involves deliberately stimulating or exciting someone without immediately satisfying their sexual urges. Teasing can be verbal, physical, or a combination of both, and is often used as a form of foreplay or extended arousal play.
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Yab-Yum
Yab-yum is a term originating from Tibetan Buddhism, referring to both a sexual position and a symbolic representation in Tantric practices. Literally meaning "father-mother" in Tibetan, yab-yum depicts sexual union as a metaphor for the merging of wisdom and compassion. In physical practice, it typically involves partners sitting face-to-face with one partner straddling the other's lap.
Yoni Massage
Yoni massage is a tantric practice focused on massaging and stimulating the female genitalia, particularly the vulva and vagina. The term "yoni" is Sanskrit for "sacred space" or "sacred temple" and is often used to refer to the vagina. This intimate massage technique is intended to be a respectful, meditative, and healing practice that aims to enhance a woman's connection with her body and sexuality.