In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we explore sex, fantasy, and desire through the lens of presence, safety, and self-trust.

Rocky Donati and Tessa Arneson are joined by Dr. Stormy Hill, a mental health occupational therapist and intimacy coach, and Courtney Stookey, founder of Lovebound Library—Utah’s first romance-only bookstore—for an honest, playful, and deeply grounding conversation about what desire is really trying to tell us.

Together, they explore why sex is one of the most talked about—and most repressed—topics in our culture, how shame and performance disconnect us from our bodies, and what becomes possible when curiosity replaces judgment. From romance novels and fantasy as tools for exploration, to nervous system safety and sexual sovereignty, this episode invites listeners to slow down and listen inward.

Rather than offering answers or prescriptions, this conversation centers presence: learning to notice what’s alive in the body, what feels safe, and what we’re genuinely drawn toward—without pressure to act or perform.

Together, we unpack:

- Why sex is culturally obsessed over and simultaneously suppressed
- What it means to ask, “What actually turns me on?” for the first time
- How fantasy and romance can offer information—not instruction
- The role of safety, the nervous system, and the body in desire
- Reclaiming sexuality as something personal, not performative
- Why curiosity and imagination can be powerful tools for self-connection

This episode is thoughtful, warm, and unexpectedly fun—an invitation to approach desire with more honesty, softness, and trust.

Resources Mentioned:
Dr. Stormy Hill
Intimacy Coach & Mental Health Occupational Therapist
https://lovedeeplab.com/

Courtney Stookey Owner of Lovebound Library
Utah’s first romance-only bookstore
https://www.loveboundlibrary.com

Rocky and Tessa's book picks from Lovebound Library:
Heather's Pick: A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
Rocky's Pick: Black Rose and Blood Orange by Karina Halle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveboundlibrary

Disclaimer:
This conversation reflects personal experience and perspective, not medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. Everyone’s body, nervous system, and healing journey is different. We encourage you to consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your physical or emotional health.

Connect with us!

💬 Join the conversation in our private network on BFF
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✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us.

More at → mavenslc.com

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we explore what happens when everything goes quiet.

Rocky Donati shares her experience attending a 10-day Vipassana silent retreat—a meditation practice centered on awareness, equanimity, and learning to see reality exactly as it is. With no phone, no speaking, no reading, and more than 11 hours of meditation per day, the retreat created an environment designed to strip away distraction and invite a direct encounter with the self.

What unfolded wasn’t bliss—it was pain. Intense, sustained physical pain that became the gateway to something far more transformative: a deep reconnection to the body, an understanding of sensation versus reaction, and the realization that presence isn’t about feeling good—it’s about being fully with what is.

Rocky opens up about what it means to sit with discomfort instead of trying to escape it, how chronic pain and dissociation can disconnect us from ourselves, and why learning to observe without reacting can change how we move through every part of life.

Together, we unpack

• What a 10-day Vipassana silent retreat actually looks like (schedule, structure, and expectations)
• Why Rocky experienced intense physical pain while others did not
• The difference between sensation, reaction, and equanimity
• How chronic pain, dissociation, and healing are deeply connected
• What it means to witness yourself without trying to fix or change anything
• Why presence creates now benefits—not just future ones
• How this practice continues beyond meditation and into daily life

This episode is honest, embodied, and deeply human—an invitation to explore presence in whatever way meets you where you are.

Resources Mentioned

Vipassana Meditation (as taught by S.N. Goenka):
https://www.dhamma.org

https://www.pasava.dhamma.org/

Disclaimer

This conversation reflects personal experience and perspective, not medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. Everyone’s body, nervous system, and healing journey is different. We encourage you to consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your physical or emotional health.

Connect with us!

💬 Join the conversation in our private network on BFF
https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131

📲 Follow us on Instagram
instagram.com/maven.community

✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us.

More at → mavenslc.com

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we sit down with Sarah Duke and Britney Beardmore—the powerhouse sister-in-law duo behind Acrely Farms, a Bloom to Bottle Hemp farm redefining what it means to build a mission-driven business from the ground up.

With backgrounds in agriculture and medical research, Sarah and Brit left corporate careers to create a farm rooted in humane, sustainable practices—and have since self-funded their hemp and botanical skincare line to over $2 million in lifetime sales.

They open up about the unfiltered realities of entrepreneurship: what it’s like to borrow from a spouse, live on savings, and keep believing when the numbers don’t make sense. From money mindset shifts to redefining success, this conversation is real, funny, and surprisingly healing.

Together, we unpack

• How Acrely grew from one acre to a $2M self-funded brand
• The emotional dynamics of borrowing from a spouse
• Why “success” isn’t profit—it’s partnership, perseverance, and purpose
• How identity and self-worth can’t be tied to revenue
• Practical tools for managing cash flow and creative funding (yes, even 0% APR credit cards)

This episode is honest, reflective, and deeply human—an inside look at what it really takes to bet on yourself, stay in partnership, and keep building when the easy road isn’t an option.

Resources Mentioned

• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program: 10ksbapply.com
• MBC Program (University of Utah) — Masters of Business Creation

Where to find Acrely:

• Acrely Farms: acrelyfarms.com
• Follow: @acrelyfarms

Disclaimer:

This conversation reflects personal experiences and perspectives, not financial advice. Every business is unique, and financial decisions carry risk. We strongly encourage you to consult a qualified financial advisor, accountant, or legal professional before making decisions about funding, debt, or investment for your business.

Connect with us!

💬 Join the conversation in our private network on BFF
https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131

📲 Follow us on Instagram
instagram.com/maven.community

✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us.

More at → mavenslc.com