I am not afraid…I was born to do this – Joan of Arc

Let’s evolve our sex lives! More than just mechanics… from PeleMa.TV on Vimeo.

My dear friend Amanda has created the amazing Pelma.tv.  Please see her interviewing me on sexuality in Hawaii – stay tuned.  My interview starts after about 2 minutes into the video.

I’m a former NYC single girl turned stay at home mom/business woman raising a daughter in suburbia. Fifteen years ago, I ran a successful design company in New York City, calling all the shots and doing as I pleased. This career gal dreamed about meeting her beloved, having two great kids and living in a fab apartment in Manhattan with a sweet house in the Hamptons or upstate.

Meanwhile, my dating life looked like Sex and the City minus the Manolos and the A-list parties. I gossiped with my girlfriends about the mating habits of mostly unavailable men with names like “the Mexican,” “Paulie the pathological liar,” the dentist, the shoe guy…you get the idea.

In my final years in New York, I wondered if there was more to life than pounding all that pavement. I began to look for a spiritual practice that would integrate all of me including my sexuality. I found the path of Tantra and studied its many forms for several years.

Just when I doubted if “he” would ever show up, I met my husband at a Tantra evening (more on that later). He turned out to be my beloved and we fell head over heels in love.

Marriage has been amazing but certainly not like the storybook version. There were many twists and turns along the way. I was blessed with a beautiful, spirited daughter who I’m madly in love even though she sometimes tries my patience like nobody’s business! I was troubled with health challenges that made me examine my diet, transform my relationship with food and become a health coach.

The next stops after NYC were Long Island and Florida. Now, my family and I split our time between Durham, North Carolina and Hilo, Hawaii. After 10 years of being with my guy, living life in different places and working with many people, I’m ready to share some of the really important nuggets I have learned.

“Just the Word ‘Sexuality’ Just Makes Me Uncomfortable” Glee Episode 7

So many people have difficulty with their sexuality, body image, intimate relationships and realizing their true potential for pleasure. Our culture makes it difficult to get good information and education that enables us to embrace our sexuality as a positive experience. Therapists and health care providers are often not equipped to handle these issues. Satisfying sexuality involves lots of communication – a skill many of us are still developing.

I spent years on the couch trying to talk with my therapist about my sexuality with little success. That frustration drove me to search elsewhere for answers. And so, I started to explore the path of Tantra. Through Tantra I dealt with my personal issues and then set out to see how I could help others.

Since then, I’ve developed a team of coaches supporting people seeking their own answers to a more holistic “Whole” way of dealing with their sexuality. My team and I offer sexuality and health and wellness coaching.

Erotica Is Sensuality With The Volume Turned Up…JD

Sensuality, sexuality and women’s erotica always appealed to me. I dabbled in writing erotica but life and business got in the way. Still, when everyone in the house was finally asleep, I grabbed those free minutes to read erotic romance books.

When Fifty Shades of Grey broke Harry Potter’s record as the fastest selling paperback of all time, I knew this best seller for women worldwide was telling me something. I decided to share my knowledge of erotica, sexuality, sensuality, Tantra and health with other women.

I hope we can finally begin to open up the conversation about sex as mothers, wives, singles and daughters. Wouldn’t it be great if we could share our fantasies with our partners and create open honest lines of communication? At ShadesofMomma.com, we finally have a place to have a FUN, real conversation about sex, erotica and health. We can talk about sex and marriage, sex and partnership, sex after children and what sex and sensuality mean to us.

Health Is Not The Absence of Disease…Unknown

As a serial entrepreneur, I had my first Tax ID # at the tender age of 13. Later I started one of the largest women-owned design businesses in NYC. My clients were large and small including some of the biggest Fortune 100 companies. I loved my fast paced lifestyle with its fine dining and travel.

Then, like many foodies addicted to the Standard American Diet (SAD), I came down with IBS. Investigating the root causes of my condition uncovered the connection between IBS and what you eat. I set off on an adventure with my husband who was running a health related nonprofit. We traveled all over the US going to conferences and talking with the brightest doctors working in the field of nutritional medicine.

I immersed myself in learning about diet and nutrition and especially about the effects food and the environment have on our bodies. I was staggered by what I saw. Most modern illness and diseases are related to food, diet and lifestyle issues. By significantly improving my diet, quieting my mind and getting better rest, I cured myself of IBS.

One advantage of moving to North Carolina was the opportunity to study at Duke University. I became a Duke Integrated Health Coach who works with people on all aspects of their wellness.