Reclaiming Catholic Intimacy

By Ellen HollowaySociety & Culture Religion & Spirituality Christianity Relationships

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Typical duration
19 min
per episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Reclaiming Catholic Intimacy episodes

February 26 We have a new name!
Welcome to Reclaiming Catholic Intimacy, the podcast for Catholic women that helps you improve your sex life, strengthen your marriage, and embrace God's design for love.
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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it
Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!
Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]
2 min
February 23 You Need to Start Pursuing Your Husband | Ep. 259
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes challenge the belief that husbands should always be the pursuers in marriage and explain why wives are also called to pursue. They discuss the spiritual roots of this dynamic, the fear of rejection that can hold women back, and the resentment that often keeps intimacy stalled.
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Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it
Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!
Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]
22 min
February 16 Scheduling Sex is Not the Same as Cleaning the Bathroom | Ep. 258
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway explores how to prevent scheduled sex from turning into checkbox sex. She breaks down the real reason scheduled intimacy can start to feel like a burden and teaches you how to rewire your mindset so that sex becomes something you joyfully anticipate. Using relatable analogies and spiritual reflection, Ellen offers practical tools to bring excitement, connection, and intentionality back into your intimate life.
___________________________________
Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it
Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!
Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]
11 min
February 09 Resentment is Killing your Libido | Ep. 258
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes explore the deep and often hidden impact of resentment in marriage. They discuss how unspoken feelings of unfairness and unmet expectations can slowly erode intimacy, especially in the bedroom. Through personal stories and spiritual insights, they reveal how resentment may be the true barrier to connection, not libido or effort. You’ll learn practical ways to root it out, start healing, and truly love both yourself and your spouse.
___________________________________
Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it
Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!
Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]
31 min
February 02 Is Stopping Sex Because of Pain a Sin? | Ep. 257
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway unpacks the moral and theological considerations of stopping sex due to pain. She explains why halting the act isn’t sinful when the intention was to complete it, and emphasizes the importance of addressing the root causes of painful sex. Ellen also discusses the pain-fear-tension cycle, the potential consequences of delaying a stop, and how healing involves both pelvic floor therapy and mindset work.
___________________________________
Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it
Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!
Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]
13 min
January 26 Why isn't Sex Easier? | Ep. 256
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes unpack the spiritual battle at the heart of intimacy, the impact of Satan’s lies on couples striving for holiness, and why struggle may actually signal sanctity. The conversation includes practical encouragement, spiritual tools like the St. Michael Prayer, and the importance of inviting God into every part of your marriage.
___________________________________
Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it
Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!
Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]
25 min
January 19 Why Learning About Sex Isn’t Changing Your Marriage | Ep. 255
Join us in Want it and Enjoy it an 8 week group coaching program for Catholic women to reignite desire, pleasure, and joyful sex. Can't wait to see you inside!
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway explores why simply learning about intimacy doesn't automatically lead to change in your sex life. She explains how desire and pleasure are rooted in the nervous system, why emotional safety is essential, and how true transformation requires more than just information. Ellen also shares how her eight-week coaching program, Want It and Enjoy It, provides the supportive container needed to create lasting change.
___________________________________
Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it
Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!
Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]
12 min
January 12 How to Actually Enjoy Sex | Ep. 254
Join our email list and be the first to know about the new coaching program launching January 19, 2026.
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway addresses the common feeling of wanting to enjoy sex but not knowing how. She explores the physical, emotional, and mental roadblocks that prevent pleasure, from lack of arousal to Catholic guilt around desire. Ellen explains why pleasure is part of God’s design and not a selfish pursuit, and she offers practical steps to begin enjoying sex, including the importance of body literacy and emotional connection.

___________________________________
Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it
Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!
Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]
19 min
January 05 How to Actually Want Sex | Ep. 253
Make sure you're on our email list to be notified when the new program is available!
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway addresses one of the most common struggles Catholic wives face: not wanting sex. She explains the five most common desire blocks and how to identify which one may be affecting you. Ellen also teaches the three foundational pillars that create real, lasting sexual desire. If you've been stuck in cycles of obligation or shame, this episode offers a clear path toward healing and rediscovering sexual desire in your marriage.
___________________________________
Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it
Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!
Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]
13 min
December 29, 2025 A Touched Out Body Can't Be A Turned On Body | Ep. 252
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes to explore the overwhelming experience of feeling "touched out." They dive into why this sensation happens, why husbands often don’t understand it, and how to clearly communicate your needs without causing disconnection. Practical tools like grounding techniques, body-awareness exercises, and the “10-minute unwind” are shared to help you shift from sensory overload to sexual readiness.
___________________________________
Ready to increase your desire and experience pleasure? Join the next round of Want it and Enjoy it
Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!
Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at [email protected]
26 min

About Reclaiming Catholic Intimacy

From the publisher's feed

Looking for answers to the questions you don't want to Google? Not sure where to get help when your sexual life is on the rocks and everything the secular culture has to offer is only making things…