Episodios

  • 534: The Unconscious Life of Sexuality

    534: The Unconscious Life of Sexuality
    Mar 6 2026
    Welcome Brave Lovers! In this week's episode, Laurie is joined by guest Juliane Maxwald. Juliane is a psychotherapist based in NYC and shares with us great insight from her book; Psychoanalytic Sex Therapy: Exploring the Unconscious Life of Sexuality. Listen in for this great conversation on integrating depth psychology and behavioral therapy. Taking what we know about ourselves and moving it into action! Our therapist listeners will love this episode, but couples alike will be encouraged when Juliane dives into sexual fantasies and ways to discuss them with your partner. For more information on Juliane visit www.julianemaxwald.com and grab a copy of her book. Link included on our instagram! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    43 m
  • Foreplay Replay - Dirty Talk

    Foreplay Replay - Dirty Talk
    Mar 2 2026
    Warning this episode is NSFW and you might want to sit down for this one! Is dirty talk part of your love making repertoire? Dirty talk is defined as talking explicitly about sex with your partner. These explicit words run the gamut and can either be a major turn ON or turn OFF. Join our hosts today as they not only give us a list of dirty words to use during sex but discuss how to artfully bring up this HOT topic with your love. This is an area that you want to approach thoughtfully. Moving too fast has the potential to ruin the fun that dirty talk could bring to your sex life. Here are some great questions to ask if you want to test the waters in this arena: "How do you want to talk about our sex?" "Is there a specific name or language you want me to use about your body parts, our moves during lovemaking?" "What ways can we create comfort and also turn up the heat?" Find out how your partner wants to hear it and learn what it does or doesn't do for them. Getting to know your partner better is always a good thing! Keep it hot y'all! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    30 m
  • 533: Healing The Political Divide in Couples

    533: Healing The Political Divide in Couples
    Feb 27 2026
    In today's episode, we are joined by Dr. James Hawkins, certified EFT couples therapist and trainer from The Joshua Center in Arkansas. Listen in as we tackle the tough topic of how to bridge the current political divide in partnerships. We are seeing the effect of division rampant in relationships across the nation and we come together here to discuss why this is happening from an attachment lens and how we can begin to ease the tension. Listeners will take away how the cycle shows up, attachment fears that drive deep seeded disconnection and actionable steps to start finding common ground. Our relationships are a great source of strength and we are far more alike than we are different. We hope you join us today in this important discussion and be brave in beginning to step closer to the ones you feel far away from. You can find Dr. Hawkins online at dochawklpc.com and on Instagram at @doc_hawk_lpc where he discusses more on these topics! Check out this episode's sponsor (and help the pod!): Uberlube.com -- Laurie's favorite personal lubricant! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    41 m
  • Foreplay Replay - Sex Life a Snoozefest?

    Foreplay Replay - Sex Life a Snoozefest?
    Feb 23 2026
    Boring is a signal and it's a sign that something needs to change! A complaint about monogamy is that the line between responsibility and desire often gets blurred and it is responsibility and safety that win out. Long-term couples come to therapy with a complaint that sex is predictable and had become boring. Join our hosts in this episode as they explore what might be lying under the surface. Are you simply disengaged from life? Or is there a relational dynamic that has caused a couple to disengage from desire and their ability to express desire to each other. Our hosts remind us that sex is an exciting adventure and the safety of a long-term partnership invites us to take even more risks. If you have been thinking that sex with your honey has been a little stale, you'll certainly want to download this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    29 m
  • 532: The Shadow Cycle

    532: The Shadow Cycle
    Feb 20 2026
    In today's episode we are exploring the shadow cycle; how our partner's experience often mirrors ours in a different cycle. Join hosts Laurie and George as they walk listeners through the five steps to explore and understand the shadow cycle. This key exercise can help bring awareness to each partner's perspective, slow down the negative cycles and use curiosity rather than defensiveness. If you and your partner keep getting stuck, make sure to listen and share to learn how to tap into each other's worlds through a different and healthier lens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    30 m
  • Foreplay Replay - Alcohol -- Gas Pedal or Brake?

    Foreplay Replay - Alcohol -- Gas Pedal or Brake?
    Feb 16 2026
    "Sometimes popping two gummies on vacation helps us have really great sex!" "I really need that glass of wine to get me in the mood!" "Smelling alcohol on your breath is such a turnoff!" As couples and sex therapists, we've talked to thousands of partners about how alcohol and substances affect their relationships. Sometimes couples report that alcohol is a major block to sexual connection, others share that it can help them get out of their heads and make sex more enjoyable. In your relationship, is alcohol a gas pedal or a brake? Meaning it turns you on and helps with desire, arousal, orgasm or it shuts you down and you withdraw from sex. If seeing your partner drunk is a sexual brake, you may feel rejected by their advances because they wouldn't typically act like that sober. If alcohol is a gas pedal, you may feel your inhibition lower and it's more comfortable to access thoughts about sex and connection to your body. Listen to this episode as George and Laurie discuss the function of alcohol in sex and relationships and what you may need to explore underneath if it is a gas pedal or brake. Our hosts approach this topic with non-judgement and are explicit that alcohol and substance use runs on a wide spectrum and affects people in many ways. We know this may open up myriad reactions from our listeners and we welcome your feedback! As always, thank you for listening and keep it hot, y'all! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    31 m
  • 531: Want Better Sex? Be a Better Caregiver

    531: Want Better Sex? Be a Better Caregiver
    Feb 13 2026
    In today's episode, Laurie and George discuss how improving caretaking in your relationship can lead to better sex. If you've felt bogged down by the mental load or have heard your partner make complaints about it this is a must listen episode. Join us as we guide you through 'four ways to be a better caregiver.' Learn how recognizing your partner's needs, taking action before asking, and making the little things important will increase and improve your sexual connection. Make sure to check out our NEW website www.bravelovegreatsex.com for updates on our upcoming book release and other ways you can support your relationship. We're on a mission to help our brave lovers have great sex! Check out this episode's sponsor (and help the pod!): Uberlube.com -- Laurie's long-time favorite personal lubricant! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    33 m
  • Foreplay Replay - Look on the Brightside: Toxic Positivity and its Impact on Your Relationship

    Foreplay Replay - Look on the Brightside: Toxic Positivity and its Impact on Your Relationship
    Feb 9 2026
    Picture this, you walk in from a hard, stressful day at work and finally see your partner--your person. You say to them, "Honey, today was such a hard day. Everything went wrong. It was really bad." Your partner replies with, "Well, look on the bright side you're home and your job helps us keep this beautiful roof over our heads." Your body deflates a little. Your partner just brightsided you when you were really hoping for a little sympathy and comfort. This is defined as 'Toxic Positivity': an experience where someone shares something along a negative vein and the responder replies with the brightside, silver lining or overt positivity. In this episode, George and Laurie discuss how toxic positivity affects interactions between partners, why partners might anchor towards using it and how it causes disconnection in relationships. Listeners will take away intent v. impact, and how partners can shift from avoidance of negative emotion to connection through it and end up on the bright side together. If this shows up in your relationship either as the doer or receiver this episode is sure to spark a great conversation! Thanks for listening and keep it hot y'all! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Más Menos
    30 m