Mating and Relating

Ask Bri! Got a question? Send it over and listen out for a response during the following episode!

The brain is our biggest sex organ, with areas like the anterior cingulate cortex and genital sensory cortex activating during both physical stimulation and erotic thoughts. Understanding how to seduce the mind creates a foundation for profound physical pleasure experiences.

• Pleasure begins between the ears, not between the thighs
• The brain crotch (genital sensory cortex) activates during both physical stimulation and imagination
• Mental blocks to pleasure are like being stuck in traffic—anxiety and overthinking stall desire
• Dr. Emily Nagoski's dual control model explains desire as having accelerators and brakes
• Releasing the brakes (stress, shame, distractions) is more important than pressing the accelerator
• Effective mental seduction techniques include anticipation, suggestion, dirty talk, and sensory deprivation
• Fantasy play, erotic intelligence, and forbidden thrills create powerful mental arousal
• Taking time with mental stimulation before physical touch transforms intimate experiences

Send me a DM or comment on the podcast to let me know which technique you tried and how it went. If you enjoyed this episode, share it, subscribe to the podcast, and check out my correlating article on Substack called "The Good Kind of Mind Fuck."

Thanks for spending time with me! New Episodes drop every Wednesday. Hit the follow button to get notified!

If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all episodes on Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@briannaendrina

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If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! Your voice matters -- and it's super sexy to show love and support!

Stay sexy, Stay curious,

Love, Bri

Ask Bri! Got a question? Send it over and listen out for a response during the following episode!

Audio erotica offers a revolutionary approach to pleasure by harnessing the power of imagination and creating safe, consent-driven spaces for exploring desires and fantasies without judgment or performance pressure.

• Audio engages our brains—our largest erogenous zones—in ways visual porn cannot
• Research shows 90% of women's sexual fantasies are driven by imagination rather than physical stimulation
• Platforms like Quinn, Dipsea, and Femtasy collectively have hundreds of millions of listeners
• 85% of listeners report feeling more emotionally connected to themselves afterward
• 70% of users experience increased sexual confidence after listening
• Audio erotica helps 65% of listeners better communicate their desires to partners
• Content typically centers consent, diverse identities, and varied desires
• Most platforms are created by women, for women, with the female gaze in mind
• Popular genres include dominance/submission, slow sensual storytelling, praise kink, and role play
• Can be used solo or as a couple's tool for exploration and communication
• Provides a discreet, shame-free way to explore sexuality and pleasure

If you enjoyed this episode, give it a like, subscribe to the podcast, and share it. Tag me @Brianna on social media and leave a comment with your favorite audio erotica platforms or episodes—I'm always looking to add to my playlist.

Thanks for spending time with me! New Episodes drop every Wednesday. Hit the follow button to get notified!

If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all episodes on Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@briannaendrina

Let's Be Friends!

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Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannaendrina

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briannaendrina

More Resources For You: https://briannaendrina.com/

Become an Intimacy Insider: https://intimacyinsider.substack.com/ and get your weekly dose of deliciousness sent right to your inbox. Think your personal playground + library for erotic and relational wellness.

Join My Email List: https://briannaendrina.myflodesk.com/joinemaillist I'll send you monthly newsletters filled with updates, smut, relatables & other goodies to keep you sated.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! Your voice matters -- and it's super sexy to show love and support!

Stay sexy, Stay curious,

Love, Bri

Ask Bri! Got a question? Send it over and listen out for a response during the following episode!

We explore the transformative power of goalless pleasure and how removing performance pressure can deepen intimacy with ourselves and our partners. By reframing sex as "a place we go" rather than something we do, we open ourselves to greater presence, curiosity, and authentic connection.

• Questioning when we last experienced pleasure without seeking orgasm
• Examining how performance-based sexual scripts limit our erotic experiences
• Understanding sex as a playground for curiosity and shared discovery
• Releasing the pressure to perform and slowing down to feel sensations fully
• Approaching our partners with fresh curiosity and adventurous mindsets
• Prioritizing connection over achievement for deeper intimacy
• Surrendering to the moment without losing ourselves
• Honoring our body's wisdom and innate desires
• Making pleasure a consistent habit rather than a special occasion
• Noticing how goalless pleasure ripples into other areas of life

Home play invitation: Set aside one hour this week for intentional pleasure with no goal in mind, either solo or with a partner. Notice what thoughts arise when you remove performance pressure, and pay attention to how your relationship with pleasure shifts. Feel free to DM me, comment on this episode, or share your experience on social media tagging @BriannaAndrina.

Substack Episode: I Want It Consensually, Conscientiously & Slowly

Thanks for spending time with me! New Episodes drop every Wednesday. Hit the follow button to get notified!

If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all episodes on Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@briannaendrina

Let's Be Friends!

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briannaendrina

More Resources For You: https://briannaendrina.com/

Become an Intimacy Insider: https://intimacyinsider.substack.com/ and get your weekly dose of deliciousness sent right to your inbox. Think your personal playground + library for erotic and relational wellness.

Join My Email List: https://briannaendrina.myflodesk.com/joinemaillist I'll send you monthly newsletters filled with updates, smut, relatables & other goodies to keep you sated.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! Your voice matters -- and it's super sexy to show love and support!

Stay sexy, Stay curious,

Love, Bri

Ask Bri! Got a question? Send it over and listen out for a response during the following episode!

Vasavi Kumar, personal coach and business mentor, opens up for the first time about her desire to be married again after divorce and navigating the cultural stigma that surrounds it.

• Giving voice to desires we've been downplaying 
• How cultural stigmas can affect our willingness to express what we want
• Reframing resentment as "misdirected reclamation" of our deepest desires
• The way grief can clarify what truly matters in life
• Finding the courage to say what we want even when our voice shakes
• Visualization as a practice to get comfortable with receiving what we want
• The importance of taking concrete steps toward our desires
• How living according to our own values frees us from others' opinions
• Recognizing that strong, independent women can also desire partnership
• The difference between failed relationships and valuable learning experiences

If you enjoyed this episode, please feel free to share it, like it, review it, comment on it, subscribe to the podcast. 

Go follow Vasavi on all of the things! ( Links below) 

IG & TikTok @MyNameIsVasavi

LinkedIn @ Vasavi Kumar

Work With Vasavi

vasavikumar.com/sayitoutloud - link to SAY IT OUT LOUD group

Get Her Book!

vasavikumar.com/orderthebook - link to my book launch

Thanks for spending time with me! New Episodes drop every Wednesday. Hit the follow button to get notified!

If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all episodes on Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@briannaendrina

Let's Be Friends!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannaendrina/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannaendrina

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briannaendrina

More Resources For You: https://briannaendrina.com/

Become an Intimacy Insider: https://intimacyinsider.substack.com/ and get your weekly dose of deliciousness sent right to your inbox. Think your personal playground + library for erotic and relational wellness.

Join My Email List: https://briannaendrina.myflodesk.com/joinemaillist I'll send you monthly newsletters filled with updates, smut, relatables & other goodies to keep you sated.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! Your voice matters -- and it's super sexy to show love and support!

Stay sexy, Stay curious,

Love, Bri

Ask Bri! Got a question? Send it over and listen out for a response during the following episode!

The Four Horsemen of relationship doom—criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling—can predict relationship failure when they become dominant patterns between partners. We explore these destructive behaviors and why contempt may be the most dangerous, creating a filter where everything your partner does becomes irritating.

• Contempt is particularly destructive as it creates a negative lens through which you view your partner
• Experiencing the Four Horsemen occasionally doesn't doom a relationship—living in these patterns does
• The "cat syndrome" describes wanting attention then rejecting it when received
• Bids for affection are small requests for connection that need proper responses
• Rejection of affection bids can feel deeply personal when not communicated properly
• The foundation of healthy relationships is always clear, direct communication
• Partners can't read minds—articulating needs prevents misunderstandings and hurt feelings

Thanks for spending time with me! New Episodes drop every Wednesday. Hit the follow button to get notified!

If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all episodes on Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@briannaendrina

Let's Be Friends!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannaendrina/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannaendrina

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briannaendrina

More Resources For You: https://briannaendrina.com/

Become an Intimacy Insider: https://intimacyinsider.substack.com/ and get your weekly dose of deliciousness sent right to your inbox. Think your personal playground + library for erotic and relational wellness.

Join My Email List: https://briannaendrina.myflodesk.com/joinemaillist I'll send you monthly newsletters filled with updates, smut, relatables & other goodies to keep you sated.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! Your voice matters -- and it's super sexy to show love and support!

Stay sexy, Stay curious,

Love, Bri

Ask Bri! Got a question? Send it over and listen out for a response during the following episode!

Brittany Smith shares her journey from religious sexual repression to self-acceptance and healthy relationships, offering powerful insights on reclaiming pleasure after trauma.

• Growing up in a Texas church where sexuality was only discussed within marriage context
• Writing love letters to future spouses at age 12 with no actual sex education 
• Experiencing sexual trauma from a church authority figure with nowhere to turn
• Feeling shame and confusion from mixed messages about sexuality
• Living with bipolar disorder and its impact on sexual expression
• Discovering self-pleasure for the first time in her thirties
• Finding healing through a supportive marriage that prioritizes mutual pleasure
• Learning to trust herself and her desires after years of conditioning
• Building confidence to initiate and communicate sexual needs
• Embracing sexuality as an integrated part of identity rather than something compartmentalized

If you're struggling with any of the topics discussed in today's episode, there are resources below to help you get support. Sometimes the first step is simply saying things out loud in a safe container.

RESOURCES

The National Domestic Violence Hotline
https://www.thehotline.org/

The National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline

https://rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline

National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)

https://www.nsvrc.org/sarts/toolkit/6-4

____

Get In Touch With Brittney! 

IG @BrittneyBenavidezSmith

Website: OneInAMelody.com

____

Thanks for spending time with me! New Episodes drop every Wednesday. Hit the follow button to get notified!

If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all episodes on Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@briannaendrina

Let's Be Friends!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannaendrina/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannaendrina

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briannaendrina

More Resources For You: https://briannaendrina.com/

Become an Intimacy Insider: https://intimacyinsider.substack.com/ and get your weekly dose of deliciousness sent right to your inbox. Think your personal playground + library for erotic and relational wellness.

Join My Email List: https://briannaendrina.myflodesk.com/joinemaillist I'll send you monthly newsletters filled with updates, smut, relatables & other goodies to keep you sated.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! Your voice matters -- and it's super sexy to show love and support!

Stay sexy, Stay curious,

Love, Bri

Ask Bri! Got a question? Send it over and listen out for a response during the following episode!

We explore the delicate balance of discussing relationship issues with friends versus keeping conflicts within the partnership. Our conversation unpacks when seeking outside perspective is helpful and when it undermines the relationship.

• Coffee in the morning starts our discussion about relationship boundaries
• Analyzing a viral clip about whether to discuss marriage problems with friends
• Questioning the "queen and chambermaid" analogy that positions marriage above friendships
• Examining how the language we use about our partners affects perception
• The importance of resolving conflicts directly rather than just venting to friends
• Why trusted advisors who know both partners make better confidants
• Maintaining respect for your partnership even during disagreements
• How unresolved issues can be reignited through friend conversations
• The value of choosing friends who encourage resolution rather than drama
• Finding healthy outlets for frustration without undermining your relationship
• Setting standards for all relationships in your life, not just romantic ones

If you're struggling with relationship communication, try journaling your feelings before sharing them with others. Make sure the conversations you have with friends are matched by even deeper conversations with your partner.

Thanks for spending time with me! New Episodes drop every Wednesday. Hit the follow button to get notified!

If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all episodes on Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@briannaendrina

Let's Be Friends!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannaendrina/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannaendrina

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briannaendrina

More Resources For You: https://briannaendrina.com/

Become an Intimacy Insider: https://intimacyinsider.substack.com/ and get your weekly dose of deliciousness sent right to your inbox. Think your personal playground + library for erotic and relational wellness.

Join My Email List: https://briannaendrina.myflodesk.com/joinemaillist I'll send you monthly newsletters filled with updates, smut, relatables & other goodies to keep you sated.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! Your voice matters -- and it's super sexy to show love and support!

Stay sexy, Stay curious,

Love, Bri

Ask Bri! Got a question? Send it over and listen out for a response during the following episode!

Drawing from my Human Design as a 1-3 mental projector, I share six powerful relationship lessons that have transformed how I show up in partnership and for myself in ways that feel most nourishing and authentic.

• The autonomy of your relationship is only as strong as the security of it—we feel liberated by our relationships when we feel safe within them
• Fall for the potential—the route to knowing if someone is for you is through choosing to chase the idea of what they could be
• Practice does not make perfect, it makes partnership—relationships require daily practice of showing up
• Couples who prioritize acceptance have far more stamina than couples who prioritize compatibility—understanding and loving our differences creates stronger bonds
• At the root of self-abandoning or self-loving behavior, worthiness is either going to be the poison or the nourishment
• Make your cake and eat it off your partner too—let yourself want what you want and create the kind of life and partnership that turns you on

If you enjoy this episode, share it, review it, subscribe to the podcast on all the platforms, and if you post on social tag me @BriannaEndrina. I will love on you right back. Stay sexy, stay curious.

Thanks for spending time with me! New Episodes drop every Wednesday. Hit the follow button to get notified!

If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all episodes on Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@briannaendrina

Let's Be Friends!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannaendrina/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannaendrina

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briannaendrina

More Resources For You: https://briannaendrina.com/

Become an Intimacy Insider: https://intimacyinsider.substack.com/ and get your weekly dose of deliciousness sent right to your inbox. Think your personal playground + library for erotic and relational wellness.

Join My Email List: https://briannaendrina.myflodesk.com/joinemaillist I'll send you monthly newsletters filled with updates, smut, relatables & other goodies to keep you sated.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! Your voice matters -- and it's super sexy to show love and support!

Stay sexy, Stay curious,

Love, Bri

Ask Bri! Got a question? Send it over and listen out for a response during the following episode!

We explore the modern expectation for our romantic partners to fulfill multiple roles – from lover and confidant to therapist and best friend – and how this pressure affects relationships in detrimental ways.

• Examining how we now rely on one person for needs that communities traditionally fulfilled
• The phenomenon of giving our "best selves" to work while bringing our "leftovers" home to partners
• Why using your partner as an emotional "punching bag" damages relationship dynamics
• The importance of maintaining individuality while building intimacy in partnerships
• How bringing conflict to relationships actually strengthens connection when done respectfully
• The false dichotomy of "winning" versus "losing" in relationship disagreements
• Building healthy interdependence rather than codependence through outside friendships and interests
• Learning to communicate about issues directly with partners instead of just venting to friends
• Viewing your relationship as a team rather than seeing your partner as an opponent

The real loss isn't apologizing when you're wrong – it's letting your relationship crumble because you refused to be vulnerable enough to admit mistakes.

Let's learn to individuate and cultivate interdependence over merging so fully that we submit to codependency. We don't have to be everything for and to our partner's. 

Thanks for spending time with me! New Episodes drop every Wednesday. Hit the follow button to get notified!

If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all episodes on Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@briannaendrina

Let's Be Friends!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannaendrina/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannaendrina

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briannaendrina

More Resources For You: https://briannaendrina.com/

Become an Intimacy Insider: https://intimacyinsider.substack.com/ and get your weekly dose of deliciousness sent right to your inbox. Think your personal playground + library for erotic and relational wellness.

Join My Email List: https://briannaendrina.myflodesk.com/joinemaillist I'll send you monthly newsletters filled with updates, smut, relatables & other goodies to keep you sated.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! Your voice matters -- and it's super sexy to show love and support!

Stay sexy, Stay curious,

Love, Bri

Ask Bri! Got a question? Send it over and listen out for a response during the following episode!

A candid revelation over sushi sparked this exploration into what makes relationships thrive beyond the superficial. When a friend struggling with dating in his thirties called my marriage "perfect," I couldn't help but laugh—what he saw as perfection was actually years of messy, beautiful work.

The dating landscape has drastically changed with swipe culture hijacking our natural connection abilities. We've lost patience for authenticity, constantly chasing the next best option rather than seeing the humanity in potential partners. Dating apps have us judging compatibility based on photos and bios rather than using our intuition and senses to gauge attraction. Meanwhile, those seeking lasting connections feel increasingly hopeless about finding partnership.

Drawing from over a decade of marriage and professional experience, I'm sharing the framework that's helped sustain our relationship—the five C's of love. Curiosity keeps us actively interested in our evolving partners. Communication transforms conflicts into growth opportunities. Consideration honors your partner's agency in decision-making. Co-regulation creates emotional safety during difficult times. Co-creation builds a relationship structure that works uniquely for you both. These principles aren't about achieving perfection but about creating a partnership where both people feel seen, accepted, challenged, and celebrated.

There's no perfect manual for love, only the handbook you write together through commitment to growth and connection. Don't be fooled by relationship highlight reels or the myth of the perfect match. Instead, stay patient, remain present, and remember that practice—not perfection—makes partnership.

Thanks for spending time with me! New Episodes drop every Wednesday. Hit the follow button to get notified!

If you prefer video or want closed captions, you can watch all episodes on Youtube → https://www.youtube.com/@briannaendrina

Let's Be Friends!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannaendrina/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannaendrina

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briannaendrina

More Resources For You: https://briannaendrina.com/

Become an Intimacy Insider: https://intimacyinsider.substack.com/ and get your weekly dose of deliciousness sent right to your inbox. Think your personal playground + library for erotic and relational wellness.

Join My Email List: https://briannaendrina.myflodesk.com/joinemaillist I'll send you monthly newsletters filled with updates, smut, relatables & other goodies to keep you sated.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review! Your voice matters -- and it's super sexy to show love and support!

Stay sexy, Stay curious,

Love, Bri