Continued from Part 1 here...

Speaking of which, did you know that orgasms are actually incredibly beneficial for our physical and mental wellbeing? The last time you had a headache how did you deal with it? How about next time you throw away the pills and activate your brain’s innate ability to produce natural pain fighting chemicals. Yes that’s right, orgasms cause our brain to produce and release loads of pain fighting endorphins. Research has shown that these brain hormones not only work on pain associated with headaches but other types of body pain as well. Endorphins along with circulating adrenaline and other hormones also explain why our pain tolerance is higher during sex.

via GIPHY

What else happens in our brain during sex you ask? Sex leads to changes in parts of our brain (the hippocampus) responsible for memory consolidation. Sex better equips our brain to cope and respond to stressful situations. It can help induce sleep, especially in men, due mostly to a...

By: Michelle Fraser, PT, BA, BScPT, FCAMPT, CYT, MEd and Chia Chia Sun, BSc, MSc, MBA

Pelvic health physiotherapy has recently become a more visible and accessible form of physical therapy. In 2012, the Standards for Practice for Physiotherapists described by the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario were changed to include “assessing or rehabilitating pelvic musculature relating to incontinence or pain disorders” – this type of physiotherapy may include vaginal or rectal assessment and treatment.

Attention to our pelvic health is important for women as we age. Many women work with a pelvic health physiotherapist to treat conditions such as urinary incontinence (involuntary leakage of urine) and pain with intercourse. Urinary incontinence and pain with sexual activity are often related to vaginal atrophy, which refers to shrinkage of the vaginal tissue leading to thinning of the walls typically after menopause or hormonal depletion.

The vaginal...

How long does it take you to like an online dating profile? And how long does it take to meet in person after your first online encounter? When does the average dater say "I love you"? And when do new couples move in together?

Check out Happn's data below and take a look at their app which connects you to users you've crossed paths with in real life.

Imagine courtesy of Happn. This data refers to daters looking for opposite sex partners.

Webinar Overview

In this three-part webinar, Dr. Jessica O'Reilly will explore the content of the updated Human Development and Sexual Health curriculum, break down the common myths that surround it and discuss strategies for effective delivery.

This webinar and content is brought to you by Thompson Educational Publishing (TEP).

If you were at the #OHPEA2016 conference, thanks so much for coming out! Please find the resource list below and feel free to reach out with any questions. Happy teaching!

Lesson Plans

OPHEA.net/HPESupports
MediaSmarts.ca
TeachingSexualHealth.ca
AdvocatesForYouth.org
GLSEN.org
TransStudent.org
Sex & Ability: Differing Abilities, Physical Disabilities & Intellectual Disabilities

Webinars

SafeAtSchool.ca
GLSEN.org
LGBTHealthEducation.org
tolerance.org

For Parents

Q&A Document (Ontario)
Q&A Document (Hard copy - Canada)
Parents’ group speaker: NadineThornhill.com
SexualityAndU.ca (Section for teachers, parents and students)
TeenHealthSource.com

Catholic Resources:

TCDSB.org
IceOnt.ca

Visual Inclusivity Resources (posters, stickers, etc.):

RainbowHealthOntario.ca
ETFO.ca

Consent

11thPrincipleConsent.org

Feel free to download the complete handout here!

If you use a MAC and want access my #Ophea2016 presentation slides, click here. If you use Windows, find them...

A special thanks to Dr. Markie Twist for her insight on the study and discussion of meditative and tantric practices.

Brief History of Tantra

Tantric is used to refer to "sacred sexuality", and its origins are rooted in the East—India, specifically. What is known about Tantra today has been preserved through the works of the Kama Sutra and the Ananga Ranga. Tantra historically comprises two paths of training—Vara Marga (left-hand path), and Dakishna-Marga (right-hand path). The left-hand path includes a combination of sexual activity with yogic practices, whereas the right-hand path involves yogic practices without sexual activity. Tantra in Sanskrit means "integration"—meaning that the two paths work together and complement one another in practice.

Tantric practices became known in Western societies around the 1960s and have become increasingly popular since. The term often used in Western contexts is “Tantric sex”. Much of...

A Sexologist's Guide to Kissing
(excerpt from The New Sex Bible)

Though kissing may be a deeply entrenched dating and mating ritual in our culture, many cultures have prospered without locking lips, which serves as a reminder that kissing is an erotic art (as opposed to a reproductive imperative).

Making out results in a flurry of feel-good hormones that promote relaxation and bonding. Yet the sexes view it differently. Men are more likely than women to seek and initiate deep-tongue kissing, and they tend to utilize it as a means to an end (sex), whereas many women report that they view kissing as a barometer with which to gauge their lover’s commitment and monitor their relationship status.

However you view it, smooching plays a prominent role in seduction, romantic attachment, and sexual arousal. Unfortunately in long-term relationships, we often stop kissing or push passionate kissing aside in favor of other forms of foreplay. And while there is no universal hierarchy...

A recent study on human touch in relation to sexual arousal has generated a list of essential lessons about the human senses. Though sexual arousal can be triggered by visual and audible cues, the bodily regions that possess the capability to stimulate sexual response play a main role as well. However, the functional role of arousal-triggering properties are poorly understood. Nevertheless, through this scientific study, sexual regions in the body were examined and identified. See below for the highlights:

Works Cited: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301509880_Topography_of_Human_Erogenous_Zones

Post By: Hootan Ghaffari 

Hootan is a 20 year old philosophy/literature student at the University of Toronto. He has an eye for the creative arts. 

Excerpted from Dr. Jess' book Hot Sex: Tips, Tricks and Licks

Oral sex isn’t always about getting on your knees and puckering up. Some of the best oral sex (think long-term payoff) can be taken care of standing up or sitting at the dinner table—through real, honest communication. Getting oral with your partner is probably the most important thing you can do to cultivate a red-hot sexual relationship. So start talking!

It may not be easy to do, but the more you practice the easier it gets. If a topic is awkward, use these four tips to get started:

• Talk when the time is right. Initiating a serious conversation about sex right before you’re about to get hot and heavy isn’t always an ideal. you’re more likely to rush through the discussion if you’re goal is really to get down to business. So set some time aside when sex is off the table: Start talking about sex while you’re out for coffee,...

As a student of philosophy, I believe that the Ancient Greeks laid the foundation for the way most of the world thinks today. Their philosophers examined a  vast array of thoughts pertaining to the universals of life including the birds and the bees. 

The erotic dilemma in Ancient Greece reflected the paradoxical nature of érōs. How could affection and love, or érōs, be capable of producing pleasure and kindness while also producing violent obsession and disruptions to the rational mind?

What did ancient Greek philosophers say about this? Some highlighted the importance of loving the person's soul as opposed to their body. Others, like the stoics, saw sexual aspirations as positive in so far as the state of character of the lover was in accordance to their ideal virtue. The two most impactful thinkers and surviving household names, Plato and Aristotle offered a range of insights on the subject. Check out their top ten...