ABOUT ME
I left high school with no sex ed.
That’s a lie— I got one week in health class about reproduction and watched The Miracle of Life. Middle school wasn’t much better. There, I went to Chastity day.
No, you didn’t misread that. It was a day for all 7th graders to learn about abstaining from sex until marriage using tape, chewed gum, and crumpled flowers as metaphors for our sinful sexual acts. It ended by all the girls signing letters to their future husbands, pledging their virginity and obedience.
Cut to: me, crying on the floor of my kitchen in Nashville, TN.
I was 25 years old and in the throws of a break up. I wasn’t sad about the relationship’s end, per se. I knew that we wanted different things in life. I often felt pressure to make sure we had sex a certain amount per week and our large age difference had been used to manipulate me in ways I didn’t even realize.
No, what bothered me is what he said as we ended things. “Part of me thinks you’re into women, but you’re so self aware I feel like you would have figured that out by now.”
Shame with a side of confusion, anyone?
Hi, you! I am so glad you’re here. I’m Veronica Dress, the heart and curls behind The Dress Rehearsal.
Sexuality educator, intimacy coach, and theater-kid turned intimacy director, I am a sucker for the rehearsal space. In a world of fake-it-til-you-make-it and everyone-knows-what-they’re-doing-but-me, a rehearsal space is a sweet exhale. It’s a space where you get to be curious, imperfect, learn, and try out new ways of thinking + being in your sexuality and relationships. Maybe— just maybe—you’ll discover information and ideas that support you in living a life of sexual and intimate authenticity. A life teeming with pleasure, connection, and play!
And, believe me, I come to this work having felt the same way.
This was the scene set as I began my time at Planned Parenthood. A fresh sexuality educator, I had been working at shelters for young adults when I realized the huge role a shame-free, affirming, and nonjudgmental space could be for queer youth navigating life. When the sex educator job appeared, I somehow convinced them to hire me, teach me all the sex ed I never received, and then teach me how to teach it to others. It was a tall order, but my commitment to young people, justice, and firsthand understanding of how deeply valuable shame-free sex ed could be secured the role. And it changed everything.
I started learning about sexuality, bodies, pleasure, gender, and queerness for the first time. I was coming home from work and teaching my roommates all the sex ed I was getting at work (because they, too, never got this info in school). A fire was burning in me that knew spaces to be curious and open about sex, intimacy, and love were a part of liberation work. At the same time, I was hearing my ex’s voice in my head. Maybe he was right.
Spoiler: he was very right. An ass about it, but right nonetheless.
I began to ask myself Big questions.
What could my life look like if I got out of my own way and let my heart love as it is called to? Was I selfish to take up space + ask for my desires to be met? What do I do about this gnawing shame voice that tells me I’ll be “bad” at sex with people… of any gender? How, HOW, do I turn off this internal clock that tells me how often my sweeties and I have sex is a marker of how healthy our relationship is? Why can’t my brain get quiet enough so I actually enjoy sex?
Cue:
Now, as an (overly) certified human, I work with folks exploring their sexualities in countless ways. Folks embracing their pleasure after living through purity culture’s BS, people discovering their LGBTQ+ identities, partners looking to reconnect in and out of the bedroom, individuals seeking to bring more pleasure and fun into their lives, and so many more.
Wherever you are, I am so glad to be in community with you. If you are ready to take a leap into your own journey with some support from yours truly, book a 20 minute free call with me. We’ll connect, strategize around what support I can offer, and we’ll put all these years of sex education, certification, and growth to good use.
Yours in pleasure,
V
You know, light, easy questions. I slowly realized that adults everywhere wonder these same things. Maybe you do, too.
So, I went back to school. Specifically, I enrolled in University of Michigan’s Sexual Health Certificate program. I learned from sexologists who are leaders in the field of sexuality education, research, and therapy. I read SO many articles. I received hours of supervision. My teaching was observed by fancy professionals. And I lived to tell the tale!
Because I just couldn’t stop learning, I also got my coaching certification and trained to be a theatrical Intimacy Director at the same time. Silly V, doing the most.
I’d love to be a part of the cast and crew who support you on this journey toward pleasure, confidence, and joy.
If you are curious to learn more, the first step is booking a free 20 minute call. I’ll share a bit more about what to expect, you can ask questions, and we can see if we’re a good fit!
TESTIMONIALS
