Disconnection is an epidemic.
Connection is the cure.
We live in a world where people are more connected than ever — and lonelier than ever. Relationships are harder. Intimacy is more confusing. The tools most people were given for connecting with another person were inadequate to begin with, and nobody has updated them. NHRI produces the research and builds the resources to change that — for men, for couples, for everyone navigating a world that has forgotten how to be close.
— Global Advisory Board for Sexual Health & Wellbeing
Connection.
Equality.
Pleasure.
Explore. Educate. Empower.
Our vision is for a world where connection, pleasure, and dignity are accessible to everyone.
We are shifting the focus of research toward what works: understanding and promoting healthy, equal, and fulfilling sexual experiences. By identifying practices and behaviours that contribute to a healthy sexual life, we help individuals build and maintain fulfilling, respectful relationships.
We offer strategies to promote every person’s agency over their own sexuality and body — emphasising the importance of sexual pleasure, connection, and self-acceptance.
Reclaiming what matters.
Evidence for a more connected world.At Nurturing Humanity Research Institute, we research human connection — and build the tools that help people experience it.
Our work focuses on how to connect — in relationships, in dating, in sex — and the conditions that allow people to feel connected, confident, and fully alive. We produce rigorous, pleasure-positive research and translate it into practical resources people can actually use.
We are committed to human dignity and inclusion for all. The forces that disconnect us — across gender and identity — are deeply intertwined, and so is the work of healing.
Our current research emphasizes men’s wellbeing, particularly in loneliness, purpose, and relational capacity. This focus addresses a critical gap — because when men are more connected, everyone benefits.
We are not meant
to be alone.
We are researchers, clinicians, and educators working at the intersection of sexuality, relationships, and human connection.
Our work is grounded in a simple belief: that connection is not accidental — it is something that can be understood, supported, and strengthened.
p>The World Health Organization defines sexual health as requiring a positive and respectful approach to sexuality — including the possibility of pleasurable, safe, and consensual experiences. Yet much of the research has overlooked these positive dimensions.At Nurturing Humanity Research Institute, we work to close that gap.
We produce rigorous, pleasure-positive research and translate it into practical tools, education, and training that support stronger relationships, more fulfilling sexuality, and deeper connection.
Our work includes a focus on men’s wellbeing, where loneliness and disconnection have been widely overlooked. We approach this as part of a broader commitment to human dignity, inclusion, and the belief that no one should be left alone.
The elements of
connection and sexual wellbeing.
These six tenets guide our research, our education, and our approach to every person we work with.
Openness
Empowering curiosity toward sexuality — allowing an increase in personal and social knowledge, the possibility to discover new satisfying ways to be sexual, and enhancing discussions on sexuality in the community and with healthcare providers.
Self-determination
A combination of attitudes and abilities that lead people to set goals and take initiative in their sexual experiences and health — resulting in autonomy and freedom of choice regarding reproduction, contraception, sexual expressions, and behaviours.
Access
Guaranteeing equal access to the whole community to the best standards of comprehensive sex education, safer sex, and harm reduction practices — in alignment with sexual health self-determination.
Pleasure
Recognising sexuality as a valid expression of pleasure — acknowledging that for many people, sexuality is not exclusively a matter of reproduction or intimacy, and that sexual motives vary sensibly among individuals and within the same person.
Consent
Actively agreeing to be sexual with someone at different moments and in varying forms. Consent is free from coercion and revocable at any time. Sexual activity without consent is assault — and genuine consent culture is something we actively promote.
Respect
Recognising differences in the expression of one’s own and others’ sexuality — with acceptance of different forms of sexuality and an active aversion to judgment and shaming of any kind, including body shaming, homophobia, transphobia, and sexism.
Supported by
people who care.
NHRI is funded by its directors, volunteers, and through public and private donations and grants. We are a lean, mission-driven organisation — the vast majority of funds go directly to research, education, and the development of public resources.
To achieve the changes we’re working toward, we invite philanthropic organisations, government bodies, and private sector partners to join us. Your support funds dedicated research, innovative studies, and collaboration across disciplines — helping us uncover the full potential of human connection and wellbeing.
When you support NHRI, you’re not just helping the scientific community. You’re making a tangible impact on the lives of real people — of every gender, every background, every community.
Registered Canadian Charity — Nurturing Humanity Research Institute Foundation
Business No. 745653600RR0001
All donations are tax-deductible. Headquartered in Vancouver, BC.
The people behind the work.
NHRI is led by a volunteer board of directors with deep expertise across psychology, sexuality research, public health, education, and community development.
Dr. Petra Zebroff
Petra Zebroff is the founder of NHRI, a charity promoting the research and education of positive sexuality. After completing degrees in Psychology, Public Health, and a PhD in Human Sexuality, Petra started the first online resource for women’s sexuality in 1999.
Today Petra looks at how to bring agency to people through a balanced and sane approach to sexuality that includes the positive aspects of sex — including pleasure. Her research includes tens of thousands of participants across publications on sexual pleasure for women and men.
Petra is associated with the Society for Sex Therapy and Research and the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. She writes for Psychology Today in her blog, The Erotic Brain.
- Sex researcher focused on sexual desire differences, pornography, and sexual initiation
- TED Talk speaker — Igniting the Erotic Brain in Long-term Relationships
- Developer of the Sexual Initiation Scale (SIS-SF) and related clinical instruments
Greg Fox
Founder and VP of iPost, one of the original internet ESPs. Board director and consultant across industry sectors, with expertise in helping organisations focus on their primary goals through efficient and creative use of resources.
Tanya Zebroff
International development professional with 20+ years of policy and programme experience in health and education across Africa and Asia. Responsible for over $300M of programming, with deep expertise in gender-based violence and marginalised women and girls.
Connie Hart
Certified risk and resilience professional and ISO 22301 Lead Auditor with 15 years of experience building risk, governance, and compliance programmes across provincial, national, and global industries.
Darien Thira
Registered psychologist (CPBC #2040) with 25+ years working with Indigenous communities across Canada in personal and community wellness, grief and trauma healing, and suicide prevention. Adjunct faculty at Adler Graduate University.
Lisa Chan
Sauder MBA graduate, property developer, and entrepreneur. Founder of TrufElle, a non-profit empowering women to embrace their sexuality and build meaningful relationships. Committed to normalising positive conversations about sexuality.
Help us build the evidence
base for human flourishing.
As a registered Canadian charity, NHRI depends on donations and partnerships to fund research, develop educational resources, and support the communities that need them most. Every contribution makes a difference.