The Great Love Debate with Brian Howie

You’re not arguing - but are you actually communicating? This week, Brian explores how shutting down, making your partner guess, and leaving important words unsaid can create distance in a relationship. With candid reflections on his own communication struggles, Brian examines the difference between taking a breath and withholding connection, whether “never go to bed angry” always makes sense, and...

When was the last time you went on a date, kissed someone for more than a second, or put your phone down and connected?  Dr. Sex Fairy Kanwal Bawa, joins Brian to ask whether dating apps, AI companions, and endless entertainment at home are making real intimacy easier to avoid. They get candid about sex and confidence as we age, the physical challenges that can affect desire, and why a relationshi...

Ever thought you deserved a little morr than you were getting? What can we fairly expect from someone we love? Marcus and Lily from Secrets of a Sugar Daddy stop by to weigh in on six listeners’ opions on the merits Are these reasonable needs, or does calling something deserved turn a relationship into a transaction? The conversation gets especially candid when Lily shares how a sugar dating arran...

Sometimes the conversations you almost don't have turn out to be the ones you never forget. Eight years ago, Brian sat down with Jillian Michaels expecting an intimidating conversation with one of the most recognizable - and opinionated - fitness personalities in the world. Instead, she became his favorite guest in the history of The Great Love Debate. So we're going back into the vault for a conv...

Are we actually too busy for love...or have we just gotten lazy about finding it? Brian the lovely, lively, and newly engaged Crystal Carroll for a wildly wide-ranging GLD about what happens when technology starts doing the romantic heavy lifting. We have dating apps to find the person, AI to write the texts, matchmakers to make the introductions, social media to investigate them, and Uber to make...

What is the State of the Date in 2026?  Brian takes stock of where men, women, attraction, pursuit, sex, flirting, and relationships stand right now - and why he believes we’ve somehow managed to take a lot of the fun out of the thing that’s supposed to be fantastic. Have men lost their motivation to pursue women? Have we demonized male desire to the point that guys have stopped trying? Have women...

You want them to notice you, but what makes them remember you? "What's Wrong With Me?" host Cayla Cook returns - and this time she and Brian are trying to figure out what’s wrong with all of us. A funny, revealing, and occasionally uncomfortable look at what we bring into dating before the other person even gets a chance to screw it up. From childhood baggage and emotional walls to independence, v...

What happens when bad communication meets dating apps, fake dogs, surprise proposals, loyalty tests, and a rent-free apartment owned by your girlfriend’s ex? Brian is joined by Renee Scherzer, author of Lightwork: Life Beyond the Ladder and host of The LightWork Podcast, for the return of one of The Great Love Debate’s favorite traditions - The Basket of Bad Decisions! Brian and Renee tackle a six...

Maybe it really is just you! Brian welcomes "The Scottsdale Matchmaker" Cat Cantrill for a candid, funny, and occasionally uncomfortable look at what’s really happening in today’s dating world. Why have men become so hesitant to approach women? Are dating apps actually worse for men? Do successful singles have unrealistic expectations? And at what point does having “high standards” become a conven...

Are your “type” and your ex’s labels getting in the way of finding love? Brian takes aim at two of the biggest obstacles in modern dating: labels and type. From casually diagnosing every bad ex as a “narcissist” to ruling out potential partners because they’re the wrong height, personality, political affiliation - or even the wrong LaCroix flavor - Brian argues that we’ve become far too good at fi...

Sometimes the best love stories don't begin in your twenties - they begin after you've stopped looking. Brian welcomes "Golden Sex Podcast" host Diane Marie Carty for one of the most candid, entertaining, and surprisingly inspiring conversations ever on The Great Love Debate. After spending 14 years focused on family, caregiving, and simply surviving life, Diane had all but written off romance. Th...

Is the rise of the independent woman responsible for a decrease in dating success? "Charisma Quotient" host Kimmy Seltzer returns to unpack why so many accomplished women struggle to find lasting love despite having everything else figured out. From flirting and feminine energy to dating confidence and modern relationship dynamics, this episode challenges conventional dating advice while offering...

Does the perfect love story begin with a grand romantic gesture, or is lasting love built on friendship, trust, communication, and shared adventure? The Debate Team breaks down what to look for to achieve love longevity, the perils of partnership, the questions the matter, the circumstances that don't, where friendship belongs on the must-haves, the qualities to look for, and much, much more. We'r...

What is it they we are all searching for? "We Deepen" founder Christina Weber returns to break down the shifting dating landscape, the value of frienship, the meaning of attraction, the value of looking within, how she and Brian differ in philosophy and strategy, and much, much more!

Think you want to take another shot with that ex? "The Cinnamon Effect" host Kimberly Hand stops by to help take on our "Second Chance" mailba - as we take on secret crushes, dietary disagreements, long-distance breakdowns, maternal misunderstandings, and much much more!

What is it that we actually want from our relationships? Can we learn from our past traumas, patterns, and mistakes?  "Miss Understood" host and "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" alum Rachel Uchitel drops by to talk about our need for validation, the challenges of dating in the spotlight, setting reasonable expectations, balancing confidence with vulnerability, the allure of dating famous men, and m...

Are birthdays in your mirror closer than they appear? "50 Is A MindF*ck" host Wendy Ortiz stops by to take on the perils of getting older, where to find dating success, the pros and cons of being over 50, how to be a real man in modern society, and much, much more!

Who holds the upper hand when it's time to choose a partner? "Your Mental Highness" host Dr Janne Lomasky returns to The Debate Team to break down our partnership possibilities, different dating motivations, why couples tend to break down, the challenges of borderline personality, and much, much more!

When it's time to feel special...how do you make that really happen? "Diamond Girl" Heidi Ortman Sheff and relationship coach Hanna Dylan drop by to talk about what he needs to know to make her happy, how to take a breath before finding what you want, when is the right time to express love, why communication always comes first, the best ways to bring the bling, and much, much more!

Does it matter how and where you meet the love of your life? Brian breaks down why everyone cares, the best dating environments, the details to focus on, the importance of proximity, why to kiss in the street, the roadmap to replicating it, and much much more!

What relationship challenges lie ahead as we get ready for summer summer? "Manthropology" host Kelli Brink drops by to crack open our big annual Summer Lovin' Mailbag! Battles over temperature, too many unexplained trips, memories of old flames, long-distance relationships, the right amount of misbevior, and much, much more!

Are you ready to put your best self out there? "Weights & Plates" host Robert Santana drops by to share ways to look and feel your best self, how aging plays into fitness, why diet and training go hand in hand, how your body impacts confidence, and much, much more! 

How do you know when it's time to walk away? Brian breaks down when relationships really need to end, what can be done to get them back on track, why opportunities are often wasted, how happiness can be salvaged, and how to get out when it's finally time to get out!

Is modern technology being used to deceive possible daters? The Debate Team breaks down the rules of artificial engagement, what you need to disclose, how much mystery is fair game, differentiating reality from fantasy, and much, much more!

Thinking about revisiting that old flame? Is there value in reconsidering your ex? Brian breaks down the Boomerang Effect, why sometimes situations can change, how growth can really be possible, why red flags might be false flags, how long is too long, the barriers to re-entry, and when to just say no!