The World's Tightest Community - A Podcast About Vulvodynia, Vaginismus & Women's Pelvic Pain

What happens in sex therapy for vaginismus and vulvodynia? In this conversation with certified holistic sexuality educator and embodied intimacy coach Lauren Elise Rogers, we explore how sex and relationship coaching addresses the root causes of sexual pain - beyond just the physical symptoms. Lauren shares her journey from purity culture to becoming a specialist in treating vaginismus, vulvodynia...

Vulvodynia can feel mysterious, isolating, and overwhelming - especially when treatments seem to focus on symptoms instead of causes. In this conversation, acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner Jennifer Dubowsky shares how she approaches vulvar pain through a whole-body lens built on 24 years of clinical experience. Jennifer walks us through the most common TCM patterns...

Thrush (aka yeast/candida infections) is common - 75% of women will experience it at some point - but for some women, it can trigger long-term vulvar pain (vulvodynia). In this powerful episode, Mathilde speaks with Philly Baines, a UK-based women’s health advocate, about her journey from repeated thrush infections to developing vulvodynia, and how years of medical dismissal led her to campaign fo...

In this conversation, pelvic floor physical therapist Dr. Julie Sarton shares the small, surprising ways our daily routines - like how we sit, breathe, carry stress, or even pee - can quietly create or maintain pelvic floor tension. We unpack why “just doing Kegels” often backfires, how breath-holding and sucking in your stomach keep your pelvic floor on high alert, and what it really means to rel...

For so many living with vaginismus or vulvodynia, pain feels like a puzzle with missing pieces. What if one of those pieces is fascia - the thin, stringy web that connects every part of your body, where tightness in your jaw could whisper tension into your pelvis? In this episode, we unpack what fascia actually is, how it connects areas like the jaw and pelvis, and why this matters for anyone expe...

What really shapes how we live with vulvodynia, vaginismus and other pelvic pain conditions - biology alone, or also our emotions, thoughts, partner interactions and place in society? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Claudia Chisari, one of the most cited scientists in vulvodynia research and founder of Bloume Health. Claudia shares her own journey through years of pain and medical dismissal,...

Fear is one of our most powerful instincts - and it often plays a central role in vaginismus. In this episode, psychologist Dr. Seth Senecal explains how fear overrides logic, shapes our nervous system, and keeps our pelvic floor muscles from relaxing. Whether it’s a tiger chasing us or worrying that someone we love might leave, the body responds as if survival is on the line - and that signal can...

In this episode, Dr. Jill Krapf joins Mathilde to unpack the four main drivers of vulvar pain - hormonal, muscular, inflammatory, and nerve-related - and why these factors often overlap. She shares why she believes the catch-all term “vulvodynia” will eventually disappear as research continues to uncover specific root causes. We discuss how Dr. Krapf investigates these causes in her practice, from...

Join us with Sam Evans, intimate health expert and co-owner of Jo Divine, a UK pleasure shop specializing in skin-safe products. Sam shares her personal experience with vaginismus and how intimate products directly contributed to her condition. In this episode, we discuss: * How common ingredients in lubricants, condoms and other intimate health products can trigger vaginal pain * Why "doctor reco...

In part two of our two-part series, we explore the fascinating neuroscience behind pelvic pain with pelvic health physiotherapist Jo Gipson. We cover why pain isn't just physical but a complex response to perceived threat, and how our beliefs and past experiences shape our body's reactions. Jo breaks down how pain cycles can emerge, explains why anticipating pain can make it worse, and reveals why...

In part one of our two-part series, pelvic health physiotherapist Jo Gipson explains the basics of pelvic floor anatomy and the relevance for vulvodynia and vaginismus. She challenges common myths about Kegel exercises, explains why both muscle relaxation and strength matter, and shares practical treatment approaches from breath work to dilator use. Connect with Jo Gipson: Instagram: @jogipsonphys...

In this first episode, we dive deep into the often misunderstood world of vulvodynia and vaginismus with Dr. Tania Adib, a leading London-based gynecologist specializing in vulvar health. Through host Mathilde's personal journey and Dr. Adib's clinical expertise, we explore why these conditions are frequently dismissed by healthcare providers despite affecting up to 1 in 5 women. Dr. Adib breaks d...