5 Senses of Consent teaches Lehigh students the importance of self-care during intimacy

More than 75 students attended the Break the Silence dinner, and 30 participated in the yoga session for the organization’s annual Valentine’s Day event, 5 Senses of Consent. The event teaches students to incorporate their five human senses into intimacy and personal relationships, both romantic and platonic. 

On Thursday in the Clayton University Center, the event centered on self-care and emphasized comfort during intimacy while educating students about consent. An elaborate spread of appetizers, sushi, dumplings and desserts opened the evening, followed by a 45-minute trauma-informed yoga session designed to normalize personal limitations in the bedroom.

Caitlyn Kratzer, ‘26, hosted the event for the third time. She said this year’s program looked different from past iterations, evident in small details down to the self-care-themed food spread. 

In previous years, Kratzer said the event leaned into a spicier interpretation of the five senses. Last year, a speaker presented on how to talk dirty in the bedroom. The year before, “spicy trivia” gave participants the chance to win sex toys.

“This year, we wanted the event to be about focusing on yourself and your own limitations, rather than about partners,” Kratzer said. “This is more of an inward looking, gentler event.” 

The highlight of the event was the 45-minute yoga session led by Liz Jordon, who’s taught trauma-informed classes at Lehigh since 2013.

Jordon began with meditation, followed by a section of individual poses and another featuring partner poses. During each position, she encouraged students to think about consent and how to apply it in their personal encounters. 

“For me, there isn’t any better way I know of being in your body than through yoga,” Jordon said. “When you slow everything down and feel comfortable in your own skin, that will translate in intimate situations.”

Jordon said the yoga flow was well received and that students were nonjudgmental, creating a space where participants felt safe exploring new ideas. 

Rebecca Caporaso, ‘28, said she attended the yoga session because it presented a valuable learning opportunity. Unlike most participants, Caporaso completed the partner section with a peer she hadn’t met before the event. 

During the partner exercises, Caporaso said she checked in consistently to ensure consent and comfort. 

“I realized that consent is always ongoing,” Caporaso said. “Even if you are close with somebody, you may assume consent, but it doesn’t always stay the same. It’s an ever changing thing.”

After the yoga session, a short debrief gave students the opportunity to reflect. The questions were designed to help participants process their emotions while reinforcing the importance of being able to say “no” during intimate experiences. 

Kratzer said Break the Silence events are critical for education because sexual harassment and assaults remain prevalent on college campuses. 

“It’s so important to be open minded that (sexual harassment and assault) does get brought up, not only at Lehigh, but also in the real world,” she said. “It’s better to learn from peers rather than going out into the world and not knowing anything.”