Unlocking Pleasure: What’s the Buzz About Guided Masturbation?

Masturbation is a well-known practice. It’s simply the self-stimulation of one’s own genital areas using hands or a sex toy. Manual masturbation is the most traditional method for stimulating private zones and achieving pleasure. Other techniques include syntribation, using the thighs, and also, guided masturbation. The latter can be particularly helpful for those who are less familiar with their anatomy or feel pressured during sexual intercourse or masturbation.

“Guided masturbation is based on all the tools that help to better understand and facilitate the exploration of one’s body and sensations,” explains sexologist Emma Puech-Hélin. By “tools,” she means resources like podcasts, audios, or books. The first step is thus to choose your preferred medium: audio allows for minute-by-minute guidance, whereas a book is generally read and memorized before attempting the steps at the right moment. “Many women are unfamiliar with their body. In books like ‘The Little Guide to Female Masturbation’ by Julia Pietri, anatomical diagrams can help in identifying different erogenous zones,” suggests Emma Puech-Hélin.

To perform guided masturbation effectively, it’s crucial to be in a setting that encourages relaxation and letting go. This means being in a safe place where you won’t be disturbed. Once you start guided masturbation, you should “be curious, not judge the sensations of your body but welcome them without pressure. Don’t set achieving an orgasm as your goal. Striving for performance is counterproductive,” insists the sexologist.

A Technique for Building Self-Confidence

What enables body exploration is having the time to discover what might bring pleasure, breathing well, and for some, engaging in erotic fantasies. “You should find pleasant sensations with your fingers, but not only that. It can also involve rubbing. Try not to have preconceived notions about what will work or not,” says Emma Puech-Hélin. It’s important to remember that “nothing is mandatory. If during guided masturbation, it becomes uncomfortable, it’s not the right time,” emphasizes the expert.

Once you manage to let go, guided masturbation provides “a boost in self-confidence by discovering the capacity of your body to experience pleasure.” If initially explored alone, guided masturbation can later be shared with a partner, “enhancing pleasure, evolving sexual practices and scripts without again, the pressure of performance,” concludes the sexologist.