ME23: Let's Talk About Sex! Starting the Conversation about Sexual Intimacy for Expat Partners (With Guest: Dr. Nazanin Moali)

Today’s Mindful Expat Guest is Dr. Nazanin Moali!

Dr. Moali is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of California in the United States. She is not only a practicing psychologist, but also a consultant, researcher, sex educator, and fellow podcaster! She has two wonderful podcasts – one in English and one in Farsi – both called Sexology, where she shares research, insights, and interviews with experts in the field of sexuality to help people better understand their own sexuality and enhance their sexual intimacy and satisfaction.

Dr. Moali was born in Iran, and moved to the United States with her family at the age of 17. From a young age, she traveled extensively and has long been fascinated with different cultures – which led her to pursue a multicultural counseling emphasis in her clinical training and to write her dissertation on post-traumatic growth following immigration. (Which is not our topic for today’s podcast, but I’m thinking we may need to see if she’d be willing to come back at some point in the future to talk about this important topic!)

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• How stress -- including the stress of adapting to a new culture -- can show up in the bedroom (with useful information about how to understand what's going on physiologically in our bodies when we're under stress), and what to do about it.
• How adapting to a new culture can impact our confidence and sense of identity, and how these challenges can impact our sexuality.
• How to talk about your sexual relationship with your partner -- outside the bedroom!
• How to navigate different (or changing) levels of sexual desire in a relationship.
• How to remain connected and enhance intimacy even during times where one or both partners may be traveling frequently for work.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Dr. Moali mentioned the app, Gratitude 365, to help with a daily gratitude practice.
• Dr. Moali also mentioned another app, Happy Couple, that couples can use together to learn more about one another and enhance their intimacy.
• Dr. Moali's own podcast, Sexology, is a wonderful resource on topics related to sexuality!
• We didn't mention this in the episode, but Dr. Moali and I actually did a podcast exchange, where she also interviewed me for her podcast, which was a lot of fun! To listen to the episode of her podcast where we discuss sex in intercultural relationships, check it out here. 

More about Dr. Moali and how to follow up with her:

To learn more about Dr. Moali, you can visit her psychotherapy website, oasis2care.com, where you can also read more about the various services she provides.

To listen to Dr. Moali's podcast, Sexology (available in both English and Farsi), you can visit the podcast's website at www.sexologypodcast.com. There she interview experts in the field of sexuality to help listeners expand their knowledge of sexuality and feel empowered to make healthy choices and enhance their sexual satisfaction. This is a wonderful podcast, and I highly encourage you to check it out!

You can also find Dr. Moali on Facebook or Twitter, and you can email her directly at [email protected].

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