Empowering Couples To Elevate Their Relationships – Exclusive Interview With Shauna J Harris
- May 9, 2022
- 4 min read
My name is Shauna Harris. I live in the beautiful state of Arizona with my hubby and two little yorkies, Bones and Bruiser. I was born in Canada and moved to the US in 2008; most of family still resides in Canada. I am grateful for each one of them, my family means the world to me.
I am also incredibly grateful to be called “Mom” of two adult children and one bonus son-in-law; I will be elevating my title to “Grammi” later this year…I am over the moon excited!
I am a Clinical Sexologist and Relationship Specialist. My business is titled Explore Intimacy. It is a results-based coaching practice that is designed to educate and empower couples with the knowledge and tools to elevate their relationship and sex life. I am also active in the community assisting parents with the education of their children in all areas of human sexuality.
Shauna J Harris, Explore Intimacy
I began my career as an educator so the pull to get back into the saddle was a no brainer for me.
Being an extrovert at heart, people have always intrigued me. The human body has always fascinated me. My favorite subject to teach was always Life Skills, which included Human Sexuality, so choosing the sexologist path was not a difficult choice for me. I had been on the path most of my life; I had just taken a few lengthy pitstops along the way and it was time to kick things into high gear. Putting myself out there (after being SAHM), in the real world once again was a little daunting but as one of my favorite quotes boasts, “A comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing ever grows there.” It was my time to grow, it was my time to take the knowledge and experience that I had acquired to serve and assist others on their journey and in their relationships.
The pivotal moment in my life that brought me to where I am today was when I found myself in an unhealthy marriage. It was riddled with ineffective communication skills, no intimate connection, and a definite lack of conflict resolution competence. I was at rock bottom and had no interest in staying there. It took an inward dive and a decision that if I wanted to transform my life, no one else could do that but me. Allowing myself to be and show vulnerability was an excruciating challenge for me, I protected my heart fiercely. During my time of self-reflection, I came to the conclusion that if I could help individuals and couples NOT get to this point in their relationship and equip them with the tools that I did not possess at the time, I was going to do it. If I could help just one person avoid the pain and heartache that I felt, this would be my mission. This is what fuels me. This is my passion.
It is incredibly rewarding to see clients experiencing positive changes in communication patterns and effectively utilize the tools learned to enhance and elevate their intimate connection. To see them light up and share breakthroughs, watch them grow in their relationship, deepen their connection and increase their level of intimacy is the best gift.
If I could change anything about my industry, I would change society’s perception of how we view sex and how we talk about it. A big hurdle in a lot of relationships is the myth that sex does not need be discussed, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Talking about sex and our sex lives brings us closer and increase the level of intimacy and connection. We all came to be the same way, there doesn’t need to be any type of shame or negative talk that surrounds the subject. When we choose not to engage in these conversations to avoid the initial awkwardness, we are choosing to put a ceiling on the level of intimacy that we can attain. Bottom line– couples that talk about their sex lives have more satisfying and fulfilling relationships.
My biggest career achievement so far? It is tough to pick just one, I love what I do. Having said that, if I had to choose one proud moment in my career thus far it would be writing an internationally bestselling book, Speaking of Sex– Reignite the Spark In Your Relationship, Spice Up Your Sex Life & Create Long-Lasting Love. The comments that I receive from readers have been heartwarming and incredibly inspiring. The process of writing a book is quite the journey. I learned so much about myself, it was really a monumental healing tool for me.
I am a testament that transformations can happen, if one comes to the table with an open mind and a willing heart. It takes work, consistency, and accountability just to name a few. If you want to change, it begins with looking in the mirror.
