Brave Love Great Sex – Couples Therapy Podcast

Welcome Brave Lovers! In today's episode Laurie and George delve into the withdrawer's world and how their mission to get it right is so wrong. Inspired by a recent post from podcaster Steven Bartlett, they discuss the unrealistic expectations and pressure many withdrawers impose and the vicious avoidance cycle they get caught in when they can't meet those expectations. If you identify as a withdr...

Keeping connected is easier when we're in green brain - when our brain says we are safe, cared about and even loved - when we can relax, talk, listen with openness. Red brains are escalated, tense, maybe angry or in total shut down. Listen to George and Laurie talk about pulling a partner in red brain into the calm connected place where sex and connection can happen. Learn more about your ad choic...

Welcome Brave Lovers! Have you ever lacked confidence about your body in bed? In today's episode, Laurie is joined by therapist Clare Stadlen, LCSW. Clare is the owner of CAS Counseling and an expert supporting individuals and families with eating disorders and body image concerns. Clare and Laurie engage in a rich conversation on intimacy and body image. They discuss the many ways women are condi...

Welcome listeners! This episode centers on using Viagra or other medication to help with erectile dysfunction and if they are addictive. Join George and Laurie as they discuss the prescription medication, the reasons behind erectile dysfunction and danger signs to look out for. A key theme of the episode is communication with your partner around the use of Viagra. Make sure to catch this episode t...

Greetings Brave Lovers! Have you or your partner ever uttered this statement? This definitive declaration has been shared in our therapy offices many times and we are bringing it to today's episode to explore the reasons why and the ways to fix this issue. Join hosts Laurie and George as they get clear on what is going on for the sexual withdrawer that doesn't want to have sex. This is often a hea...

Grab your pen and notebook for this, you're going to want ALL the notes from this episode! George and Dr. Laurie answer a mailbag question from a longtime listener about bl*w jobs. More specifically, wanting to know how to talk to their spouse about feeling disappointed that this isn't happening in their sex life. We know that this might be a tense topic for some but our hosts do a fantastic job o...

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...

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...

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...

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. Ar...

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 a...

"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...

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 t...

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...

In today's episode, hosts Laurie and George are taking listeners to the islands! Islands of Security explores the places where secure attachment lives—those small but powerful moments where partners feel safe, seen, and able to find each especially during times of struggle. You'll walk away from this show with great ideas on how to develop more islands of security through intentional connection, i...

Welcome Brave Lovers! In today's episode, Laurie and George take a deep dive into low testosterone--how to spot it, the effects it can have on a relationship and how to treat it. Listen in to learn how to address this with your healthcare providers and manage it within your partnership. Get the step by step process on how to diagnose it and conversations to have with your love. Don't let low T be...

In today's episode we are joined by Meygan and Casey Caston, founders of Marriage 365. Marriage 365 is a comprehensive relationship program designed to give couples tools to improve their marriages immediately. Born out of the need to fix their own failing marriage, Meygan and Casey have been coaching couples for over a decade to move from disconnection and dissatisfaction to closeness and intimac...

Is the G-Spot real? Does every woman have one? Where is it? How to stimulate it? Join certified sex therapist Laurie Watson and psychologist Dr. Adam Mathews discuss the elusive G-Spot and how to discover it, and employ it in your sex life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can sex ever be “owed” in a relationship? On today's episode of Brave Love, Laurie and George explore how expectations sabotage intimacy - and how to communicate desire in a way that invites connection, not resistance. Includes a step-by-step role play you can try today. Join us on socials under our new name @BraveLoveGreatSex. Support this episode's sponsor (and support the pod!): WE-VIBE.COM and...

George wants men to have a method to improve their sexual game in 3 zones—pre-sex, during sex and post-sex in 4 different areas: heart, mind, body, and genitals. Twelve variables for guys who like stats to measure their self progress. George gets into specific numbers for the average Joe in each area and has a plan for what they can do if they don't like their own assessment. Learn more about your...

Welcome Brave Lovers! In today's episode, our hosts interviewed couples therapist and author of the upcoming book 'The Cost of Quiet', Colette Fehr. Colette shares her wisdom and years of experience with us on the true cost of conflict avoidance in a relationship. She defines avoidant behavior as actions that prevent connection from yourself or your partner. Colette bravely shares with us how the...

With the new year, the podcast gets a new name! Brave Love Great Sex! The same great content, the same great hosts! We're aligning the podcast with our new book that will be out in 2026 from Penguin Random House. Pre order it today. Check out this episode's sponsors (and help the pod!): RexMD.com/foreplay -- Discrete, convenient support for ED. Shipped directly to you. Use the link for up to 95% o...

We invite you into a thoughtful reflection about what is happening in YOUR sex life. Bring your spirit of curiosity and stay with us in the discovery mode as our “client” played by the brave volunteer - George - answers this first set of questions. Pull back the curtain and hear what Laurie thinks about his answers as a sex therapist. Think about these beginning questions, (not easy questions) lik...

In today's episode, we are focusing on tending to the 'Ghost of Christmas Present' so the 'Ghost of Christmas Future' can reap the relational benefits! Join our experts, Dr. Laurie and George Faller, hosts of the newly branded Brave Love, Great Sex podcast for this fun episode on resolution and renewal. Our hosts use an example of their role play couple, Joey and Maria to illustrate just what it l...

With the average Joe and average Jane so different in their approach to sex and the ways and timing of arousal, what can a couple do to close the arousal gap? Join sex therapist and author Dr. Laurie Watson and couples therapist George Faller as they talk about how to negotiate the differences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices