FAQ - The Most Common Questions I'm asked
Why the name “Kipani”?
Kipani (pronounced Kip-annie) is the Hawaiian version of my name, Tiffany. Oahu is my second home where I was lucky enough to spend most of my time connecting with the energetic systems of the Earth with nothing between my skin and the sunshine for weeks at a time. It was there that I finally learned to embrace my body and sensuality in a community of accepting humans. It was during that experience that I felt compelled to follow my true passions in life, but I was still nervous and doubted my place in the world. A good friend gave me the advice to create an alter ego…one that was confident, embraced every part of her being unapologetically, and relished in her Goddess nature. The more I embraced that alter ego, the more I felt my true self glowing, growing, and blossoming! Over time, I’ve come to realize that Kipani was that spark inside me screaming to come out and the person I always wanted to be.
What are you a doctor of?
I hold an Ed.D. (Doctorate in Education with a concentration in Educational Leadership), M.A. in World Literature, and a Bachelors in Creative Writing. My post-doctoral work was in the field of holistic sexuality and I am now a board-certified Sexologist, and Certified Holistic Sex Educator. I spent 10 years as graduate-level adjunct professor, 10 years building websites and learning management systems for universities and departments of education, 5 years as the Director of Educational Technology for a Fortune 500, and I’ve been freelance writing since 2009. I’m also a certified personal trainer, hold a RYT-200 yoga certification, aerial yoga certification, and Reiki levels I, II, and Master certifications. Before getting my Master’s and Doctorate degrees, I spent several years teaching yoga, and conducting reiki healing sessions. For more than a decade I’ve published scholarly research in several academic journals, as well as erotica and non-fiction articles in the field of sexual health and sex tech. Since 2020 I’ve merged all of these elements of myself into a thriving holistic intimacy practice and provocative art studio.
You work in social media as a content creator too… how did you get into it?
Since this next one is a pretty big answer, I am copying the “About me” section of my art studio page:
Dr. Tiffany "K", or "Kipani" as she often goes by, was born on October 21st, 1987 in Northern California, and the youngest of 3 siblings. Since she was a child, she felt a strong need to express herself artistically, which her parents and older brothers lovingly supported. Her mother, a musician and concert photographer, always encouraged her to break from the mundane and seek out her passions through whatever medium drove her artistic desires. From writing short stories, poetry, and novellas, to spending countless hours sketching, painting, and photographing elements that captured her interest, Tiffany has found art to be medicinal and vital to her eternally optimistic outlook and connection to the energy of the universe.
Introduced to art technique by her father at a young age, she took several years of art classes during high school and at Chico State University through a demanding concurrent enrollment program. This is where she was introduced to the beauty and concept art of live models and watercolor. She was quickly drawn to the fantasy and pin-up artistry of Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, Brian Froud, J. Scott Campbell, to the risqué art of Eric Stanton who specialized in portraying strength and beauty of the female form. Their work continues to influence her own in photography, art, and writing today.
While art acted as therapy throughout her college years and into her career as a creative writing professor, and later director of educational technology for global corporations, imposter syndrome took its toll. As did the shame and stigma placed on her for her pansexuality. This shame often led to her art and writing being buried in closets and sketchbooks, behind closed doors for most of her life.
Despite all that, sketching, painting, music, exploration of sound and frequency, and writing continued to be ever-present while raising her three children. She dove into these mediums further through the tragic experiences of losing their home and pets to the California Campfire of 2018, and her brother to complications of HIV just a year later. However, she was able to use her art to channel her feelings and grow strength to support those around her.
In recent years and through monumental support from family and friends, she took the leap to pursue a certification program in Holistic Sexuality just after completing her Doctorate in Education. She has a yearning to bring to life and breath to the emotions flowing through herself and the energy systems around her… feelings of happiness, pleasure, self-love, empowerment, and strength. She does this through high-contrast art of all sorts, experimenting with multi-dimensional elements, and even healing sounds, ASMR, rituals and magick practices, and often chooses the medium which speaks to her most in that moment. While she suffers like many others from extreme anxiety and ADHD, it is through her art that she has been able to channel her gratitude for life and hopes to inspire others as well.
Tiffany also finds speaking in the third person strange and uncomfortable but chooses to laugh in the face of discomfort. :)
Final thoughts:
I hope this little FAQ helps shed light on the parts of my content that you may not see on social media or in my writings. If you have a question that hasn’t been answered here, feel free to comment below or write me and I’ll update this FAQ list to include them.