G&STC's Director Jesse Kahn and Therapist Liz Afton talk with Huffpost about Karezza

Check out G&STC's Director Jesse Kahn and Therapist Liz Afton talk with Kelsey Borresen Huffpost about Karezza and "how the sex technique could revive your stale relationship"

“Karezza’s goal is not about orgasming, nor is it about the tension and excitement that produces orgasms,” Jesse Kahn, a sex therapist and director of the Gender & Sexuality Therapy Center in New York, told HuffPost. “It’s much slower and low tension.”

“It’s a great option for couples rekindling a connection after some form of rupture has harmed trust in the relationship or for survivors of sexual trauma,” said Liz Afton, a psychotherapist at the Gender & Sexuality Therapy Center.

But given how intimate the experience can get, karezza might be better suited for people who have established trust, mutual respect and feel comfortable around each other, Afton said. “It’s not the best fit for a casual encounter, unless both parties are interested in getting an oxytocin bath that will likely accelerate the emotional bonding between partners,” she said. So Afton wouldn’t recommend trying karezza on a first date, with someone demonstrating red flag behavior, or anyone “your gut is telling you isn’t trustworthy.”

“Just like any other sex act, karezza requires enthusiastic consent at every stage of the experience,” Afton said.

“Consider what positions close or open the current of energy moving between you,” Afton said. “Placing each other’s hands on your hearts, layering limbs, mirroring positions and synching breath patterns can all heighten sensation and deepen your connection.”

As Kahn said: “There is not one set way to perform karezza — find what works for you.”

“Imagine your partner’s body as a conduit of energy because it is,” Afton said. “Infuse every motion with gentleness, curiosity and a desire to learn from the experience.”