Meet Irene Morning | Somatic Pleasure Coach & Bestselling Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Irene Morning and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Irene, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“Pleasure is the point. Feeling good is not frivolous, it is freedom.” – adrienne maree brown, Pleasure Activism I come back to this quote over and over and over again because it reminds me that prioritizing feeling good is an expression of liberation. When we exist within cultures and family structures that condition us to feel shame around pleasure, to sacrifice feeling good for the sake of achievement or appeasing others, this is a sentiment we need to be reminded of often. It also reminds me that pleasure isn’t selfish. On the contrary, when we are well resourced and feeling good is when we are most able to show up for others. Pleasure is a vital part of living a sustainable life and breaking free of oppressive systems.

What should our readers know about your business?
I run a business doing somatic pleasure coaching, which means I work with individuals, couples, and small groups to feel more connected to their bodies, more in touch with their desires, and more able to access pleasure in all areas of life. I have a special focus on supporting folks in (or curious about) non-monogamous relationships, and recently wrote a bestselling book, The Polyamory Paradox: Finding Your Confidence in Consensual Non-Monogamy. What makes me proud about my work is first and foremost watching my clients live transformed lives. Seeing the freedom and enjoyment they access as a result of our work together is the most rewarding thing. But I’m also really proud of myself and the path it took to get here.
When I first started working for myself, I had just graduated with a Master of Science in yoga therapy and thought I would simply get a job in that field. I didn’t really plan to start my own business, but it quickly seemed like the only option if I wanted to do what I was actually trained in. It was deeply challenging to adjust to that reality and teach myself everything about running a business.
As both my work and my own healing developed, it became clear there was a need for more somatic work supporting sexuality and relationships. So I started weaving together my formal education, my clinical experience and supplemental trainings as a sexual health counselor and trauma resolution educator, and my lived experience as someone who is polyamorous, bisexual and neurodivergent (complex-PTSD and ADHD). All of that eventually led to writing this book, with the intention of giving people struggling in non-monogamy more practical tools to work with.
I’m also incredibly proud of the courage it took to walk that seemingly meandering path and be open about my own healing. I really believe vulnerability and openness about sexuality in the helping professions are powerful change-makers toward our collective healing.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Wow, so so so many people and resources come to mind! Many of the coaches I’ve had have been instrumental in helping me understand what my work is and how best to implement it, so big shoutout to Amelia Travis, Che Che Luna, Bear Hebert, and Rachael Maddox. It also feels important to recognize Health Imperatives, a nonprofit organization out of MA whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of low-income or vulnerable families and individuals in Southeastern Massachusetts. It was working for them as a sexual and reproductive health counselor that first opened my eyes to how much I enjoy facilitating frank conversation about sex and sexuality, as well as how incredibly transformative that can be for folks.

Website: http://www.irenemorning.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irene_morning/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0KDzcIl2guF5m6vED8MPWg

Other: e-mail: irene@irenemorning.com my book is available for download here: https://www.irenemorning.com/book-launch

Image Credits
Alexandra Kacha