Mapping Arousal: Desire, Non-Concordance & the Erotic Body-Mind

Ever notice your body says yes when your mind hesitates, or the other way around?

Join three Certified Sexological Bodyworkers, Helena Monteiro (she/her), Iftach Zidon (he/him), and Nic Tosatti (he/him/they), for a live online workshop on arousal: what it is, how it works in the body, and why it doesn't always behave the way we expect.

This workshop is an invitation to get curious about your own arousal, not to fix it or perform it, but to understand it and begin to know it better.

We'll explore together:

• Arousal as a spectrum — fluid, non-linear, and far richer than on/off
• The Dual Control Model (accelerators and brakes): drawn from the research of Janssen & Bancroft at the Kinsey Institute and popularised by Emily Nagoski in Come As You Are
• Non-concordance: the often-surprising gap between what the body does and what the mind feels, and why it's so common
• Hands-on and embodied exercises to move from thinking about arousal to actually feeling it

You'll leave with some language and some body experience of what feels good, what gets in the way, and what you might want to explore more. Not a complete map, a beginning, and hopefully a good one.

Tuesday 28 July 2026 · 6:00–7:30pm BST / 7:00–8:30pm CEST (please come with time as we may extend if the group agrees!)

Live online via Zoom · Camera optional

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Your facilitators

Helena Monteiro is a Certified Sexological Bodyworker based in East London. Helena is interested in listening to the body and finding its wisdom, and uses pleasure and desire as a way to heal our body and minds. arandubodywork.com

Iftach Zidon is a Certified Sexological Bodyworker and Tantric masseur based in Berlin. His approach focuses on creating a safe space, where one is invited to share and explore without being judged or shamed, allowing vulnerability and curiosity to take place. zidonbodywork.com

Nic Tosatti is a Certified Sexological Bodyworker and Somatic Sex Educator, working with fellow queer, trans, and neuroexpansive folx — and others under the GSRD umbrella. Through Sexological Bodywork, Nic accompanies people in connecting with their wonderfully unedited and authentic sense of self, eroticism, and embodiment, in ways that radically affirm how they do, or wish to, experience themselves. Interested in working with neurodivergent folx, and for the ways Somatic Sexology can support our unmasking journeys, gently guiding us towards greater self-trust, pleasure, safety, and (queer) belonging. queerlybecoming.wixsite.com/sexological-bodywork

Space Agreements

Welcome folx. We invite you to help co-create a space that is respectful, choice-centered, and supportive of everyone's learning and experience.

Participation

• Your camera and microphone may be on or off. You are welcome to participate in whatever ways feel meaningful, supportive, and right for you.
• One of the core principles of Sexological Bodywork is being client-led and choice-centered. This means you are encouraged to prioritise your own needs and remain at choice throughout the workshop.
• For online safety and privacy, please remain fully clothed if your camera is on.

Inclusivity

This is a space that celebrates the many ways eroticism and sexuality can be experienced and expressed in our bodies.

We warmly welcome diverse ways of being and relating—to yourself, to others, to gender, sexuality, relationships, and beyond. We ask everyone to contribute to an environment of respect, curiosity, and inclusion.

Presence and Care

We invite you to practice showing up with presence, curiosity, and compassion—towards yourself as much as towards others.

This workshop is both educational and experiential, grounded in the modality of Sexological Bodywork. Sexological Bodywork is a trauma-informed, somatic approach that invites awareness into the body. We recognise that our bodies hold knowledge, memories, emotions, and lived experiences, including those that may be challenging or unexpected.

You are always welcome to participate at your own pace, take a break whenever you need to, or choose not to engage in any exercise. If you need support at any point, please reach out to one of the facilitators.

Our Shared Container

Curiosity, presence, and unconditional positive regard are the qualities that shape our shared container. We invite you to practice these with yourself and with everyone in the space.

Confidentiality

Everything shared within this workshop is confidential. We ask that you do not disclose another participant's identity or personal experiences after the workshop. If you choose to share about the workshop with others, please speak only from your own experience.

Agreement

By joining this workshop, you acknowledge and agree to these Space Agreements.

To protect the safety and integrity of the group, facilitators reserve the right to remove any participant whose behaviour significantly breaches these agreements. In such cases, removal from the workshop may occur without a refund.

Sliding scale tickets: Unwaged / Low Income £8 · Waged Standard £15 · Waged Comfortable / Supporter £22