What Is Guided Masturbation?

If you’ve ever listened to a guided meditation to help you relax, unwind, or just reconnect with your breath, then you already understand the benefit of being gently led into a deeper experience. Now, imagine that same calming, supportive energy, but with a sexy twist. That’s guided masturbation: a mindful, intentional, and often transformative way to explore your own pleasure.

Guided masturbation isn’t about “fixing” anything. It’s about deepening your connection with your body, discovering what turns you on, and creating space for pleasure that feels intuitive and affirming. 

Whether you’re brand new to self-pleasure or just looking to elevate your solo time, guided masturbation offers an experience that’s both grounding and exciting. Think of it as your sensual self-care ritual, with a little extra spice.

What is guided masturbation?

Guided masturbation is the practice of using external guidance, like audio recordings or visual prompts, to support and enhance your self-pleasure experience. 

Much like a guided meditation helps you focus on your breath and bodily awareness, a guided pleasure session helps you tune into sensation, drop into the moment, and move away from performance or goal-oriented thinking.

Guidance can come in many forms. Some sessions are soft and sensual, focusing on breathwork, body awareness, and slow touch. Others lean more erotic, incorporating fantasy, dirty talk, or direct instruction. You can explore at your own pace, choose the voice or style that resonates with you, and decide exactly how far you want to go.

Who is it for?

Anyone with a body and curiosity can benefit from guided masturbation. But it’s especially helpful for women who want a more intentional, connected way to explore solo pleasure.

Maybe you’ve never really felt comfortable with masturbation, or you’re not sure what brings you to orgasm. Maybe your brain is always racing, and it’s hard to get into a sexy mindset. Or maybe you’re just ready to mix things up and try something new. Guided masturbation can be a powerful way to learn more about your body, build confidence, and reframe pleasure as something that’s nurturing, playful, and entirely yours.

It’s also a wonderful resource for people healing from sexual shame or disconnection. Instead of jumping straight to goal-based pleasure (like “I need to come quickly before I lose focus”), it offers a more mindful, sensual approach that’s about curiosity and presence.

Why try it?

Guided masturbation invites you to be both the student and the explorer of your own pleasure. It helps you slow down, listen to your body, and let go of pressure; whether that’s pressure to orgasm, to “perform,” or to know exactly what you’re doing.

When you practice regularly, you’ll likely notice your body becoming more responsive and your mind more relaxed. You might find orgasms come more easily, not because you’re chasing them, but because you’re finally giving your body the time and attention it deserves.

The reason is that mindfulness and sexual pleasure go hand in hand. When you’re fully present and tuned into your body, everything from desire to arousal tends to flow more naturally. Research shows that mindfulness-based practices can significantly boost sexual satisfaction, especially for women experiencing low libido or arousal issues. 

Guided masturbation taps into this same principle: by helping you stay grounded in sensation and focused on the moment, it quiets distracting thoughts (like your mental to-do list) and turns down the volume on self-doubt. In short, mindfulness makes it easier to feel good, and guided pleasure sessions are a beautiful way to get there.

Guided masturbation isn’t just a solo activity, it can also enhance intimacy between partners. When you explore self-pleasure with a guide, you become more attuned to your own body and desires, which in turn makes it easier to communicate those needs to your partner. Sharing this journey together can deepen emotional connection, as both partners gain a better understanding of what feels good for the other. It also creates a space for vulnerability, where both individuals can explore their pleasures without pressure while learning how to support and honor each other’s sexual needs. Whether it’s incorporating guided sessions into foreplay or simply discussing the experiences afterward, this kind of shared exploration strengthens trust and intimacy, making physical connection even more meaningful.

It can also feel incredibly empowering. Understanding your own pleasure on a deeper level makes it easier to communicate your desires in partnered sex and to feel more confident in your sensual self. And yes, it’s also just really fun. At worst, it’s something new to try. 

How to try it

• Start by carving out time that’s just for you, with no distractions and no expectations. Maybe dim the lights, put on some cozy loungewear, and set the mood with music or candles. 

• Pick a guided session that matches your mood: sensual, sultry, meditative, or playful. It’s totally your call. 

• Pick your weapon of choice, whether that’s your hands or a toy.

• To enhance the experience, try incorporating Vella’s Pleasure Serum before you begin. This topical serum increases blood flow and heightens sensation, helping you feel more tuned into your body and ready to explore.

• Lastly, give yourself permission to just be. There’s no right or wrong here. Some sessions may lead to orgasm, others may be more about emotional release, or simple connection. Every experience is valid.

Best guided masturbation apps

Not sure where to start? Here are some of our favorite platforms offering beautifully produced, pleasure-positive guided experiences:

• Dipsea: Dipsea is an audio erotica app that features guided sessions, sexy stories, and meditations designed for women and non-binary folks. Their guided masturbation stories are sensual, grounding, and beautifully voiced.

• Ferly: Focused on sexual wellness and emotional intimacy, Ferly offers mindful audio guides, breathwork, and body awareness practices that are especially great for beginners or those healing from disconnection.

• Emjoy: Backed by therapists and sexologists, Emjoy offers a wide library of guided sessions, educational content, and exercises to help women explore pleasure and confidence in a safe, supportive environment.

• Coral: Coral combines relationship insights with pleasure education. While it focuses more broadly on intimacy and connection, it includes guided self-pleasure practices and mindfulness tools.

• OMGYes: While not guided audio, OMGYes is a treasure trove of real, research-based techniques for solo and partnered pleasure. It’s interactive, educational, and incredibly empowering for women wanting to learn more about what works.

Guided masturbation is about giving yourself permission to slow down, get curious, and explore your body in a whole new way. It’s not indulgent, but intentional. Whether you're just getting started or want to deepen your self-pleasure practice, this approach offers space, structure, and inspiration to help you connect more deeply with your sensual self.

FAQ

What is guided masturbation? 

Guided masturbation is a mindful and intentional form of self-pleasure that uses external prompts to help you explore your body and sensations more deeply. It’s similar in concept to guided meditation, where a soothing voice leads you through a process, only here the focus is on pleasure, arousal, and bodily awareness. For many women, especially those who are new to masturbation or have struggled with orgasm, guided sessions offer structure, encouragement, and a sense of safety that can help take the pressure off. Instead of feeling like you have to figure it all out on your own, guided masturbation gently walks you through breathwork, touch techniques, mental imagery, and body connection exercises that make the experience more immersive. At its core, guided masturbation is about learning to listen to your body, embrace your desires, and permit yourself to feel good without guilt, shame, or expectations. 

Where can I find guided masturbation resources? 

There’s an amazing and growing selection of guided masturbation resources available, many of which are designed specifically with women’s pleasure and comfort in mind. Apps like Dipsea and Emjoy offer audio stories and guided sessions led by diverse voices that help create a safe and arousing environment for exploration. Ferly is another fantastic option, with a more wellness-based approach that includes body awareness exercises, mindfulness practices, and sensual meditations. If you’re looking for science-backed tools and techniques, OMGYes is a wonderful platform that uses real data and video demonstrations (non-explicit) to teach you about arousal and pleasure in a grounded, empowering way. 

Is guided masturbation only for people who are single?

Not at all! Guided masturbation is for anyone who wants to deepen their connection with their own pleasure, regardless of relationship status. Many people in committed relationships use guided masturbation as a way to explore their bodies independently, so they can show up more confidently and clearly in partnered sex. Knowing what brings you pleasure, how you like to be touched, and what turns you on allows for more open and satisfying communication in the bedroom. For couples, guided masturbation can even be a shared experience. Listening to sessions together, incorporating the practices into foreplay, or simply talking about what each person learns from their solo time. It also offers a healthy sense of autonomy within a relationship, reminding both partners that pleasure doesn’t always have to be dependent on someone else. Solo exploration can strengthen intimacy by fostering curiosity, vulnerability, and mutual respect. Whether you’re single, partnered, or somewhere in between, guided masturbation is a tool for self-discovery that can absolutely enrich your relationships by helping you understand your own desires more deeply. And remember: pleasure is personal, but it’s also powerful, and it can ripple out into every part of your life, including how you connect with others.