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Active Listening: How to become a better listener

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I’m really grateful to have people in my life that I can talk to when I’m having a hard time. But sometimes I find it difficult to talk to the people that know me best. Their love for me and desire to help me means that they give advice, and share their thoughts and opinions, even when they haven’t been asked for them. Often I can end a conversation feeling like I’ve talked a lot, but I haven’t been heard. I haven’t been listened to.

In our everyday conversations, we can have a tendency to concentrate on thinking about what we are going to say next or simply waiting to talk without engaging with what has previously been said. Additionally, if we are not mindful, we can enter into a conversation ready to provide advice or solutions without asking if that is what our conversation partner wants. When we intentionally give space for the other person to speak and encourage them to give further details as they feel comfortable, by asking open questions, we can build connection, strengthen bonds and deepen our relationships. Allowing space in conversation and asking open questions are some of the skills that are the foundations of Active Listening.

Active Listening requires us to pay close attention to the speaker so that we can absorb, comprehend and reflect what they are saying. When we focus on doing these things we demonstrate empathy, compassion, understanding and respect.

Pineapple Support knows that there are people working within the adult industry that feel isolated and lonely, even though they may have lots of friends or industry connections. Many adult industry workers lack spaces where they can talk freely whilst knowing that they are not going to be judged, and that is why Pineapple Support set up a volunteer-led, 24/7 listening service using the online emotional support platform, 7 Cups of Team. All the volunteers are members of the public and adult industry professionals who are trained in Active Listening especially to help our community.

Through the Pineapple Support 24/7 listening service, anyone who is working in the online adult industry, that wants to talk about whatever is on their mind, can reach out to a trained, compassionate listener. It’s completely anonymous, and there’s no judgement and no problem solving. Just a space to help you clear your head.

Equally, anyone can become a Pineapple Support listener. There’s a short, online training programme which you can work through at your own pace. Once you have successfully completed the course, you can start volunteering straight away. The platform works with any web browser or you can download the app and provide support direct from your mobile phone.

Pineapple Support is always looking to welcome new volunteer listeners. If you’d like to learn or develop Active Listening skills, this is great way to do it. We’re looking forward to you joining us.

Pineapple Support To Host Private Retreat Space and Panel at XBIZ Miami

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Pineapple Support will attend the XBIZ Miami conference next week, where it will host a panel and a private retreat space for creators sponsored by Stripchat.

“Our retreat space will allow creators to relax and recharge, with food, teas, phone charging stations, and presentations by other creators,” said Pineapple Support founder and CEO, Leya Tanit. “It’s a space where creators can be themselves, without any pressure to perform.”

The space will also be used to host two ‘Community Talk’ panel discussions sponsored by Stripchat, one by Dan Leal (May 16 at 5 p.m. EST) and another by Pineapple Support Ambassador Sabien Demonia on (May 17 at 3 p.m. EST).

Pineapple Support mental health practitioners will be on hand throughout the day. A special Pineapple Support therapist will be present at the retreat space to speak with anyone healing after sexual trauma, and Svakom will provide pleasure products to those who have experienced sexual trauma and want to relearn self-care.

The retreat space, sponsored by Stripchat, can be found at the poolside bungalow and will be open each day of the event from 12 p.m. (EST) until closing.

Pineapple Support will also host a panel discussion at XBIZ Miami, “How To Advocate For Yourself On Set,” focusing on the difficulties, processes, and solutions around communicating your needs on set as a performer. The panel, moderated by Steven Mollura, will include Ana Foxx, Shaundam, Sofia Rose, Lucy Hart, Nyssa Nevers, Sabien DeMonia and Devin Green.

“While many come to Miami to celebrate, our emotional needs still need to be taken care of,” Tanit added. “Pineapple Support will be here to help performers that want a break from the parties, as well as to provide a safe place to heal and learn from both peers and mental health experts. It’s a space that will leave you feeling better and more empowered than you came. I can’t thank Stripchat enough for their generous support.”

XBIZ Miami will take place in South Beach, Miami, Florida from May 15 to 18. To learn more and view the full schedule of XBIZ Miami, click here. To learn more about becoming a sponsor of Pineapple Support, click here.

Pineapple Support To Host Two-Day “Sex and Self” Wellness Event

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Pineapple Support, the adult industry’s leading mental health nonprofit, will host a two-day wellness event featuring a range of workshops and panels from sexual wellness experts. The “Sex and Self” event, which is free for adult performers, will take place online on July 20th and 21st, starting at 10 am PST.

The event is sponsored by Stripchat, Clips4Sale, Loyalfans, EROTIK.com, ePlay, and Fleshlight, and will feature ten online workshops, panels, and sessions over the course of two days. The schedule of events is designed to help attendees explore sexual wellness as a tool for healing, growth, and empowerment:

July 20th 2022

“First Time Reflections” Presented by Rachael Wells

10am PST, 1pm EST, 6pm GMT

With panelists; Prince Jean, Ebony Mystique, Eve Batelle, Dirty Drizzy

“Hello Body, Let’s Be Friends” with Danielle Dass

11am PST, 2pm EST, 7pm GMT

“The Magic of Intimacy” with Danny Santos

2pm PST, 5pm EST, 8pm GMT

“Sex After Trauma: Why it’s Difficult, and What to Do About It” with Alicia Graham

1pm PST, 4pm EST, 9pm GMT

“Pass Explained” with PASS Executive Director Ian O’Brian and Valerie Webber

2pm PST, 5pm EST, 10pm GMT

July 21st, 2022

“Raising the standards – intimacy coordination on adult film sets” with Izzy

10am PST, 1pm EST, 6pm GMT

“Maintaining Your Sexual Autonomy: Communication, Needs, and Boundaries” with Keziah Mayers

11am PST, 2pm EST, 7pm GMT

“Coming back to yourself: Increasing Your Pleasure Potential” with Nicoletta Heidegger

12pm PST, 3pm EST, 8pm GMT

“Can Porn Educate?” Presented by Diane Obeid

1pm PST, 4pm EST, 9pm GMT

With panelists; Evie Rain, Araneae Mactans, Sommer Isabella, Alex 7Veils, Chrissy LeBlanc, Samantha Lexi

“The Intimacy of Daily Life: Connecting with Our Capacity for Immersion ” with Charlie Nicely

2pm PST, 5pm EST, 10pm GMT

“Let’s talk about sex and its relation to our wellbeing, our connection with others, and most importantly, our connection with ourselves,” says Pineapple Support CEO and Founder Leya Tanit. “Sexual energy can be a powerful tool to heal and it can also be the base of a wound to heal from. Exploring our connection with our bodies and learning how to set boundaries, express ourselves and explore how past traumas can affect current relationships can be a huge step toward inner healing and growth.”

“Sexual energy can be a powerful tool to heal and it can also be the base of a wound to heal from.”

Tanit founded Pineapple Support in 2018, after a string of losses in the adult industry from depression and other mental illnesses. The organization, a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in the United States, has so far connected over 5,000 adult performers to mental health services, including free and low-cost, therapy, counseling, and emotional support.

“I want to personally thank all of our wonderful sponsors for helping to make this event possible,” says Tanit. “Join us and our team of experts as we explore our sexual selves, empower and let’s learn to love ourselves that little bit more.”

The “Sex and Self” wellness event will take place online on July 20th and 21st. The event is free to attend and places are limited. For more information and to register, please visit https://pineapplesupport.org/sex-and-self/.

Pineapple Support, Chaturbate Partner on ‘Malibu Wellness Retreat’

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Pineapple Support will host a free daylong wellness retreat in Malibu, sponsored by Chaturbate, Monday, Jan. 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (PST).

The event is described by a rep as “perfect relax-and-reset experience to balance your body and mind after the excitement of the XBIZ Show, X3 and the XBIZ Awards. Unplug from your busy daily life and recalibrate the mind and body for a day of relaxation surrounded by nature at our exclusive Malibu wellness retreat.”

A schedule of activities designed to help attendees unwind includes breathwork, yoga, a sexual wellness seminar, massage, tarot, facials and a sunset sound bath.

Free transport from the Kimpton Everly Hotel, site of the XBIZ Show, to the location will be provided along with a free welcome smoothie.

“Chaturbate is happy to be the exclusive sponsor of Pineapple Support’s Malibu Wellness Retreat,” COO Shirley Lara said. “The overall health and wellness of the Chaturbate community, including mental, physical and sexual health, is extremely important to the our team. The Malibu Wellness Retreat is the perfect opportunity to take a step back and refocus yourself and your overall health for a successful year.”

Pineapple Support, founded by Leya Tanit in 2018, has so far connected over 5,000 adult performers and industry members to mental health services, including free and low-cost therapy, counseling and emotional support.

“Thanks to the generosity of Chaturbate, our sponsor for this retreat, we’ve created the perfect experience to relax, reset and balance,” Tanit said. “We’re so excited to invite you to our exclusive Malibu Wellness Retreat for the chance to really unplug from busy, daily life and reconnect with yourself, all while surrounded by nature.”

Click here for additional details and to register; space is limited.

Pineapple Support is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in the United States; click here for sponsorship details and follow the group on Twitter.

Leya Tanit’s personal journey, including the founding of Pineapple Support, was the cover story for the November issue of XBIZ World; click here to read it.

Pineapple Support, FanCentro to Host ‘Virtual Happiness Retreat’ Thursday

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Pineapple Support and FanCentro’s Centro University will host a free all-day virtual event for sex workers and adult industry performers Thursday, starting at 11 a.m. (PDT), with a focus on mental health and wellness.

Seven virtual webinars will include “live exercises, presentations and interactive workshops from Pineapple Support therapists, as well as sessions from leading counselors, coaches and performers in the industry,” explained a rep.

The day’s schedule is as follows:

  • 11 a.m. (PDT): “Visioning Your Life” with Hannah Lily
  • 12 p.m. (PDT): “Self-Care Incorporating Routines” with Miki Anderson
  • 12:30 p.m (PDT): “Embracing Happiness & Joy” with Liza Belle
  • 1.30 p.m. (PDT): “Laughter Is The Best Medicine’ with Ingrid D’Aquin
  • 2.30 p.m. (PDT): “Acoustic Sing-Along” with Nell Shakespeare
  • 3 p.m. (PDT): “Mind Over Matter”with MelRose Michaels
  • 4 p.m. (PST): “Choose Your Own Happy Ending” with Sinead Rochford

“We created Centro University, a free educational platform to help influencers build successful careers, in order to help performers thrive,” VP of FanCentro Kat Revenga said. “While education is a vital element of influencers’ success, we know that happy performers tend to be more innovative, creative and inspirational. Happiness increases productivity because it leads to higher engagement, providing you with more energy to focus on and pay attention to your fans. Appreciation breeds loyalty, and, for influencers, ultimately increases the profitability of their businesses.”

Pineapple Support is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in the United States and a registered charity in the U.K.

“Adult influencers can be highly focused entrepreneurs, which means they may not always prioritize happiness over success,” Founder Leya Tanit said. “Having a job you love is great, but it can be hard to maintain a positive mental attitude. We’re thankful to FanCentro for helping us provide the sex worker community with a day full of workshops and webinars focused on creating a happier and healthier life.”

For more information, and to secure a spot in the class, visit PineappleSupport.org and follow the group on Twitter.

Virtual Wellness Event For Adult Performers In The UK

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Pineapple Support, the adult industry’s leading mental health non-profit, together with sponsors AdultWork and AWSummit, will be holding an online wellness event specifically aimed at the adult industry in the UK. The three-day event, which will be held from September 23-25, will include live workshops and interactive webinars from Pineapple Support therapists, as well activities such as breathwork, meditation and workouts.  

“We’re really excited to bring this event to the UK,” says Pineapple Support founder Leya Tanit. “We’ll be focusing on self-care, mental and physical well-being and education. There will be presentations from UK-based organizations NUM and Dean Street, as well as legal information from sex worker-postive law firm Gillen De Alwis Solicitors. To top it all off, the event will end with five hours of comedy and music to get  feet moving and faces smiling.” 

Tanit founded Pineapple Support in 2018 after a string of losses in the adult industry from depression and other mental illnesses. The organisation, which is a registered 501(c)3 tax-deductible qualifying charity in the US and a registered charity in the UK, has so far connected nearly nine hundred adult performers with mental health services, including free and low-cost, therapy, counseling and emotional support. 

The three-day Virtual Wellness Event will go live online at 10am BST on September 23rd. Those that wish to register for the event should visit https://pineapplesupport.org/wellness/ for more information. 

 

The following workshops and webinars will be hosted during the event (all times BST): 

September 23 

10am – 10:45am: The Power of Self Hypnosis (with Sinead Rochford) 

11.30pm -12.30pm: National Ugly Mugs (with Dr Raven Bowen, Hannah Wilcox and Rosie Hodsdon) 

12.45am – 1:45pm: Dean Street Sexual Health Clinic (with Rachel Ali) 

2pm – 2:45pm: Pilates Full Body Conditioning (with Ami Collins) 

3pm- 3:45pm: Mental Health in the Adult Industry (with Leya Tanit) 

4pm – 4:45pm: Breathwork and Yoga Nidra for Inner-Healing (with Jess Birks) 

 

September 24 

10am – 10:45 am: Managing Adversities Through Self-Compassion (with Silva Neves) 

11am – 11:45 am: Introduction to Yin Yoga (with Michele Karban) 

12pm- 12:45pm: The Use of Hypnotherapy in Overcoming, Stress, Depression and Anxiety (with George Lewis) 

2pm- 2:45pm: Mindful Eating (with Sofie Every) 

3pm – 3:45pm: EMDR – Treatment for PTSD (with Fulvio Maciaccia) 

4pm-4:45pm: What it Means to be a Pineapple Listener (with Areneae Mactans) 

 

September 25 

10 -10:45am: Navigating Relationship Conflicts — the Top Tips (with Silva Neves) 

11am- 11:45am: Vinyasa Flow Yoga Class to Awaken Your Inner Goddess (with Jess Birks) 

12pm- 12:45pm: Legal Review (with Gillen De Alwis Solicitors) 

2pm-2:45pm: How to Look After Yourself Emotionally in an Uncertain World (with Silva Neves) 

3pm- 3:45pm: Thank You from Pineapple Support 

4pm- 5pm: Live Acoustic Set (with Elijah Miller) 

5 pm – 5:15 pm: Comedy Set (with Dan Nightingale) 

5:15 pm – 5:45pm: Acoustic Set (with Ishod Black) 

5:45pm – 6pm: Comedy Set (with Dan Nightingale) 

6pm-7pm: DJ set (compiled by Sonic Emporium) 

7pm – 9pm: DJ set (compiled by Man Power) 

9pm-10pm: Journey Men DJ Mix 

Pineapple Support and Streamate Host Three Day Wellness Event

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Streamate and Pineapple Support to host a three day wellness event to help alleviate stress and anxiety caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The event held on 18-20th of May, offers anyone in the industry the opportunity to schedule a free, 30 minute, one-on-one guided meditation session with Pineapple Support therapist, Ingrid d’Aquin. During the consultations  you can “Enjoy a moment of catharsis and leave the session with relaxation techniques you can start using immediately to calm and center yourself.” said d’Aquin.

D’Aquin will also be hosting a webinar on May 18th at 2pm EST to discuss the effects of depression, anxiety and isolation. “We are in unprecedented times” says d’Aquin, “and you are not alone if you are trying to figure out how you are going to see your way through the depression, anxiety and isolation. Join us in this webinar where we will explore what makes a person resilient and learn simple take home techniques to cultivated a stronger ability to bounce back and adapt to life’s fast balls.”

“The world as we know it has changed – at least for now.” sad Liz, director of marketing at Streamate. “We are all learning to adjust, and some may be forgetting about self-care, an important part of our overall well-being. Streamate is not only proud to partner with Pineapple support on this event, but feel it’s imperative to offer all individuals the ability re-center and gain focus to combat loneliness during these interesting times.”

Pineapple Support was founded in 2018 by British performer Leya Tanit in response to losses in the adult industry from depression, addiction and other mental illnesses. The organization, which is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit in the United States and a registered charity in the UK, has so far connected over 1,000 adult performers to mental health services, including free and low-cost, therapy, counseling and emotional support.

“Covid-19 has affected all of us, it is important to take time out, away from your daily stresses and have a moment of calm and the wellness event aims to provide those within the industry with just that.” explains Tanit “During each session Ingrid will guide you with breathing techniques and exercises that you can transfer to your daily routine.”

To book your free 30 minute consultation, please visit: https://calendly.com/ingriddaquinpsychotherapist.

To attend the Webinar please visit: https://www.PineappleSupport.org/webinars