13/03/2025

Join Ailey Jolie and Dr. Kate Balestrieri, a clinical psychologist, certified sex therapist, and author, on this episode of In This Body. The conversation explores how systemic oppression—particularly patriarchy—shapes our relationships with gender, sexuality, and embodiment. Dr. Balestrieri unpacks the misconceptions around patriarchy, the impact of gender essentialism, and how masculinity can become a prison, disconnecting men from their emotional world. Ailey and Dr. Balestrieri discuss how trauma influences sexuality, why pleasure is a form of power, and the barriers that prevent individuals from viewing sex as a practice of play rather than a currency of worth. The episode also highlights the importance of reclaiming agency within cultural narratives that shape our desires, bodies, and relationships. We hope you enjoy the episode.

About In This Body: Conversations with leading experts about the importance of embodiment in living an authentic life. In This Body asks the important questions: How does connecting to your body change your life? How will connecting to your body allow you to love better and live more authentically? And how does connecting to your body change the trajectory of our shared world?

In this episode: