Passion + Amor: Bicultural Love & Sexual Health
A weekly online group designed for anyone who identifies as Latine, Latinx, Latina, or Latino.
Our focus is on navigating the complexities of sexual health, relationship dynamics, and intimacy, with an emphasis on the unique challenges faced
by bicultural, first, and second-generation individuals.
Empower Your Love Life, Embrace Your Identity
Are you ready to explore your sexual health and relationships in a space that honors both your cultural roots and your personal experiences?
Welcome to Passion + Amor: Bicultural Love & Sexual Health, a virtual support group created by the Center for Relationship & Intimacy Well-Being (CRIWB) to help our greater Latine/x community in creating more liberty and freedom in its relationship with intimacy, love, and pleasure. This group is designed specifically for those who identify as Latine, Latinx, Latina, or Latino, offering a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, everywhere—regardless of gender or sexual identity—to come together, learn, and grow.
In this group, we blend Spanglish (mainly English with sprinkles of Spanish) to create a warm, inviting environment where all voices are heard and respected. Our sessions are sex-positive, inclusive, and rooted in decolonizing practices, backed by current science and research.
Whether you’re dealing with cultural taboos or simply want to deepen your understanding of love and sexuality, Passion + Amor is here for you.
Join us for an engaging, fun, and professional journey led by experienced mental health professionals and sex therapists.
Let’s explore, heal, and grow together.
Passion + Amor: Bicultural Love & Sexual Health
Our group is specifically designed to address the unique needs of Latine/x individuals, providing a culturally affirming space where every aspect of your identity is acknowledged, respected, and nurtured.
Most sexual health groups and programs often overlook the multi-faceted nature of the Latine/x experience, failing to address the complex interplay of culture, identity, and tradition that shapes our sexual health and relationships. They may offer a one-size-fits-all approach, missing the nuances of bicultural identities, the influence of generational differences, and the impact of cultural taboos. Passion + Amor: Bicultural Love & Sexual Health is different—we embrace the richness of the Latine/x experience by offering an integrative and holistic approach that honors the body, heart, mind, and soul.
Why Join Us?
Bicultural Focus
We celebrate the richness of being bicultural and understand the unique challenges and joys that come with it. Our discussions and resources are tailored to first- and second-generation Latine/x individuals, offering support that integrates your cultural background with your holistic well-being.
Each group session is thoughtfully themed around specific issues, dynamics, and taboos commonly encountered in the Latine/x community. Addressing the pressures of intergenerational expectations, or breaking down myths surrounding sexuality, we ensure that each topic resonates with your lived experience.
By focusing on these culturally relevant themes, we create a space where your bicultural identity is fully embraced, allowing you to explore and heal in a way that honors every facet of who you are.
In the Latine/x community, several specific issues, dynamics, and taboos often influence sexuality, gender, and intimacy. These factors can vary based on regional, generational, and personal experiences, commonly including:
Machismo and Marianismo
- Machismo: The cultural norm of male dominance and traditional masculinity that can affect how men view their roles in relationships and sexuality. It often leads to issues such as entitlement to sexual access or a lack of emotional expression.
- Marianismo: The idealization of women as virtuous, submissive, and self-sacrificing can place unrealistic expectations on women regarding their sexual and emotional roles in relationships.
Gender Roles and Expectations
- Rigid Gender Norms: Prescriptive norms that dictate how men and women should behave, often leading to restrictive views on gender fluidity and non-traditional gender roles.
- Pressure to Conform: Expectations to adhere to traditional roles in relationships, such as the male being the provider and the female being the caretaker, which can limit personal and sexual freedom.
Familismo and Intergenerational Expectations
- Familismo: The emphasis on family loyalty and honor, which can impact individual decisions about sexuality and relationships. It may lead to challenges when personal desires conflict with family expectations.
- Intergenerational Conflicts: Differences between traditional values of older generations and the evolving views of younger generations, particularly regarding topics like premarital sex, LGBTQ+ identities, and gender equality.
Intersectionality
- Multifaceted Identity: The intersection of cultural identity with other aspects such as race, socioeconomic status, and immigration status can compound issues related to sexuality and intimacy, creating complex layers of experience.
Religion and Spirituality
- Religious Influences The impact of religious beliefs on attitudes toward sexuality and intimacy, including issues related to premarital sex, contraception, and LGBTQ+ acceptance.
Body Image and Self-Esteem
- Cultural Beauty Standards: Pressure to conform to specific beauty standards and body image ideals, which can affect self-esteem and sexual confidence.
Slut Shaming
- Sexual Double Standards: The practice of criticizing or shaming women for their sexual behavior, while similar behavior in men is often accepted or praised. This double standard can lead to internalized shame, guilt, and repression of sexual expression for women and those who do not conform to traditional gender norms.
- Slut shaming reinforces restrictive gender roles by policing women’s sexual behavior, often leading to negative impacts on their self-esteem, sexual autonomy, and ability to explore their sexuality freely.
- This issue is particularly prevalent in the Latine/x community, where traditional values around purity and modesty may exacerbate the effects of slut shaming.
Sexual Taboos and Silence
- Sexual Education Gaps: Limited or tabooed discussions about sexual health, pleasure, and consent, often leading to misinformation or lack of knowledge.
- Stigma Around Sexuality: Negative stigmas associated with sexual expression, particularly for women and LGBTQ+ individuals, can lead to feelings of shame or secrecy.
LGBTQ+ Issues
- Acceptance and Visibility: Challenges related to acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities within the community, including family rejection or societal discrimination.
- Cultural Representation: Lack of visibility and representation for LGBTQ+ individuals in traditional and media narratives, leading to feelings of invisibility or alienation.
- Colorism in Relationships: The preference for lighter skin tones within the Latine/x community can influence perceptions of beauty, desirability, and worthiness in romantic and sexual relationships. This can lead to internalized racism, self-esteem issues, and unequal treatment based on skin color.
- Interpersonal Dynamics: Colorism can create divisions within families and communities, affecting intimacy and relationships by reinforcing harmful stereotypes and biases linked to skin tone. These dynamics often intersect with other issues, such as body image and gender roles, further complicating personal and sexual identity.
Addressing these issues, dynamics, and taboos with sensitivity and respect is crucial for fostering open, honest discussions and creating a supportive environment for Latine/x individuals to explore and affirm their identities.
At CRIWB, we take an integrative and holistic approach to your mental and sexual well-being, addressing the body, heart, mind, and soul.
Passion + Amor offers:
Sexual Health Education
Explore topics from sexual well-being to reproductive health, all grounded in the latest science and research. We provide accurate information, dispel myths, and answer your questions, all while integrating the needs of your body, heart, mind, and soul in a supportive, non-judgmental environment.
Relationship Dynamics
Whether you're navigating love, family, or friendships, we'll explore the complexities of bicultural relationships. Learn how cultural expectations, communication styles, and personal values influence your connections. Our discussions emphasize the integration of emotional (heart), cognitive (mind), physical (body), and spiritual (soul) aspects of your relationships.
Intimacy Issues
Discuss and discover ways to enhance intimacy. We’ll explore topics like desire, connection, and emotional safety, all within the context of your cultural and personal identity, with an integrative focus that honors the whole person—body, heart, mind, and soul.
Sex-Positive & Inclusive
Our group is open to everyone—whether you're exploring your sexual identity or simply looking to deepen your understanding. We affirm all sexual orientations, gender identities, and relationship styles in a sex-positive, shame-free environment that honors the wholeness of your being—body, heart, mind, and soul.
Decolonizing Approach
We’re committed to breaking down harmful cultural taboos and challenging outdated norms. Our decolonizing approach is rooted in respect for our ancestors and the desire to create a healthier, more liberated future where every aspect of your being is respected and nurtured.
Calendar of Events
Passion + Amor features a different theme each month, and each session dives into specific aspects of that theme, providing a comprehensive exploration of issues relevant to the Latine/x community.
Every group is designed to be both educational and engaging, offering participants valuable insights and practical tools for personal growth and transformation.
Music is a powerful cultural element that transcends language and borders, connecting people through shared rhythms and emotions. In Passion + Amor, we honor this by pairing each month’s theme with a Spanish song that captures its essence, enriching our discussions and deepening our connection to the themes we explore.
🎶 Let the music guide and inspire us as we journey together.
How We Meet
We gather online from the comfort of your own space. Our sessions are conducted in both English and Spanglish—making it easy to express yourself in the language that feels most comfortable to you. We foster a warm, inviting atmosphere where you can be yourself, share your experiences, and connect with others who understand your journey on every level—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.
Who Should Join?
Passion + Amor is for anyone who identifies as Latine, Latinx, Latina, or Latino and wants to learn and empower themselves in t their sexual health, relationships, and intimacy in a culturally affirming and holistic space. Whether you’re single, partnered, queer, straight, or anything in between—this group is for you.
Join Us
Ready to dive into a transformative experience that honors your culture and empowers your love life? Join Passion + Amor: Bicultural Love & Sexual Health here at the Center for Relationship & Intimacy Well-Being (CRIWB) and start your journey toward greater understanding, connection, and self-love—integrating your body, heart, mind, and soul every step of the way.
Every Wednesday
6 pm – 7 pm PDT | 9 pm – 10 pm EDT
$27 per session
Link is provided upon registration.
In my work as a sex therapist, I’ve come to understand—through both my personal journey and the experiences of my clients—that many of us, particularly within the Latine/x community, have yet to meet our true sexual selves. The lessons we receive from well-meaning parents, cultural norms, and religious teachings often come with layers of control and fear, focusing mainly on function—like procreation and marital duty—while neglecting the vital elements of pleasure, vulnerability, and intimacy. These teachings can be especially restrictive in the Latine/x community, where cultural taboos and rigid gender roles often silence open conversations about sexuality.
I believe sex is not just a physical act, but a powerful avenue for spiritual growth—a place where we can connect and integrate body, heart, mind, and spirit to cultivate deeper intimacy with ourselves, our partners, and life itself. My work with the Latine/x community is dedicated to breaking down these barriers by creating healing conversations around taboo topics and challenging the traditional gender roles that limit our sexual expression. By contributing to Spanish-speaking television, I’ve also worked to bring these crucial conversations into the public sphere, helping to dismantle the silence and stigma that often surrounds sex and sexuality in our culture. Learn more about Jacqueline
Group Facilitator
Together, we can practice and build the skills needed to cultivate a loving relationship with all aspects of ourselves, even those that may seem to be in conflict. This journey will help you create a healthy, compassionate, and vibrant sense of harmony within yourself. In my work with the Latine/x community and beyond, I am committed to fostering healing conversations around taboo topics and challenging rigid gender roles, ensuring that every part of your cultural and personal identity is honored and celebrated. Learn more about Vanesa.