Relationships have three broad areas of relating: the mundane details that must be done in live, sexual intimacy, and being friends -- liking our partner, enjoying their company, sharing the details of our inner worlds. The best relationships manage to have all three work; imbalance among them leads to problems. Join sex therapist and author Laurie Watson and couple's therapist Dr. Adam Mathews as they talk about balancing these three essential arenas of relationship.

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In today's episode, we are discussing how to forgive what hasn't been. Fights are more obvious times to work on forgiveness but what about the missed bids for connection and absence of touch? Join our hosts as they share how to have healing conversations about the lost connection. Laurie and George relay that this experience is grief and a deep pain that needs to be shared in partnership. Often a conversation like this may activate the negative cycle as the hurt partner might fear further rejection and begin by criticizing. Their advice is to get into the pain and begin to ask your partner for their help to heal. As the listener, sex might have been off the table for a variety of reasons and you may notice a defensive reaction. George shares something that works in his relationship, to take a pause and keep the focus on his partner. Healing is sequential and can't happen all at once. Slow and steady, remaining focused on one partner's pain can shift a couple into forgiveness as resentment from missed moments is heard, seen and cared for. What has been missing from your relationship that has caused you pain? Today's episode will help you and your partner get started on the path to forgiveness. 

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Dr. Adam and Laurie discuss the complicated relationship between sex and depression in both men and women. They discuss symptoms and how to stay connected when your relationship is impacted by this all too common mental health issue.

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Is your sex life a little too vanilla? Maybe you want to try something new but want just the right amount of spice? Grab your lover and join us for today's episode as we discuss how to get comfortable with getting more kinky. Inspired by an article in Glamour Magazine, hosts Laurie and George share ideas to get things heated up. Laurie calls the list 'kink light' but it's sure to help you take things up a notch. Remember here, consensual is key! Both partners need to communicate and have safety to be able to take more sexual risks. Suggestive texts, dirty talk, sexy outfits or none at all, using a mirror, switching normal roles, teasing. Hooked yet? Hop on over to our instagram @foreplay_sextherapy and let us know what you would add to the list. Keep it kinky, y'all! 

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Contempt, one of the most dangerous emotions in a relationship. This episode covers the markers of contemptuous behavior and why it's so destructive to a marriage. Laurie and Dr. Adam offer advice on recognizing this powerful emotion and how to bring the humanity back into your relationship.

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We are all deserving of touch. It awakens the senses, provides comfort, reassurance and then as adults pleasure. In today's episode, our hosts open up a conversation about your relationship with touch. Did you grow up in a household where physical affection was withheld, conditional, unsafe or just not available? If so, you may be suffering from touch neglect. This can show up in the sexual cycle as anxiety, discomfort or full on avoidance at even the thought of touch. This episode will help you understand the power or touch, how neglect shows up in adult relationships and how to begin a safe conversation with your partner describing your needs. And yes, we ALL have needs related to touch! The great news also, is that with safety, and vulnerability these needs can be expressed in your adult relationships and you can begin to feel more comfort around touch and go from neglected needs to needs met. You deserve it! 

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Addyi.com -- the only FDA-approved treatment for certain women with low libido!

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In this episode, Laurie and George discuss insights from Daniel Watter’s book, The Existential Importance of the Penis: A Guide to Understanding Male Sexuality. They explore sexual disorders like low desire, erectile dysfunction, and vaginismus—not just as issues but as signals from our bodies about anxiety, relationship challenges, or life transitions, like becoming parents. Enjoy this thought-provoking episode!

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In today's episode we are spending time focusing on when it goes well. As therapists we look for these 'glimmers' as a way to retrain the brain and body to focus on progress, not just the problem. It's common for couples to get bogged down by what doesn't go well. This is the brain's way to keep you safe and protected but it also makes it hard to let progress take hold. Join Laurie and George today in this great conversation focused on glimmers of eroticism in your relationship. There are two great ways to hone in on glimmers. One is to recall past positive sexual experiences in the relationship. The other is to dig below the surface of the complaint and listen to the request being made. Is your partner giving you the clues for a glimmer that you might be missing? More glimmers help us feel more hopeful and united against the negative cycle. Take a moment today to look back at your past week and explore what went well in your sexual relationship. Even the slightest change is worth noting and sharing with your love. Keep it hot y'all!

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Having kids can radically change sex for couples and can complicate our sex lives for a number of reasons. Join author and sex therapist Laurie Watson and couples therapist Dr. Adam Mathews as they work through the issues around sex after kids.

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Greetings Foreplay listeners! We are so excited for today's episode, featuring Dr. Peggy Kleinplatz, a clinician and sex researcher that broke the code on the key components to magnificent sex. In her book of the same title, Dr. Kleinplatz breaks down the findings from her studies and shares what makes lovers great. She is a mentor to our hosts and continues to train therapists around the world to help lovers have better sex. We are honored to have her as a guest on this episode. Our conversation investigates how you define intimacy in your relationship, exploring your erotic cues, and being embodied during sex. Equally important and exciting is that sex can get better as you age and could be the best sex yet! Listeners will walk away feeling encouraged and excited by this interview. We all have the capacity to be magnificent lovers and Dr. Kleinplatz has the science to prove it! 

Here's Dr. Kleinplatz's book 'Magnificant Sex'. Her website is here.

Check out this episode's sponsor and help the pod!

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