It's no secret that sex changes as you age, but this listener, who is single in her sixties, is having trouble escaping the ideals of sex that shaped her in her formative years. Girls were taught that sex was meant for after marriage and that it wasn't something to be discussed. It was not something empowering, let alone playful. As she stands with many years ahead of her, she wants to know how to release her deeply embedded shame around sex and have fun hooking up.

Cosmo Confessions is made in collaboration with editaudio. If you’d like to submit an anonymous confession to be featured in a future episode, send us a voicemail or send us an email at cosmoconfessionspod@gmail.com. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This confession gets into a topic that carries a lot of stigma: couples therapy. Most people think, “If you’re in counseling, your marriage, relationship, whatever, is about to be kaput.” Not so! People seek out therapy together for a number of reasons other than hating each other’s guts, like our listener on this episode, who wants to go to couples therapy with her partner to talk through the next big stages of life together. Her partner thinks this is a waste of money because their relationship is "great as-is." Should she push him to go to therapy or are there other, less expensive ways that they can work on their relationship together?

Our guest is Shan Boodram, who is a certified sex educator, dating coach, and intimacy expert. Shan is the host of the top podcast, "Lovers and Friends with Shan Boodram,” is the best-selling author of “The Game of Desire,” and is the co-host of the Peacock show “Ex-Rated with Andy Cohen.” 

Quick fact check: It was a Hinge study that found that 86 percent of singles are more likely to go on a second date with someone who referenced on date one that they see a therapist, but only 7 percent of people are actually comfortable bringing it up. Read more about that here.

Follow Mia Lardiere and Veronica Lopez on Instagram: @mialardiere and @veee_low. 

Cosmo Confessions is made in collaboration with editaudio. If you’d like to submit an anonymous confession to be featured in a future episode, send us a voicemail or send us an email at cosmoconfessionspod@gmail.com. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A friendship breakup can hurt more than a romantic breakup, especially when you don’t see it coming. This listener's friend of over a decade suddenly lost her dad by suicide. She supported her through this grieving process—her friend even shared sensitive details about her dad's death that she likely didn't tell anyone else. One day, our listener's friend stopped answering her text messages and their friendship of over a decade was over. How is our listener just supposed to move on without a goodbye?

Heads up, this episode contains discussion of suicide. If you or a loved one are struggling, the Suicide & Crisis lifeline is 988.

Our guest Jessi Gold, MD, MS, is an Assistant Professor and the Director of Wellness, Engagement, and Outreach in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis. You can find her on Instagram (@drjessigold) and at drjessigold.com.

Cosmo Confessions is made in collaboration with editaudio. If you’d like to submit an anonymous confession to be featured in a future episode, send us a voicemail or send us an email at cosmoconfessionspod@gmail.com. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.