Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time

In the final episode of Season 2 of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, we explore a first-time experience that rarely gets talked about: sex and intimacy after becoming parents. Inspired by a listener's question, MaryJane is joined by Rachel Johnson, licensed mental health therapist, doula and founder of Half Hood Half Holistic, to discuss how pregnancy, childbirth and the transition to parenthood can change sexual desire, body image and relationships. From postpartum recovery, breastfeeding and hormonal changes to feeling "touched out," the mental load of parenting and navigating mismatched desire, we explore the challenges couples may face as they adjust to life with a baby. We also introduce Circle of Voices, featuring two personal stories from people sharing their experiences of intimacy after becoming parents for the first time. At its heart, this episode is about finding your way back to each other, not necessarily as the people you were before, but as the people you've become.

Useful resource:

Rachel Johnson (2024). Nurturing Intimacy: A Guide to Sex and Connection After Childbirth. Postpartum Support International.

Connect with Rachel Johnson @halfhoodhalfholistic or on her website https://www.halfhoodhalfholistic.com/

Can sex be more than just physical pleasure? In this episode of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, MaryJane is joined by sexologists Dr. Markie Twist and Dr. Mark Levand to explore the intersection of sex, spirituality and transcendence. From sacred intimacy and soul ties to altered states, intense orgasms and spiritual connection, we unpack what happens when sex feels bigger than ourselves. Is it chemistry, psychology, spirituality, or something we can't quite explain? And when does the pursuit of sacred sexuality cross the line into manipulation?

Useful Resources:

What does celibacy really mean, and can intimacy thrive without sex? In this episode of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, MaryJane speaks with certified sex therapist Neil Sampson about celibacy, abstinence, sexual desire, spirituality, and intimacy beyond sex, exploring why people choose to wait, pause, or live without sexual encounters and how those choices can shape connection, identity, purpose, and love.

Connect with Neil Sampson on https://www.neilsampsontherapy.com/

Can your first sexual experience happen without ever physically touching another person? In Digital Firsts, we explores how technology is reshaping sex, intimacy, relationships and even what we mean by a “first time.” MaryJane is joined by Dr. Markie Twist and Dr. Neil McArthur, the scholars who introduced the concept of digisexuality, to unpack the increasingly blurred lines between human sexuality and technology. From sexting, online pornography and video intimacy to virtual reality, AI companions and human-like sex robots, we ask: When does a digital sexual experience become significant enough to count as a first? Can intimacy with an AI feel emotionally real? Can a relationship with an AI companion constitute cheating? And could technology become not just a tool for sexual connection, but an important part of someone’s sexual identity? The conversation also explores digital consent and vulnerability, relationship boundaries, stigma surrounding digital relationships, and what emotionally responsive AI could mean for future generations growing up with technology as a companion rather than simply a tool. As intimacy becomes increasingly digital, perhaps the bigger question isn’t whether these experiences are “real”, but who gets to decide what counts as intimacy in the first place?

What really counts as cheating, and what happens when trust is broken in a relationship?

In The First Lie (First time cheating), we explore the complicated reality of infidelity, betrayal, and the agreements that define our intimate relationships. Dr. Rachael Needle joins us to unpack why cheating isn’t defined by a single behavior, why people are unfaithful, and what infidelity can reveal about love, sex, trust, and commitment. We also hear a deeply personal listener story from someone who discovered infidelity in their marriage, confronting the painful distance between the relationship she thought she had and the reality she was suddenly forced to face. It’s an honest conversation about cheating, broken trust, and the complicated contradictions that emerge when love and betrayal exist in the same story.

In this episode of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, MaryJane and Dr. Markie explore first times in polygamous and polyamorous relationships - the joy, the jealousy, the boundaries, and the breakthroughs. Whether part of a cultural tradition or a chosen poly dynamic, the conversation with Dr. Markie unpacks what it means to share love, sex, and emotional vulnerability beyond monogamy.

Useful resources: 

Meri Brown: https://www.worthyup.com/

Polyam-Centric Therapy Roleplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqE2VjPNBAU&t=373s

Original source citation: Twist, M. L. C. (2016). Polyam-Centric role play. University of Wisconsin-Stout, MFT 733, Summer, 2016 Advanced Sex Therapy course. 

Monogamism Measure: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681994.2018.1526883

Twist, M. L. C., Prouty, A. M., Haym, C., & *VandenBosch, M. L. (2018). Monogamism measure. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 33(4), 376-381.

Celebrating polyamory day: https://www.cosrt.org.uk/opinion/celebrating-polyamory-day-committing-to-managing-monogamism-in-psychosexual-therapy-practice/ 

Twist, M. L. C. (November, 2021). Celebrating polyamory day: Committing to managing

monogamism in psychosexual therapy practice [blog]. College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists.

In this episode of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, MaryJane is joined by psychotherapist Sergio Rebelo to explore the complex emotional, psychological, and relational realities surrounding first-time experiences in sex work. Together, they discuss agency, circumstance, consent, stigma, boundaries, identity, and the myths that often shape public perceptions. From the difference between choice and necessity to the lasting meaning these experiences can hold, this thoughtful conversation offers a compassionate, nuanced look at intimacy when it becomes labor and reminds us that behind every first time is a deeply human story.

What happens when intimacy expands beyond two people? In this episode of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, host MaryJane is joined by sex and relationship experts Dr. Markie Twist, Dr. Alex Iantaffi, and Dr. Allen Mallory for an honest conversation about first-time threesomes, throuples, ethical non-monogamy, and other multi-partner dynamics. Together, they explore the gap between fantasy and reality, communication, consent, jealousy, emotional vulnerability, and the surprising logistics of navigating intimacy with more than one partner. Whether you're simply curious or exploring non-traditional relationships yourself, this thoughtful and judgment-free discussion offers practical insights into desire, boundaries, and the emotional complexity of first-time group experiences.

Follow our sexperts on socials: ​

 @DrMarkieLCTwist⁩ 

@xtaffi ​

 ⁨@nmbr1bballplyer⁩ 

What happens when the moment you've anticipated for years finally arrives?

For some people, waiting until marriage is rooted in faith, culture, personal values, or a desire to build emotional intimacy before physical intimacy. But after months - or even years - of waiting, the first sexual experience after marriage can carry enormous expectations.

In this episode of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, host MaryJane explores the emotional, psychological, and cultural realities of having sex for the first time after marriage.

Joining the conversation is Nokwanda Dlamini, Marriage and Family Therapist and co-host of Love & Marriage Today with Dr Bakhe & Nokwanda. Together, they unpack common myths about waiting until marriage, the pressure surrounding the wedding night, navigating sexual inexperience, managing expectations, and what happens when fantasy meets reality.

In this episode of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, MaryJane and Dr. Jess O'Reilly explore the emotional and psychological layers of first-time oral sex - from awkwardness and performance pressure to consent, vulnerability, pleasure, and connection. A candid conversation about expectations, intimacy, and the experiences that quietly shape how we relate to sex and ourselves. Plus, a listener shares their unforgettable “Salt Lake City” story.

Dr. Jess's episode on Sexual values is available here.