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From Madness to Mindfulness: Reinventing Sex for Women
“I learned about the mechanics of female sexual pleasure in my sex ed class.”
“I am able to have a difficult conversation with my partner about our relationship.”
“I can boldly and openly carry a tampon to the restroom in public.”
“I am totally comfortable being naked in front of a new partner.”
If you disagree with any of these statements (or all of them), you are not alone. You are one of many, many women who are feeling the effects of “sexual madness.” According to Jennifer Gunsaullus, PhD, sociologist and sex coach, it is time for women to break free from the labyrinth of societal baggage in relation to sexual education, expectations, and fulfillment.
From Madness to Mindfulness sets out to help women empower themselves, and future generations of young women, to transition out of a state of sexual madness and into a state of sexual mindfulness. A state in which women can give themselves permission to feel more worthy of love and great sex (and then have it!). Dr. Jenn will guide you through the process of assessing levels of “mis-education” in regard to relationships, communication, sex, passion, desire, and body image and integrating mindfulness practices to overcome your own personal “madness.” Replete with personal stories and a wide array of client accounts, along with guided questions, action items, and tips to create a personal Reinventing Sex plan, Dr. Jenn will help guide you to become a thriving sexual being . . . on your own terms.
“I am able to have a difficult conversation with my partner about our relationship.”
“I can boldly and openly carry a tampon to the restroom in public.”
“I am totally comfortable being naked in front of a new partner.”
If you disagree with any of these statements (or all of them), you are not alone. You are one of many, many women who are feeling the effects of “sexual madness.” According to Jennifer Gunsaullus, PhD, sociologist and sex coach, it is time for women to break free from the labyrinth of societal baggage in relation to sexual education, expectations, and fulfillment.
From Madness to Mindfulness sets out to help women empower themselves, and future generations of young women, to transition out of a state of sexual madness and into a state of sexual mindfulness. A state in which women can give themselves permission to feel more worthy of love and great sex (and then have it!). Dr. Jenn will guide you through the process of assessing levels of “mis-education” in regard to relationships, communication, sex, passion, desire, and body image and integrating mindfulness practices to overcome your own personal “madness.” Replete with personal stories and a wide array of client accounts, along with guided questions, action items, and tips to create a personal Reinventing Sex plan, Dr. Jenn will help guide you to become a thriving sexual being . . . on your own terms.
320 pages, Paperback
Published August 13, 2019
22 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 19, 2019
Cross-posted from my blog.
I reviewed this book which was provided for free by the publisher. However, I do not receive any compensation for reviews. All book reviews are My personal and subjective opinion.
Dr. Jenn starts out by saying,
With this disclaimer, I assumed that I, a highly educated woman in the field of sex work whom has spent many years taming My demons and learning to be comfortable with Myself, would have nothing to gain from this book. I was wrong.
From Madness to Mindfulness by Dr. Jennifer Gunsaullus takes the reader on a journey from the confusing, contradictory madness that we're taught as children (especially females) and how it reflects on developing sexuality, to how to reinvent our current sexual selves. The reader is treated to a discussion on the sociological factors that go into play to form who we are and how they push us into unhealthy habits and situations. To extend the conversation, Dr. Jenn has a writing portion at the end of each chapter to encourage the reader to move from passive to active in further thinking about what's been covered and how it translates into their everyday life. These writing prompts are especially useful in chapters 3 through 5: Relationships and Communication; Sex, Passion, and Desire; and Body Image.
Chapter 3, covering Relationships and Communication is a wonderful chapter that applies to both men and women. In fact, chapter 3 may have been My favorite chapter in the entire book, as communication is vital to everyday life, and who hasn't had an issue with their relationships? While I was reading it, I was amazed at what pointed, helpful concepts and activities it contained. For one chapter, it covered more issues and provided better advice than some whole relationship books!
A major theme in Madness is the second half of the title: mindfulness. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, Dr. Jenn defines mindfulness as:
Mindfulness has been a popular trend in self-help and therapy in recent years as one can use it to retrain our brain on how we think about various topics, literally forging new neural pathways to think differently. The main focus of Chapter 2 is mindfulness, explaining the concept and providing many exercises on how to practice mindfulness, which are repeated and referred to throughout the rest of the book. Dr. Jenn teaches through mindfulness, how to hone in on our discomfort, sit with it, and respond rather than react. I have studied mindfulness previous to Madness and Dr. Jenn's explanation is the most clear I've come across and the exercises the most useful. For that reason alone, I'm a fan of this book.
After working on specific aspects of our personal life, Dr. Jenn coaches us on how to break the cycle of societal stigma for young girls, and then for ourselves. At the end of the book the reader is given instructions on how to reinvent their sexual selves, avoid roadblocks, and continue growth to a healthier you.
Madness is not a quick read, but it is a good one. Information dense, packed with heavy topics, and rife with activities and engaging questions, I definitely could spend more time with this book. At some point, I will be descending back into Madness to give myself a mental tune-up. Most any female would benefit from reading Madness as I think all of us could glean something from it's contents. I would especially recommend Madness to any female who had any sort of difficult childhood or suffered sexual trauma.
Dr. Jenn gave a TEDx Talk in 2012 that gives a beautiful feel for the book and lightly covers some of the major concepts. I strongly recommend watching Dr. Jenn's talk if you'd like to get a better idea of what the book is like for yourself.
I reviewed this book which was provided for free by the publisher. However, I do not receive any compensation for reviews. All book reviews are My personal and subjective opinion.
Dr. Jenn starts out by saying,
"If you are a woman who is totally comfortable with your sexuality and body, if you move with ease and mindful awareness in sexual situations and communication, if you are comfortable being vulnerable both emotionally and physically, and if you love yourself deeply, then this is not the book for you. And as a side note--congratulations!"
With this disclaimer, I assumed that I, a highly educated woman in the field of sex work whom has spent many years taming My demons and learning to be comfortable with Myself, would have nothing to gain from this book. I was wrong.
From Madness to Mindfulness by Dr. Jennifer Gunsaullus takes the reader on a journey from the confusing, contradictory madness that we're taught as children (especially females) and how it reflects on developing sexuality, to how to reinvent our current sexual selves. The reader is treated to a discussion on the sociological factors that go into play to form who we are and how they push us into unhealthy habits and situations. To extend the conversation, Dr. Jenn has a writing portion at the end of each chapter to encourage the reader to move from passive to active in further thinking about what's been covered and how it translates into their everyday life. These writing prompts are especially useful in chapters 3 through 5: Relationships and Communication; Sex, Passion, and Desire; and Body Image.
Chapter 3, covering Relationships and Communication is a wonderful chapter that applies to both men and women. In fact, chapter 3 may have been My favorite chapter in the entire book, as communication is vital to everyday life, and who hasn't had an issue with their relationships? While I was reading it, I was amazed at what pointed, helpful concepts and activities it contained. For one chapter, it covered more issues and provided better advice than some whole relationship books!
A major theme in Madness is the second half of the title: mindfulness. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, Dr. Jenn defines mindfulness as:
"focused awareness in the present moment, without judgment"
Mindfulness has been a popular trend in self-help and therapy in recent years as one can use it to retrain our brain on how we think about various topics, literally forging new neural pathways to think differently. The main focus of Chapter 2 is mindfulness, explaining the concept and providing many exercises on how to practice mindfulness, which are repeated and referred to throughout the rest of the book. Dr. Jenn teaches through mindfulness, how to hone in on our discomfort, sit with it, and respond rather than react. I have studied mindfulness previous to Madness and Dr. Jenn's explanation is the most clear I've come across and the exercises the most useful. For that reason alone, I'm a fan of this book.
After working on specific aspects of our personal life, Dr. Jenn coaches us on how to break the cycle of societal stigma for young girls, and then for ourselves. At the end of the book the reader is given instructions on how to reinvent their sexual selves, avoid roadblocks, and continue growth to a healthier you.
Madness is not a quick read, but it is a good one. Information dense, packed with heavy topics, and rife with activities and engaging questions, I definitely could spend more time with this book. At some point, I will be descending back into Madness to give myself a mental tune-up. Most any female would benefit from reading Madness as I think all of us could glean something from it's contents. I would especially recommend Madness to any female who had any sort of difficult childhood or suffered sexual trauma.
Dr. Jenn gave a TEDx Talk in 2012 that gives a beautiful feel for the book and lightly covers some of the major concepts. I strongly recommend watching Dr. Jenn's talk if you'd like to get a better idea of what the book is like for yourself.
August 15, 2019
I hope I'm not man-splaining when I say this is a must-read for women. It is beautifully written and tackles important issues around YOUR sexuality, including shame, body-image, passion, desire, and the crazy societal madness about your bodies. And it's full of helpful advice and detailed descriptions about how to change all this crazy programming, build stronger relationships and have a pleasure-filled sex life.
Dr. Jenn is a PhD sociologist, sexologist, keynote speaker and couples/intimacy counselor. She's also a local celebrity who's often interviewed on the San Diego news, has a kickass video podcast called 'In the Den with Dr. Jenn' and a audio podcast called 'Sex Talk with Clint and the Doc.' This woman knows what she is talking about and the book is full of colorful stories of her own experiences and those of her clients that make the exercises come alive.
And to the (straight) guys - I learned a lot reading this book. While it's not specifically written for us, it has a ton of great information that will help you understand women's sexuality both in long-term relationships and short-term dating. I learned a lot and have some great stuff to try!
Dr. Jenn is a PhD sociologist, sexologist, keynote speaker and couples/intimacy counselor. She's also a local celebrity who's often interviewed on the San Diego news, has a kickass video podcast called 'In the Den with Dr. Jenn' and a audio podcast called 'Sex Talk with Clint and the Doc.' This woman knows what she is talking about and the book is full of colorful stories of her own experiences and those of her clients that make the exercises come alive.
And to the (straight) guys - I learned a lot reading this book. While it's not specifically written for us, it has a ton of great information that will help you understand women's sexuality both in long-term relationships and short-term dating. I learned a lot and have some great stuff to try!
June 22, 2020
This is a must read for men. While written for women it is just as relevant for men with the added bonus of giving some real insights to the issues and struggles the important women in our lives are dealing with daily.
Just finished the first of what will be many reads of this awesome book. The vulnerability, compassion and kindness of the author in sharing so much of herself thru the book is inspiring. It has impacted me on so many levels.
The book is so down to earth and grounded in real life that it very easy to relate to. There are so many practical tips, ideas and guidance, I will need a 2nd & 3rd read at least.
Just finished the first of what will be many reads of this awesome book. The vulnerability, compassion and kindness of the author in sharing so much of herself thru the book is inspiring. It has impacted me on so many levels.
The book is so down to earth and grounded in real life that it very easy to relate to. There are so many practical tips, ideas and guidance, I will need a 2nd & 3rd read at least.
January 14, 2020
A "must read" for every woman, whatever her age! Men are welcome also!😉
August 13, 2019
I just loved this book!
The introduction had me laughing out loud at the antics of Dr. Jenn during her first try at mediation. This was just one of many deeply personal and reflective stories that she shares throughout the book, along with dozens of stories about her clients to better illustrate the lessons she wants us to learn.
By page 19, I was crying with frustration as she explains the madness of the sexual double standards women have to live with in this country, and many don’t even realize it because we rarely talk about it.
This book is so desperately needed, from its historical analysis of women and sex in Chapter 1 which explains how we got here, through the middle chapters which thoroughly explain mindfulness and how it can enhance your life and in particular your relationships and sex life, to the messages of hope and change for women and girls at the end.
I highly recommend this book for women AND for men, so that they can better understand the women in their lives, and the mixed messages we live with about sex. Just as Susan Cain’s book “Quiet” shed a light on the hidden lives and minds of introverts, “From Madness to Mindfulness” cracks open the door into women’s bedrooms. It’s about time we started talking about sex in this bold, new, and very healthy way.
The introduction had me laughing out loud at the antics of Dr. Jenn during her first try at mediation. This was just one of many deeply personal and reflective stories that she shares throughout the book, along with dozens of stories about her clients to better illustrate the lessons she wants us to learn.
By page 19, I was crying with frustration as she explains the madness of the sexual double standards women have to live with in this country, and many don’t even realize it because we rarely talk about it.
This book is so desperately needed, from its historical analysis of women and sex in Chapter 1 which explains how we got here, through the middle chapters which thoroughly explain mindfulness and how it can enhance your life and in particular your relationships and sex life, to the messages of hope and change for women and girls at the end.
I highly recommend this book for women AND for men, so that they can better understand the women in their lives, and the mixed messages we live with about sex. Just as Susan Cain’s book “Quiet” shed a light on the hidden lives and minds of introverts, “From Madness to Mindfulness” cracks open the door into women’s bedrooms. It’s about time we started talking about sex in this bold, new, and very healthy way.
April 23, 2023
I’m going to send this book in a time portal and distribute it to all the libraries of the world after the “caveman times.” Yeah, I think this is about right, the time frame? Empowering, this book, only it arrived a little too late in my lifetime,…sigh.
November 8, 2021
Started out a little slow but warmed on me. I appreciate how many areas the book covered that impact women’s sexuality.
November 23, 2019
Such a great book for any woman to read. It gives such great insight and clarity to womens sexuality and offers a lot of really helpful writing if you're interested in personal growth!
March 29, 2021
I'm not entirely sure this is a book one ever finishes because it has a lot of practices and questions, but I got to the end of it, so here I am, saying I'm finished.
Yes, it's about sex, but I found it to be mostly about mindfulness, communication, self understanding and body image, among other things. I loved how well researched it was (complete with footnotes), and think any fan of Brené Brown would like this book. Gunsaullus also references Brown several times.
The only thing I'm concerned about is how to get my partner to read the parts I want to share, without feeling it isn't for him.
Yes, it's about sex, but I found it to be mostly about mindfulness, communication, self understanding and body image, among other things. I loved how well researched it was (complete with footnotes), and think any fan of Brené Brown would like this book. Gunsaullus also references Brown several times.
The only thing I'm concerned about is how to get my partner to read the parts I want to share, without feeling it isn't for him.
November 4, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I have always been confident in my sexuality, but perhaps slightly less confident in articulating emotional needs and desires. There are some very good practices in this book, as well as conversation starters with partners. I appreciated the reflections at the end of each chapter. I got it from the library but I’ll have to add it to my collection.
August 16, 2023
Dr. Jennifer Gunsaullus does a great job of "normalizing" natural bodily sensations, secretions, and sexuality. What a refreshing view of intimacy for women. Thank you, Dr. Jenn, for sharing what should have been taught to many of us as pre-teens. The message is empowering and sex-positive.
January 11, 2024
Dr Jenn does it well! She includes personal experience, comprehensive literature and others experience laced in to encompass a completely compelling non fiction read. We read this for a book club, and to which I say… bravo! Even better is that we got to meet and talk with her. She’s great.
November 27, 2019
DNF - hard read
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews