Just Between Us with Jennifer Zamparelli

When a friend keeps returning to the same relationship, it can feel like you’re trapped in the cycle with them. Do you tell them exactly what you think, keep your mouth shut or admit that you can’t keep having the same conversation?

Psychologist Louize Carroll joins Jennifer Zamparelli to discuss compassion fatigue, boundaries and the difference between honest support and judgement disguised as care. Plus, why people go back, whether no contact works and how to face the ex everyone called a bastard.

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We've all had a fantasy we've kept to ourselves, but should it stay there? Jen is joined by relationship and sex educator Aoife Murray to talk about the fantasies people actually have, why they're so common, and why talking about them doesn't have to be awkward.

From BDSM and foot fetishes to communication, consent and Irish shame, this is an honest, funny conversation about what really goes on in our heads.

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Who should pay on a first date, should couples split everything equally, and how much financial independence should each partner keep? Jennifer Zamparelli and matchmaker Mairead Loughman explore how money exposes our expectations around fairness, security and respect—from joint accounts and childcare to debt, spending habits and the rows that are rarely just about money.

Listeners note; Competition entries are now closed for tickets to our live podcast recording.

Just Between Us is part of the Trust Project. You can see our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism

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Long before our first kiss or heartbreak, our ideas about love were already taking shape at home. Jennifer is joined by Emma Kehoe, Brenda Dennehy and Kieran Corrigan for a funny and revealing chat about how siblings, birth order, school and the Irish mammy can shape our relationships. From eldest-daughter syndrome to growing up with brothers or in a family of eight, they ask how much of our love lives can be traced back to childhood.

Listeners note; Competition entries are now closed for tickets to our live podcast recording.

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Why do good people cheat? Jennifer Zamparelli sits down with psychotherapist Dr. Richard Hogan to talk about the messy reality of infidelity and why it's rarely as simple as right or wrong. They chat about attachment styles, midlife, rebuilding trust, and whether a relationship can ever come back from betrayal.

Listeners note; Competition entries are now closed for tickets to our live podcast recording.

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Most of us learned about sex in fragments through rumours, awkward conversations and a lot of guesswork. Twenty years after his bestselling book She Comes First changed the conversation around female pleasure, sex therapist Ian Kerner joins Jennifer for an honest, funny, and eye-opening chat about cunnilingus, the orgasm gap, performance anxiety, and why great sex has far more to do with communication than technique. From clitoral anatomy to confidence in the bedroom, this episode unpacks what actually works and why many of us are still getting it wrong. 

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How long would you ignore a sexual health problem before getting it checked? For some people, the answer might surprise you.

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This week, Jen is joined by Olympic rower, doctor Dr Philip Doyle for a funny and fascinating conversation about sexual health, STI testing, mental health, blue pills, broken penises and the medical issues people leave far too late.

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From awkward symptoms and emergency room stories to why so many of us avoid getting help, Dr Doyle answers the questions most people are too embarrassed to ask.

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This week Jennifer is joined by Shawna Scott, sex educator and owner of Ireland's multi-award-winning, sex-positive online boutique SexSiopa.ie. Together they explore the apps promising better sex, better communication and better relationships. From scheduling intimacy and sharing fantasies to app-controlled sex toys and AI matchmaking, can technology actually help us connect or is it getting in the way? Why are so many people exhausted by dating apps? What exactly is Madonna doing on Grindr? And is scheduling sex really as unsexy as it sounds?

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Have you ever said “yeah, that’s fine” when it absolutely wasn’t fine? This week Jennifer is joined by sex and relationship coach Shannen Barry to unpack people-pleasing in all its forms. From overcommitting and avoiding confrontation to faking orgasms. Why do so many of us prioritise someone else’s comfort over our own needs? And how do we stop? Expect laughs, honesty and a few uncomfortable truths. Sorry.

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