Synopses & Reviews
This third edition of
Rhythms of Women's Desire, a provocative and informative book about female sexuality and life changes, will empower you to understand your sexuality in the context of your entire lifetime.
Author Elizabeth Davis' focus on sexual changes over time is what makes this book unique; she gives you insight into what is natural at each sexual stage and how it all fits together in the context of a lifetime. This book envisages menarche (first menstruation), childbirth, and menopause as transformative, biological turning points and gives the reader a view of what these events have in common hormonally and psychologically.
The new edition has been been updated to reflect the latest scientific research, including a deeper examination of post-menopausal and postpartum sexuality and the hormonal imbalances caused by xenoestrogens. Updates also include new information about the link between oxytocin, brainwaves, and intuition and about how abortion, miscarriage, and other major losses can affect the desire for sex, with suggestions for healing and a worksheet for dealing with trauma and abuse issues.
Rhythms of Women's Desire is a frank, personal, and exciting journey into female sexuality and a helpful guide through every stage of your life.
Synopsis
In this third edition of
Women's Sexual Passages, a provocative and informative book about female sexuality and life changes, author Elizabeth Davis empowers women to understand their sexuality in the context of an entire lifetime.
Through menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause women experience profound changes to their sexual life over the years. The emphasis on sexual changes over time is what makes this book unique; it gives women insight into what is natural at each sexual stage and how it all fits together in the context of a lifetime. This book places frames menarche (first menstruation), childbirth, and menopause as transformative, biological turning points, and gives the reader a view of what these events have in common hormonally and phychologically.
The book addresses the complexity of female sexuality through lessons on the body, emotion, intuition, creativity, and spirituality. Davis describes key information on biology, hormones, menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth. Chapters explain sexual awakening and and hormonal changes, as well as the impact that stress, overwork, major life events, relationship upheaval and sexual abuse can have on a womans sexuality.
The book explores both biological and cultural aspects of menopause and aging, imparting rarely-heard information about how hormonal changes during menopause are linked to increased insight and assertiveness.
This book also delves into identifying and treating sexual trauma.
Much of the third edition includes brand-new material, and previous information has been been updated to reflect the latest scientific research.
New material includes:
the link between oxytocin, brainwaves, and intuition
how abortion, miscarriage and other major losses can affect the desire for sex, with suggestions for healing
sexual, physical, emotional, gynecological, obstetrical abuse and impact on desire, with suggestions for healing
worksheet on trauma and abuse issues
physiologic, orgasmic birth
Updates include:
gynecological conditions that can affect desire
birth control methods and their impact on sexuality
hormonal imbalances caused by xenoestrogens
stress and desire
postpartum sexuality
post-menopausal sexuality
Womens Sexual Passages is a frank, personal and exciting journey into female sexuality through the lifespan.
About the Author
Elizabeth Davis has been a midwife and womens health care provider since 1978 and the director and clinical instructor of Heart and Hands Midwifery Intensives since 1983. She is the author of many successful books, including
Heart and Hands, A Midwifes Guide to Pregnancy and Birth, now in its third edition, and
The Womens Wheel of Life. She writes frequently for womens and parenting magazines. She lectures and consults internationally to nurses, midwives, gynecologists, and obstetricians on womens health, psychology and reproductive issues. She has three grown children and one grandchild, born at home. She makes her home on two acres in rural Northern California, with extensive flower and vegetable gardens. In her spare time she loves travel, hiking, snorkeling, and metaphysical studies.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Authors Note
Chapter 1: Women, Sex, and Culture
Chapter 2: Sexual Awakening
Chapter 3: Dancing with Our Hormones
Chapter 4: The Sexuality of Pregnancy and Birth
Chapter 5: Sex After the Baby Comes
Chapter 6: Sex, Stress, and the Midlife Turnaround
Chapter 7: Sexual Transformation in Menopause
Chapter 8: Sex in Later Years
Chapter 9: Healing From Abuse and Trauma
Chapter 10: Choosing Celibacy
Chapter 11: Your Own Sexual Rhythms