NARM Training Institute

In this thought-provoking webinar, NARM Master Therapist Sherri Sharkins and NARM Creator Dr. Laurence Heller explore sex and sexuality through the lens of the NeuroAffective Relational Model.

They examine how shame, religious conditioning, and developmental obstacles can shape a person’s relationship to their sexuality, often limiting their ability to fully connect and surrender in intimate experiences. The discussion looks at how strategies tied to the five NARM Adaptive Survival Styles influence sexual expression, and how separation/individuation supports healthy sexual relationships.

Sherri and Dr. Heller also explore the roles of objectification, pleasure, and emotional completion in sexual connection, as well as the complexities of sexual fantasy as a doorway into understanding deeper needs and desires. They question the concept of “sexual addiction,” reframing it as an opportunity to investigate underlying emotional drivers rather than focusing solely on behavior.

Throughout, they emphasize the importance of helping clients explore their relationship to their bodies and to pleasure, while addressing both cultural and personal shame around sexuality. This webinar invites a more open, compassionate, and nuanced approach to supporting clients in reclaiming this vital aspect of human life.