Love, Laughs, and Lessons

What happens when we stop believing the myth that intimacy inevitably expires with age, and how do we rewrite rigid scripts around sex to cultivate the most fulfilling physical and emotional connection of our lives in midlife? In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons, psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and certified relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with Sexual Health Alliance certified sex...

What happens when you spend over three decades married to a man who makes you feel like every breath you take is wrong, and how do you rebuild your entire identity and sense of self from the bottom up? In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons, psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and certified relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with international podcaster, best-selling author, and speaker Lau...

What happens when you step out of an 18-year marriage into a modern dating scene you haven't navigated since your 20s, and how do you find a deep, slow-paced, and conscious connection in a world dominated by dating apps? In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons, psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and certified relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with entrepreneur, advocate, and host of th...

What happens when the excitement of a new relationship fades? Can desire be rebuilt, or is that simply what long-term love looks like? In this episode of  Love, Laughs & Lessons , psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and certified relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with board-certified sex therapist and licensed marriage and family therapist  Dr. Jenn Kennedy  to explore what really happens aft...

What happens when we teach young boys to shut down their emotions, and how can that early conditioning follow them into their adult relationships, emotional lives, and well-being? In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons, psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and certified relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with licensed psychologist Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst to explore the profound impact of gend...

What happens when your life looks successful on the outside, but you are quietly falling apart from addiction on the inside, and how do you find true purpose when conventional paths fail? In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons, psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and certified relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with registered psychotherapist and ADHD specialist Mike Stroh to explore the ra...

What happens when it feels like you and your partner are speaking completely different languages—even when you're both trying your hardest to communicate? In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons, psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with Josh Livingstone, The Husband Coach, to explore why so many couples struggle to connect despite having the best in...

Why is sexual health still one of the most important—and least discussed—parts of our overall well-being? In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons, psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and certified relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer (Dr. Z.), a Doctor of Nursing Practice and board-certified nurse practitioner specializing in sexual medicine, to have the honest con...

What if the life you've built looks successful on the outside—but still feels empty on the inside? In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons, psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and certified relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with internationally renowned transformational teacher, TEDx speaker, and bestselling author Christian de la Huerta for a profound conversation about identity, spiri...

How do you know when a relationship is unhealthy—and when it's emotionally abusive? In this episode of  Love, Laughs & Lessons , Dr. Frankie Bashan and Denise Rai sit down with licensed mental health counselor and author Kate Mageau to explore the hidden dynamics of emotional abuse, gaslighting, love bombing, and the long road to healing. Drawing from both her personal experience and years...

What actually causes couples to keep having the same argument over and over again? In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons , psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and certified relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with couples therapist Raffi Bilek to unpack the deeper emotional dynamics behind relationship conflict, communication breakdowns, emotional disconnection, and recurring arguments. Raf...

What happens when childhood trauma quietly shapes the way we love, parent, communicate, and move through the world as adults? In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons , psychologist Dr. Frankie Bashan and certified relationship coach Denise Rai sit down with therapist, educator, and attachment specialist Dr. Sasha Reiisi to explore the lifelong impact of childhood trauma, emotional regulation...

What happens when a high achieving woman realizes she has mastered everything in life except love? In this candid and powerful conversation, Dr. Frankie and Denise Rai sit down with relationship mentor Shilpa Cacho, who works with driven women ready to stop chasing validation and start building emotionally mature partnerships. Shilpa shares the deeply personal story that changed her life. After a...

What does it actually take to find lasting, secure love in today's swipe-right culture? In this episode, Dr. Frankie and Denise Rai sit down with two powerhouse guests who approach love from completely different angles: Cheryl Maida, matchmaker extraordinaire with 16+ years of experience, and Amber Lavin, a counselor and coach who rewrote her own love story using mindfulness and somatic healin...

There is a reason you keep ending up in the same relationship with a different face. Nancy Pickard calls it the mysticism of marriage: we go out, we date everyone, and somehow we land on the one person most likely to stick a searing hot rod in our eyeball. Not because we are broken, but because our wounds are trying to get our attention. In this episode, Dr. Frankie and Denise Rai talk with the li...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Alysondra Duke, a counseling psychologist, certified sexologist, author, and entrepreneur who blends psychology, sexuality, and intuitive healing to support emotional wellness and transformation. We talk about forgiveness as a loaded term, not a moral performance, and why people stay stuck when they are waiting for closure they may never receive. Dr. Duke brea...

In this episode, we sit down with therapist and mother daughter coach Brittney Scott for an honest conversation about forgiveness, family wounds, and the pressure to “be the bigger person.” Brittney breaks down why forced forgiveness can stall healing, how the mother daughter relationship becomes the first blueprint for trust, attachment, conflict, and self worth, and what it looks like to release...

In this episode, we sit down with Sky Blue Kutchie, certified relationship, intimacy, and sex therapist and pleasure advocate, for an honest conversation about desire, connection, and the myths that keep so many people stuck. We unpack what really impacts libido, why “bad sex” is often a signal of disconnection, and how intimacy can deepen and evolve with age. Sky also breaks down the spectrum of...

Podcast Description In this episode of Love, Laughs, and Lessons, Dr. Frankie Bashan and Denise Rai welcome relationship and marriage expert Larry Bilotta, known for helping individuals navigate midlife crises and rebuild marriages from the brink of divorce. Drawing from his personal experience in a turbulent 27-year marriage followed by transformation in its 28th, Larry shares his philosophy that...

In this episode, we sit down with  Delia Joseph , Certified Professional Coach, trained mediator, microaggression facilitator, and founder of Improveology Lifestyle Coaching. Known as a “quiet storm,” Delia brings a powerful blend of compassion, clarity, and experience to the often-overlooked conversation about forgiveness. We talk about the kind of forgiveness that isn’t performative. The kind yo...

In this episode of Love, Laughs & Lessons, we sit down with trauma therapist and coach Fanny Tristan for a powerful conversation about what it really costs to be "the strong one." Fanny shares her story as a firstborn daughter, the child of Afro-Peruvian immigrants, and someone who grew up navigating mental illness, code-switching, and high expectations. We talk about how perfectioni...

What keeps passion alive after the honeymoon phase? In this episode of  Love, Laughs & Lessons , Dr. Frankie and Denise sit down with Dr. Diane Mueller, known as  The Libido Doc , to talk about the science and soul of lasting desire. Dr. Diane explains how dopamine drives attraction, why novelty fuels intimacy, and how flirting can rekindle connection. She clears up misconceptions about vibrat...

If you think love should feel natural, intuitive, or just “click,” you might be setting yourself up for confusion, resentment, and unmet needs. In this episode, licensed therapist and confidence coach Talia Bombola gets real about how communication—or the lack of it—is sabotaging modern relationships. She breaks down why so many ambitious women end up carrying the emotional weight in partnerships,...

This isn’t just another dating episode. It’s a straight-talking, hilarious deep dive into sex, dating apps, rejection, and doing it all without losing your dignity. Our guest, Maureen Pound, is a solo parent by choice, self-made millionaire, and author of  How to Get Laid on Tinder (for Men Who Care) . She joins us to break down the emotional mess and magic of modern dating—offering real advice fo...

How the Moving On Formula helps you stop chasing the chaos and start choosing yourself   What if the real breakup you need isn’t with your ex, but with the story that’s been keeping you stuck? In this honest and empowering episode, breakup and relationship coach Lucy Price joins Dr. Frankie and Denise to unpack what really keeps people locked in toxic relationship cycles. Lucy opens up about her o...