Friends - those people we collect through life, often taken for granted but can be so important to us. In this episode Clare and Aileen turn their attention to friendships. What are they, how do we make them, what do they bring and where they can go wrong.

So, if you’ve ever felt guilty for neglecting a friendship, been baffled by a falling out or wondered why some friends bring out the best in you and others don’t. This one is for you.

Dip into some of the things Clare and Aileen chat about in this episode:

04:28 Not all friends are the same - but that's a good thing

13:47 Losing friends

23:14 Have your friendships become so routine they need a reset?

28:33 Challenge v giving advice – what’s better for you?

36:45 How to look after friendships

Want to know more?

Visit our website: The Sex and Relationships Podcast for more information on the issues discussed in this episode. You can also Ask Clare a question or suggest a topic for future episodes.

Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook

About the Sex and Relationships Podcast

This podcast is for anyone looking for information or help with their sex lives or relationships. In this season your hosts Clare Prendergast and Aileen Gonsalves deep dive into the world of relationships to give you insights, advice and top tips to help guide you through your relationships.

Your hosts

Clare Prendergast is a sex and relationships therapist and draws on her knowledge and years of experience in the therapy room to give you help and guidance.

Aileen Gonsalves is fascinated in human behaviour and drawing on her many years in the theatre has developed the unique Gonsalves Method which helps people be more present and develop authentic connections with those around them.

Music: Imogen Shortall

Series Producer: Amanda Hancox

Have you ever had that knot in your stomach when your partner is spending a lot of time with someone else, or that emotional reaction when a colleague gets promoted over you? Then it’s likely you’ve experienced this week’s topic: jealousy.

In this episode Clare and Aileen discuss what jealousy is, where it comes from and tips on what you can do about it. They will give you a set of tools to help you work with your jealous emotions in a better way when you feel them welling up inside you.

Dip into some of the things Clare and Aileen chat about in this episode:

02:42 Jealousy – an emotional response

11:01 The three faces of jealousy

15:05 How jealousy impacts others

17:18 Tips on how to deal with jealous emotions

21:43 What is jealousy telling you about your life?

28:04 Choosing the right people to talk to

30:06 Is it true, is it absolutely true?

Want to know more?

Visit our website: The Sex and Relationships Podcast for more information on the issues discussed in this episode. You can also Ask Clare a question or suggest a topic for future episodes.

Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook

About the Sex and Relationships Podcast

This podcast is for anyone looking for information or help with their sex lives or relationships. In this season your hosts Clare Prendergast and Aileen Gonsalves deep dive into the world of relationships to give you insights, advice and top tips to help guide you through your relationships.

Your hosts

Clare Prendergast is a sex and relationships therapist and draws on her knowledge and years of experience in the therapy room to give you help and guidance.

Aileen Gonsalves is fascinated in human behaviour and drawing on her many years in the theatre has developed the unique Gonsalves Method which helps people be more present and develop authentic connections with those around them.

How often have you said something quite ordinary to a parent, or they’ve said something to you and suddenly the room feels like it’s about to explode? Welcome to the parental nightmare. It’s not just about conflict, it’s about what’s hidden underneath these relationships – family secrets, unspoken stories, patterns of behaviour passed from one generation to the next.

In this episode Clare and Aileen explore the complex, often lifelong, relationship we have with our parents and discuss practical strategies to help you navigate this important relationship.

Dip into some of the things Clare and Aileen chat about in this episode:

02:34 The shifting nature of parental relationships throughout our lives

09:51 So much is hidden in relationships between children and their parents

15:22 Not everyone wants to be a parent

18:51 Unrequited parental love and the roles we play

25:32 Parenting our parents

38:32 You are not alone

Want to know more?

Visit our website: The Sex and Relationships Podcast for more information on the issues discussed in this episode. You can also Ask Clare a question or suggest a topic for future episodes.

Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook

About the Sex and Relationships Podcast

This podcast is for anyone looking for information or help with their sex lives or relationships.In this season your hosts Clare Prendergast and Aileen Gonsalves deep dive into the world of relationships to give you insights, advice and top tips to help guide you through your relationships.

Your hosts

Clare Prendergast is a sex and relationships therapist and draws on her knowledge and years of experience in the therapy room to give you help and guidance.

Aileen Gonsalves is fascinated in human behaviour and drawing on her many years in the theatre has developed the unique Gonsalves Method which helps people be more present and develop authentic connections with those around them.

Work can take up so much of our waking hours but how often do we look at our relationship with work. Are you a workaholic or just going through the motions? Does it inspire or drain you? What about the people we work with: colleagues, managers and those unrequited crushes or unwanted attentions? When it comes to work, things can get complicated.

Clare and Aileen delve into the tangled world of work to help you think about your relationship with work and give tips on how to navigate those complex relationships in the workplace.

Dip into some of the things Clare and Aileen chat about in this episode:

01:05 It’s personal to you

02:36 Strategies for being in a job you don’t like

13:19 Life, work, balance

19:31 Navigating relationships at work

22:44 Unwanted attention – how to deal with it

32:38 Work is love made visible

Visit our website: The Sex and Relationships Podcast for more information on the issues discussed in this episode. You can also Ask Clare a question or suggest a topic for future episodes.

Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook

About the Sex and Relationships Podcast

This podcast is for anyone looking for information or help with their sex lives or relationships. In this season your hosts Clare Prendergast and Aileen Gonsalves deep dive into the world of relationships to give you insights, advice and top tips to help guide you through your relationships.

Your hosts

Clare Prendergast is a sex and relationships therapist and draws on her knowledge and years of experience in the therapy room to give you help and guidance.

Aileen Gonsalves is fascinated in human behaviour and drawing on her many years in the theatre has developed the unique Gonsalves Method which helps people be more present and develop authentic connections with those around them.

Have you ever found yourself thinking, ‘What on earth was I doing?This person is all wrong for me’, when only a few months ago they seemed perfect? How did that feeling of bliss when you’re finishing each other’s sentences and laughing at the same jokes turn to irritation, resentment and blaming them for everything that’s wrong?

Clare and Aileen help you understand the natural cycle from falling-in-love bliss to relationship blame, why it happens, and how to navigate your way through it.

Dip into some of the things Clare and Aileen chat about in this episode:

03:51 What’s happening to our bodies during the bliss phase

10:54 Difference – the good, the bad and the ugly

17:35 The danger of confiding in people who agree with you

20:49 Tips for navigating through the bliss to blame phases

23:50 Esther Perel – many different marriages within the same marriage

26:08 Tips on better communication

28:03 Has this relationship come to the end of the road?

34:22 Tips on how to have honest conversations with partners and friends

Want to know more?

If you want to hear more about what to do when sexual attraction starts to fade in a relationship listen to Episode 7 “Lust or Bust” from Season 1.

Visit our website: The Sex and Relationships Podcast for more information on the issues discussed in this episode. You can also Ask Clare a question or suggest a topic for future episodes.

Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook

About the Sex and Relationships Podcast

This podcast is for anyone looking for information or help with their sex lives or relationships. In this season your hosts Clare Prendergast and Aileen Gonsalves deep dive into the world of relationships to give you insights, advice and top tips to help guide you through your relationships.

Your hosts

Clare Prendergast is a sex and relationships therapist and draws on her knowledge and years of experience in the therapy room to give you help and guidance.

Aileen Gonsalves is fascinated in human behaviour and drawing on her many years in the theatre has developed the unique Gonsalves Method which helps people be more present and develop authentic connections with those around them.

Have you’ve ever felt transformed after a walk by the sea or in the woods? Have you’ve ever found yourself reaching for the biscuit tin when anxious rather than hungry, or noticed how your pet knows when you are feeling low? This podcast is for you.

Clare and Aileen take you on a tour of some of those relationships we often don’t think about but matter deeply. From pets and nature to time, food and even life and the divine, these relationships have the ability to shape our lives, comfort us, challenge us and sometimes reveal parts of ourselves we didn’t know were there.

Dip into some of the things Clare and Aileen chat about in this episode:

00:24 How your pet can teach you about tuning into your senses and being present.

03:34 Nature – when did you last give yourself permission just to experience it.

04:49 Time: what is your relationship to it? Do you find you don’t have enough or are you able to make time for yourself?

12:14 Having a relationship with place, do you have a sense of belonging where you are?

17:49 Understanding your relationship with food.

23:46 Relationships with the divine, the higher power, the universe.

27:19 Embracing the idea that everything will come to an end helps to embrace and enjoy each moment.

Visit our website: The Sex and Relationships Podcast for more information on the issues discussed in this episode. You can also Ask Clare a question or suggest a topic for future episodes.

Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook

About the Sex and Relationships Podcast

This podcast is for anyone looking for information or help with their sex lives or relationships.In this season your hosts Clare Prendergast and Aileen Gonsalves deep dive into the world of relationships to give you insights, advice and top tips to help guide you through your relationships.

Your hosts

Clare Prendergast is a sex and relationships therapist and draws on her knowledge and years of experience in the therapy room to give you help and guidance.

Aileen Gonsalves is fascinated in human behaviour and drawing on her many years in the theatre has developed the unique Gonsalves Method which helps people be more present and develop authentic connections with those around them.

Your relationship with yourself might sound a bit odd. But it’s so important. How often have you sidelined or neglected yourself to focus on everyone else? When did you last think paying attention to yourself was selfish?

Clare and Aileen share their top tips on how to bring your relationship back to you and reveal how investing in yourself can make a real difference not just to you but to those around you.

Dip into some of the things Clare and Aileen chat about in this episode:

00:36 Why we look away

10:14 Why loving yourself is worth it

14:30 How to check in with yourself

22:06 Recognising and understanding code switching

24:40 Tips for getting in touch with your inner self

30:31 Finding buried treasure

Want to know more?

If you want to hear why it’s so important for your relationships to have ‘me’ time, listen to Episode 9 Me-Topia from Season 1.

Visit our website: The Sex and Relationships Podcast for more information on the issues discussed in this episode. You can also Ask Clare a question or suggest a topic for future episodes.

Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook

About the Sex and Relationships Podcast

This podcast is for anyone looking for information or help with their sex lives or relationships.In this season your hosts Clare Prendergast and Aileen Gonsalves deep dive into the world of relationships to give you insights, advice and top tips to help guide you through your relationships.

Your hosts

Clare Prendergast is a sex and relationships therapist and draws on her knowledge and years of experience in the therapy room to give you help and guidance.

Aileen Gonsalves is fascinated in human behaviour and drawing on her many years in the theatre has developed the unique Gonsalves Method which helps people be more present and develop authentic connections with those around them.

Holidays, thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays – those special, wonderful moments we dream of. But if you’ve ever walked away from a Christmas dinner or a family holiday wondering what on earth went wrong – this podcast is for you.

Check out some of the things Clare and Aileen chat about in this episode:

02:10 Great expectations

07:36 What can possibly go wrong?

11:46 Pressure cooker effect

18:27 Tips for how to navigate special occasions

26:35 Small things that make a big difference

33:00 How to stop making the same mistakes – learning for next time

Want to know more?

Visit our website: The Sex and Relationships Podcast for more information on the issues discussed in this episode. You can also Ask Clare a question or suggest a topic for future episodes.

Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook

About the Sex and Relationships Podcast

This podcast is for anyone looking for information or help with their sex lives or relationships. In this season your hosts Clare Prendergast and Aileen Gonsalves deep dive into the world of relationships to give you insights, advice and top tips to help guide you through your relationships.

Your hosts

Clare Prendergast is a sex and relationships therapist and draws on her knowledge and years of experience in the therapy room to give you help and guidance.

Aileen Gonsalves is fascinated in human behaviour and drawing on her many years in the theatre has developed the unique Gonsalves Method which helps people be more present and develop authentic connections with those around them.

Relationships – what are they? We often think of relationships as intimate with a partner and yet we actually have hundreds of relationships with friends, family, at work, at play even with nature and beyond.

Clare and Aileen kick off the season by discussing the breadth of relationships.

Check out some of the things Clare and Aileen chat about:

02:01 Hierarchy of friends

05:00 Relationships we don’t choose

08:56 Relationship with myself

11:36 So what are relationships?

Want to know more?

Visit our website The Sex and Relationships Podcast for more information on the issues discussed in this episode. You can also Ask Clare a question or suggest a topic for future episodes.

Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook

About the Sex and Relationships Podcast

This podcast is for anyone looking for information or help with their sex lives or relationships. In this season your hosts Clare Prendergast and Aileen Gonsalves deep dive into the world of relationships to give you insights, advice and top tips to help guide you through your relationships.

Your hosts

Clare Prendergast is a sex and relationships therapist and draws on her knowledge and years of experience in the therapy room to give you help and guidance.

Aileen Gonsalves is fascinated in human behaviour and drawing on her many years in the theatre has developed the unique Gonsalves Method which helps people be more present and develop authentic connections with those around them.

If you always come last on the priority list, it’s time to learn why ‘Being Selfish for the Team’ helps everyone. Janet and Clare discuss the vital positives of self care on your life and relationship.

Dip into some of things Clare and Janet chat about in this episode:

01:47  Why making time for ‘me’ is not selfish, it’s very important for your well-being, your relationship with yourself and our relationships with others.

08:00  Where our attitudes towards self-care often come from.

11:55   Are your needs being met?  Damian Hughes   Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

16:35   Being selfish for the team. Why women’s desire and energy for sex often disappears if we are not looking after ourselves properly.

22:34  Ideas for self-care

Want to know more?

If you’re interested to know more about how the lack of self-care can affect sex and relationships check out episode 6 Victims and Villains and episode 5 The Big O..oh no!

Visit our website The Sex and Relationships Podcast  for more information on the issues discussed in this episode. You can also Ask Clare a question or suggest a topic for future episodes.

Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook

About The Sex and Relationships Podcast:

This podcast is for anyone looking for information or help with their sex lives or relationships.  Your hosts Clare Pendergast (PgDip/COSRT) and Janet Eccles (MSc MA/COSRT/Sup MBACP) are sex and relationship therapists. In each episode they chat about common problems they see in the therapy room and draw on their years of experience to give you some insights, advice and top tips to help guide you through your relationships and sex lives.

Series Producer: Amanda Hancox