Name: Irene Fehr
Lives in: Haarlem, Netherlands
From: Where I am from is such a complicated question for me. I was born in the Soviet Union, in the republic that is now the independent country of Ukraine. I am neither Ukrainian, because I have never been in Ukraine as its own country, nor Soviet, as that country no longer exists. When I was a child, my family immigrated to the United States, where I lived all over, including Baltimore, Washington DC, New York City, San Francisco and the Bay Area, as well as the Colorado mountains and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Occupation: Since an early age, I was fascinated and drawn by the beauty of falling in love and making love. After a successful but draining decade-long career in the corporate world and my own challenges in love and sex, I had eventually found my way to my inner purpose and life’s work: helping couples in a long-term committed relationship cultivate deep sexual love in that’s an expression of their deep romantic love for each other.
Today, as a sex & intimacy coach, I help couples make love and sex work in a long-term monogamous relationship and bring sex and passion into a sexless one. It was my own journey of recovering from the all-too-common story of ‘happy marriage turned sexless’ when I lost my libido—all before turning 30—that led me to first understand myself, study women’s libido in a long-term relationship, and then apply this to couples in the same situation to change things around for them what I could not change for myself. My views on women’s libido in a long-term monogamous relationship and my stand on how sex can be increasingly passionate over time have been featured all around the world in HuffPost, Cosmopolitan, Shape, Refinery29, ScaryMommy, EliteDaily and Bustle, as well as in my blog at www.irenefehr.com.
Tell us your first three jobs (ever!):
My first job ever was babysitting my neighbor’s kids. Next was working in a local coffee shop during high school. In college, I worked as a sales rep at a high-end retail store.
Zodiac sign: Libra
Enneagram type: Type 8, Leader
What do you love about Greece? When researching Athens for my first trip, I was put off by the concrete jungle that I saw in the photos. But as soon as I entered the city on the drive from the airport, I instantly felt the vibe and got a completely different picture.
Athens is throbbing with life and pouring over with an energetic beauty that has to be felt. People are out on their balconies and terraces, the cafes and public spaces are packed, there is live music, and everyone is enjoying themselves. I felt that Greeks love life and all its aspects: connection, celebration, and enjoyment of each other, especially over food.
And the food … wow, the food! As a cook, I love exploring the farmer’s markets and getting (overly) excited stocking up on the diverse and incredibly fresh array of greens. Xorta may not be everyone’s favorite food, but it is mine! I found the open-air movie theaters to be awesome — what a great way to spend a summer evening.
There are so many things I loved that I can go on and on … the last thing I will mention is that as a student of philosophy, I also love Athens’ ancient history and am constantly being reminded about how so many concepts in modern political and moral philosophy go back to the ancient principles that were created in this very city. That also extends to language and so many principles of our daily life that we take for granted. I am in awe of how much Greece is in everything we do these days.
Ok, last last thing is that I loved the sea here, and also the mountains — the forests of Mani and the Pindus range are breathtakingly beautiful and still wild, which is hard to find in Europe.
Tell us something most people don’t know about you: Because I love big cities and am super comfortable in them, most people don’t know that I’m a country girl at heart. I love living rurally, ideally with a garden, chickens, horses, cows and sheep — and dogs, of course. I am most happy waking up to roosters, stepping onto soil first thing in the morning, working with animals, and digging into my garden to grow food. I am on my way to making this a reality!
Where we are most likely to find you in the community? I loved Lynn’s Acropolis yoga at night. Aside from the awesomeness of the view, it was the opportunity to drop in into my inner quiet while being in the powerful energy of the ancient temples that felt so special. I will be back for more!
First time you tried Kundalini Yoga (where/when/with whom)?:
Lynn’s class was the first time I tried Kundalini Yoga. I am a practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga, which is movement focused and can almost feel athletic. It was a treat to relax into myself with my breath through slower, more intentional movement of this type of yoga.
Tell us your top tip to combat climate change: What I love about living in the Netherlands is the biking culture, which also happens to be one of the best ways to combat climate change and break our addiction to cars. We bike everywhere because it’s easy (it’s flat) and also because the country has an extensive system of bike paths and roads that are protected from traffic. We use bikes for everything — going grocery shopping, going out at night, picking up furniture (you won’t believe what the Dutch use their bikes for). I use my bike so much that I sometimes forget that I have a car. I believe that breaking my (our) reliance on cars is healthier for the planet — while it’s also healthier for our bodies, hearts and souls.
Anything else you’d like us to know?
I cannot wait to be back in Athens!
If any of you are interested in my services,I offer a free 1-hour consultation for couples who are ready to get support for their relationship or single women who’d like to feel more comfortable with themselves and their bodies in sex. Submit a request for consultation via this form: via https://www.irenefehr.com/consultation