69. Pleasure And Purpose: Tanya Peterson On OT And Sexuality

January 24, 2025

In this thought-provoking episode of OT Yourself to Freedom, Beki Eakins, Business Mindset and Lifestyle Coach for Occupational Therapists, speaks with the inspiring Tanya Peterson about the intersection of occupational therapy, pleasure, and sexuality. Tanya shares her unique journey from traditional OT roles to entrepreneurship, including the creation of her play café and her current focus on sexual wellness and nervous system regulation.

Tanya discusses the vital role of pleasure as a birthright, offering practical advice for OTs to feel confident addressing sexuality as an activity of daily living (ADL). She also introduces her educational course, ""Sensate Path : Empowering occupational therapists is sexual wellness"," designed to empower OTs to incorporate sexual wellness into their practice. This is a must-listen for OTs ready to break free from traditional constraints and embrace a fulfilling, freedom-based career.

“Pleasure is a birthright. I truly believe the world would be a much more accepting, compassionate place if we could own our pleasure as a source of empowerment instead of shame.” Tanya Peterson.

Tanya Peterson discusses the value of pleasure in daily life, and how we should all make this a priority. Tanya has a mission to help OTs feel empowered in sexual wellness, and feeling confident to address sexuality as an ADL.

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Guest Highlight:
This episode features Tanya Peterson, a passionate occupational therapist specialising in sexual wellness and nervous system regulation. Tanya is the creator of "Sensate Path : Empowering occupational therapists is sexual wellness", an educational programme empowering OTs to integrate sexual wellness into their practice.

Website : https://www.tanyapeterson.me/

Sensate Path : The SensuWell Collective

Connect with Beki

Beki helps occupational therapists create a freedom-based business that aligns with their core values.

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Website: www.bekieakins.com
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Facebook Group: OT Freedom Community
LinkedIn: Beki Eakins

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Main Topic:

[00:00] Introduction: Meet Beki Eakins and Tanya Peterson

[01:00] Tanya’s journey: From traditional OT roles to entrepreneurship

[04:00] Exploring sexual wellness and nervous system regulation

[07:00] The value of pleasure in daily life: A birthright, not a luxury

[12:00] Addressing societal taboos and integrating sexuality into OT practice

[20:00] Tanya’s second business: Empowering OTs through education

[25:00] Practical tips for OTs transitioning to freedom-based businesses

[37:00] Top tip: Slowing down to find pleasure in everyday life

About the Podcast

OT Yourself To Freedom Podcast helps occupational therapists create a life and business they love. Host Beki Eakins shares practical tips, strategies, and real-world stories to inspire your journey to freedom.

Episode Transcript

[00:00:00]
Beki: Hi, I'm Beki Eakins, Business Mindset and Lifestyle Coach for Occupational Therapists. I focus on creating a freedom-based online business, helping OTs to package up their skills in unique and exciting offers that feel so good that they sell with ease in the online space.

[00:00:25]
Since leaving the profession of OT, I have now worked with hundreds of clients online, helping them to create a life they feel inspired by.

[00:00:35]
In this podcast, I will talk about the lifestyle goals, mindset, and strategy you need to create your own life of freedom.

[00:00:45]
Hello, so I wanted to introduce a special guest that we've got on today. So Tanya Peterson.

[00:00:50]
Tanya: Hello.

[00:00:55]
Beki: So I have been speaking to Tanya Peterson for a while. It must be even a couple of years, and we've never actually met until today.

[00:01:10]
You know that moment when you see somebody who's doing something so special that really excites you and you align with?

[00:01:15]
And I saw that was happening on social media. I could feel the energy, feel the excitement about what she was creating. And I was just like, I have to have you on my podcast. This is so in alignment with my message.

[00:01:30]
So, Tanya, is it okay if you just introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your story, even including, you know, what you were doing when we first met and why you've changed?

[00:01:43]
Tanya: Yeah, absolutely. And I definitely want to say the feeling has been mutual.

[00:01:50]
I have been watching you over the years as well because we did connect several years ago, I think.

[00:01:55]
Beki: In the coaches' group.

[00:02:00]
Tanya: Yeah. So, yeah, the feeling is absolutely mutual. And I feel very aligned with the work that you're doing, especially in the realm of branching out and exploring all the different aspects of what we can do and not being limited by external systems that don't necessarily serve us.

[00:02:15]
So, I'm so happy to be here. To introduce myself, my name is Tanya, as you've already said, and I've had kind of an interesting winding road of a career.

[00:02:25]
I started traditionally, as most OTs do, in physical dysfunction. So, I worked in a hospital, on the neuro floor specifically.

[00:02:35]
I have a pretty extensive neuro background, and then I went into pediatrics. I've done skilled nursing, and then I branched into academia.

[00:02:50]
I taught for a little while at a local college for occupational therapy assistants. And then once the pandemic hit, I explored entrepreneurship a little bit more and opened a play cafe.

[00:03:10]
Right before the pandemic in October of 2019, we opened and then we officially closed in March of 2020.

[00:03:15]
Beki: Oh, that must have been so stressful.

[00:03:20]
Tanya: For the first time, and then we explored some different ways where we could still be of service to the community.

[00:03:30]
So we offered tutoring pods, and I had a teacher come in. Then I ended up partnering with a local pediatric therapy group, and they ran an early intervention program out of the space.

[00:03:40]
That actually just closed a few months ago, sadly. And now I'm in full-time private practice.

[00:03:50]
When we met, I was doing some career coaching with another OT and resume writing and kind of helping, even at that point, helping other OTs branch out beyond what our box typically looks like for OTs.

[00:04:05]
So, I've dabbled in several different areas. I'm exclusively OT, so I'm just utilizing my OT skills in other realms.

[00:04:20]
Now I'm in full-time private practice, and I specialize in sexual wellness and sexuality and nervous system regulation, which is a very niched area.

[00:04:35]
I have to say, this is probably the most fulfilling, enjoyable thing that I've done thus far.

69. Pleasure And Purpose: Tanya Peterson On OT And Sexuality

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