Dr. Zesarae Bodie

Speaker | Occupational Therapist | Trauma-Informed Intimacy Expert

Reframing intimacy through the lens of nervous system regulation, identity, and daily life.

Zesarae Bodie, OTD, MPH, OTR/L, CSOT

Dr. Zesarae A. Bodie, OTD, MPH, OTR/L, CSOT is an occupational therapist, professor, and speaker specializing in trauma-informed approaches to intimacy, identity, and nervous system regulation. With more than 15 years of clinical and academic experience, her work explores how daily life patterns, stress, and embodied safety shape our ability to connect with ourselves and others.

Through her work with Intimate Health Solutions and her writing, including Not Your Auntie’s Intimacy Book, Dr. Bodie introduces a functional perspective on intimacy that is often missing from traditional sexual wellness conversations. Drawing from occupational therapy, neuroscience, and lived human experience, she reframes intimacy as a meaningful daily occupation influenced by habit patterns, trauma history, environment, and cultural expectations.

Dr. Bodie speaks to healthcare professionals, universities, and women's leadership audiences about the intersection of nervous system regulation, identity, and relational health.

Credentials:

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Master of Public Health (MPH)
Certified in Sexual Health Occupational Therapy (CSOT)
Professor and educator
Founder, Intimate Health Solutions
Author, Not Your Auntie’s Intimacy Book

Who Dr. Bodie Speaks To:

Healthcare organizations
Universities and graduate programs
Professional associations
Women's leadership organizations
Corporate wellness programs
Conferences and retreats

Signature Speaking Topics

The Reclamation Framework: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Intimacy, Identity, and Occupation

A powerful conversation about how stress, trauma, and life transitions influence connection, desire, and identity—and how individuals can reclaim their relationship with their bodies and lives.

Audience:
Healthcare professionals
Wellness communities
Women's leadership groups

Why Healthcare Providers Avoid Talking About Intimacy — and Why It Matters for Patient Recovery

Sexuality and intimacy are often overlooked in healthcare despite being deeply tied to identity, wellbeing, and recovery. This talk explores the barriers clinicians face and provides a trauma-informed framework for addressing intimacy in rehabilitation and medical care.

Audience:
Occupational therapists
Physical therapists
Nurses
Rehabilitation professionals

The Nervous System, Stress, and the Modern Relationship

High-performing individuals often experience disconnection not because of lack of love or desire, but because of chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation. This talk explores the science of connection and how individuals can restore presence and intimacy in modern life.

Audience:
Corporate wellness programs
Women's leadership groups
General audiences

Audience Takeaways

Participants will leave with:

• A deeper understanding of how stress and trauma shape connection and desire
• Practical ways to support nervous system regulation in daily life
• A functional perspective on intimacy grounded in occupational therapy
• New language for addressing intimacy and identity in healthcare and relationships

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