What does it look like when a podcast about shared power actually practices what it teaches? In this Season 2 premiere, Dr. Misty announces a major evolution: Untamed Ember is now co-hosted with fellow clinician and sex therapist Michell. Together they unpack why the shift happened, what it required of both of them to get here, and why this change is itself a demonstration of the relational ethics they've been teaching all along.

This episode covers the real behind-the-scenes negotiation of bringing a co-host into an established creative space, the nervous system science of why dialogue creates co-regulation that solo content structurally cannot, and a live unscripted disagreement between two therapists about how to think about jealousy in non-monogamous relationships.

If you're in kink, polyamory, or ethical non-monogamy and you've been looking for content that is both clinically grounded and genuinely honest, this is your entry point into what Untamed Ember is becoming.

Topics covered:

• Why Season 2 of Untamed Ember now has a co-host
• How two sex therapists negotiated shared creative authority
• The polyvagal case for dialogue over monologue in intimacy education
• Jealousy as information vs. jealousy as nervous system dysregulation
• What's staying the same and what's changing in Season 2
• Consent, negotiation, and the ethics of evolving your relational structures

Show Notes:

About this episode: Season 2 of Untamed Ember opens with a conversation that is itself an enactment of what this podcast teaches. Dr. Misty, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and clinical psychotherapist, is joined by Michell, a sex therapist and longtime colleague, as the show's new co-host. This episode tells the full story of how that happened and why.

What Dr. Misty and Michell cover:

The origin of the evolution — After a full year of solo hosting, Dr. Misty began to notice that solo hosting had a ceiling: one perspective, one nervous system, one voice. The shift to co-hosting wasn't a correction of Season 1. It was a decision made from a place of fullness and readiness for something more.

Why co-hosting is the practice — In kink we negotiate authority rather than assume it. In polyamory, agreements evolve as capacity shifts. Bringing Michell in as co-host is the podcast structurally reflecting what it teaches. Dr. Misty also breaks down why dialogue creates co-regulation for listeners in a way that monologue cannot, drawing on polyvagal theory.

The behind-the-scenes negotiation — What it actually took for two clinicians to build a shared creative space with intention, including explicit conversations about scope, disagreement, and authority before they ever hit record.

Live disagreement modeling — Dr. Misty and Michell work through a real, ongoing clinical debate: Is jealousy always useful information, or is it sometimes just nervous system noise that needs regulation before it can be read? They don't resolve it. That's the point.

What Season 2 looks like — The content spine of Untamed Ember is unchanged: kink education, polyamory agreements, consent, aftercare, repair, nervous system science, no shame. The format is shifting from structured lecture to structured conversation, one theme per episode broken into science, real-life application, and integration.

Connect and learn more:

• Subscribe to the Untamed Ember newsletter for deep dives, bonus material, and behind-the-scenes content: untamedember.kit.com
• Join an upcoming live workshop or on-demand class: links in show notes

About the hosts: Dr. Misty is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and clinical psychotherapist at FlowArt Therapy, licensed in Washington state, Maryland, D.C....

• (00:00:00) - The Real Value of Shared Authority
• (00:00:36) - Untamed Ember: The Podcast's Evolving
• (00:02:46) - Dr. Misty on Co-Hosting Untamed Umber
• (00:04:04) - The Value of Co-Regulation
• (00:07:37) - The Process of Transitioning to a Co-Host
• (00:10:23) - Misty on Her Co-Hosting
• (00:12:07) - How to Talk About Jealousy
• (00:15:32) - Misty On Jealousy
• (00:17:40) - Hello, How To Talk Sex and Relationships
• (00:20:20) - Debates for Relationships and Communities
• (00:20:46) - A message for those holding onto authority
• (00:22:27) - Untamed Ember: Story, Science and Skills

In non-monogamous relationships, many conflicts are not about jealousy or trust, they are about information. What needs to be shared, what should remain private, and how people get stuck oscillating between oversharing and withholding.

Dr. Misty breaks this episode down into the critical difference between privacy and withholding, and why confusing the two creates unnecessary harm. Privacy protects autonomy. Withholding removes information required for consent, safety, or shared decision-making.

You will hear a clear framework for sorting information into three distinct channels: logistical safety and accountability, relational impact, and erotic or experiential detail. The episode explores how collapsing these categories leads to boundary violations, shutdown, and loss of trust, even when no one intends harm.

This conversation is for people practicing polyamory, open relationships, or other forms of consensual non-monogamy who want clarity without surveillance, honesty without oversharing, and consent that functions in real life rather than theory.

• (00:00:00) - The 3 Types of Consent in Polyamory
• (00:01:22) - The Difference Between Privacy and Withholding in Non-Monogamous
• (00:06:11) - The 3-Channels Framework
• (00:12:14) - Why I Overshare and Say Nothing in Polyamory
• (00:16:39) - When Sexual Privacy Is Involved
• (00:18:13) - What is a No-Feeling Relationship?
• (00:19:47) - A Guide to Privacy in Sex
• (00:20:26) - Which Channel Do You Need From Your Partners?
• (00:21:05) - The 3 Channels of Information in Your Relationships

Here's a radical idea: being polyamorous doesn't make you a better person.

In this episode of Untamed Ember, Dr. Misty calls out the weaponized poly discourse that's been laundering bad behavior under enlightenment language. "That's just jealousy." "I don't believe in obligation." "You're asking for hierarchy." These phrases shut down accountability instead of opening conversations.

Through the story of Jenna and Ari, you'll hear exactly how autonomy gets confused with avoidance, privacy becomes a cover for withholding critical information, and growth rhetoric turns into a weapon that dismisses harm instead of repairing it.

This episode draws clear lines between discomfort and harm, autonomy and impact, consent and endurance. Because ethical non-monogamy requires more communication, more accountability, and more repair than monogamy, not less.

This one's for you if:

• Someone has told you to be "better at polyamory" while ignoring your needs, boundaries, or safety
• You're practicing non-monogamy and want relationships grounded in honesty and real consent, not just sophisticated vocabulary
• You're tired of enlightenment language being used to dodge responsibility

Bottom line: Polyamory is not a moral upgrade. Labels don't replace ethics. And your nervous system's response to harm isn't pathology—it's intelligence.

Time to stop making the person experiencing harm responsible for fixing it.

• (00:00:00) - Introduction: Challenging Polyamory Myths
• (00:00:38) - Weaponized Language in Polyamory
• (00:00:49) - The Ethics of Non-Monogamy
• (00:01:25) - Avoiding Accountability in Polyamory
• (00:04:57) - Patterns of Harm in Polyamory
• (00:05:04) - Neglect Framed as Autonomy
• (00:07:22) - Dishonesty Reframed as Privacy
• (00:09:03) - Coercion Disguised as Growth
• (00:14:36) - Building Ethical Polyamory
• (00:22:45) - Conclusion: Embracing Ethical Non-Monogamy

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Power exchange is sexy when it’s chosen. Power over is toxic when it’s stolen. In this episode, we talk about the difference between ethical dominance and coercion, why consent makes power dynamics hotter, and how trauma and ND nervous systems experience surrender. You’ll learn how to spot red flags, practice ethical dominance, and build dynamics that are both safe and deeply erotic.

Subscribe to Untamed Ember wherever you get your podcasts.

• (00:00:00) - Introduction to Power Dynamics
• (00:01:01) - Understanding Power Exchange
• (00:02:15) - Defining Ethical Power Exchange
• (00:05:44) - Recognizing Unhealthy Dynamics
• (00:10:14) - Practicing Ethical Dominance
• (00:15:14) - The Importance of Trust and Consent
• (00:20:16) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

If you like this episode, check out my mini-course on Drop at https://untamedember.com

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You’ve heard of sub drop — the crash after intense play. But tops crash too. In this episode, we explore the neurochemistry of “after”: why dopamine, adrenaline, and oxytocin swings can leave both tops and subs feeling weepy, anxious, drained, or guilty. We’ll talk about how drop shows up in the body, why it’s normal, and what practices help regulate and repair. Because drop isn’t proof you did it wrong — it’s proof your body went deep.

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• (00:00:00) - Introduction to Drop
• (00:02:03) - Understanding Sub Drop
• (00:03:02) - Understanding Top Drop
• (00:04:39) - The Science Behind Drop
• (00:08:55) - Recognizing Drop Symptoms
• (00:11:54) - Distinguishing Drop from Red Flags
• (00:13:24) - Planning and Managing Drop
• (00:19:25) - Personal Reflections and Rituals
• (00:21:11) - Conclusion and Resources

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Switches get a bad rap as “indecisive” — but the truth is, switching between roles is a skill, and it comes with unique consent challenges. In this episode, we explore what it means to be a switch, how to navigate role changes without confusion or coercion, and why nervous system regulation matters when moving from dominance to submission (or vice versa). With humor, real talk, and trauma-informed insight, I’ll show you how switching can be one of the most creative and liberating dynamics when consent is clear.

Subscribe to Untamed Ember wherever you get your podcasts.

• (00:00:00) - Introduction to Switching Roles
• (00:00:22) - Challenges of Switching Roles
• (00:00:46) - Navigating Role Shifts Safely
• (00:01:25) - Understanding the Switch Identity
• (00:02:09) - Defining a Switch in Kink Culture
• (00:03:37) - Appeal and Benefits of Switching
• (00:05:47) - Consent and Boundaries for Switches
• (00:07:52) - Nervous System and Role Transitions
• (00:10:56) - Practical Tips for Smooth Switching
• (00:16:17) - The Joy and Complexity of Switching
• (00:19:47) - Reflecting on Your Role Preferences
• (00:21:44) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Consensual non-consent (CNC) is one of the edgiest and most misunderstood areas of kink. Done well, it’s cathartic and erotic. Done poorly, it becomes coercion. In this episode, I break down the ethics of CNC: how to negotiate clearly, check capacity, and always have clear off-ramps in place. We’ll talk nervous system safety, why freeze and fawn matter, and how to play with intensity without crossing lines. CNC doesn’t erase consent — it makes it even more central.

Subscribe to Untamed Ember wherever you get your podcasts.

• (00:00:00) - Introduction and Trigger Warning
• (00:01:24) - Understanding Consensual Non-Consent (CNC)
• (00:02:14) - Ethics and Safety in CNC
• (00:03:03) - Basics of CNC: Definitions and Scenarios
• (00:04:28) - Risks and Misconceptions of CNC
• (00:06:49) - Practical Framework for CNC
• (00:11:22) - Importance of Off-Ramps in CNC
• (00:16:04) - Neuroscience and CNC
• (00:20:34) - Personal Reflection and Conclusion

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“Enthusiastic consent” sounds great — but what if your body doesn’t do loud, verbal yeses? For neurodivergent folks, trauma survivors, and anyone who struggles with words in the moment, enthusiasm might look like presence, softness, or subtle signals. In this episode, we unpack what enthusiastic consent really means, why verbal expression isn’t the only valid language of desire, and how to honor body-based yeses and noes. Because consent isn’t about volume — it’s about clarity, congruence, and safety.

Subscribe to Untamed Ember wherever you get your podcasts.

• (00:00:00) - Introduction to Enthusiastic Consent
• (00:00:41) - The Problem with Mainstream Consent Education
• (00:02:25) - Redefining Enthusiastic Consent
• (00:08:12) - Challenges with Verbal Consent
• (00:14:01) - Nonverbal Enthusiastic Consent
• (00:20:05) - Practical Consent Practices
• (00:27:51) - Reflecting on Personal Consent Signals
• (00:30:13) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts