I am so grateful to have had the opprotunity to be interviewed by Corinne Kai for their very gender inclusive article about vaginal mapping for Kinkly.com!
“Takeaway: Somatic work, such as yoni massage, opens a new pathway of healing for survivors of sexual assault.
A yoni massage is a type of tantric touch that isn’t about sex or orgasm. In Sanskrit, yoni directly translates to “sacred portal” and is the word used for vulva or vagina.
This practice is about slowing down, deep breathing, and connecting with your body through exploration. Yoni massage is often described by experts as a kind of sexual therapy for the body, in which people can find release, healing, and pain relief.
Trauma is not a singular moment that happens, it is the body's response, often feeling like a shapeshifting monster that lives inside our bones.
While talk therapy and support groups provide an incredible resource for people who have experienced sexual assault — bodies can hold onto memories and trauma long after being mentally processed. Somatic work, such as yoni massage, opens a new pathway of healing for survivors of sexual assault.
While yoni is often narrowly defined in modern wellness communities to focus on cis-women, our understanding is broad to include non-binary people, trans men, and trans women.
For people with a penis, vaginal mapping can be practiced on the inguinal canals or anus to “help restore blood flow and sensation as well as release trauma,” says Tantra and Intimacy Coach, Mackensey Alexander. Those who don’t identify with the term yoni may opt for different verbiage such as genital tantric massage.”