Conversations on Sex, Addiction, and Relationships

Meditation isn’t about clearing your mind. It’s about changing your relationship to it. Conversations Hosts, Wendy Conquest and Tim Stein, explore how meditation can strengthen recovery for addicts and support grounding for partners. They unpack the myth of “emptying the mind,” the power of sitting with discomfort, and how building mental resilience helps interrupt addictive cycles and emotional r...

Conversations host Dan Drake and Wendy Conquest explore with Jeanne Vattuone and Tim Stein on their new workbook 'Finding the Way Through'. It is a comprehensive, 15+ year-in-the-making resource for sex and pornography addiction recovery. What sets this workbook apart is its integration of rigorous sobriety work with a consistent focus on partner sensitivity, challenging the traditional “stay on y...

In this new episode, Conversations hosts, Jeanne Vattuone, Tim Stein, Wendy Conquest, and Dan Drake talk with guest, Dr. Stevie Cotet, about empathy and why it matters so deeply in sex addiction recovery and relationship healing. Dr. Stevie explains empathy as both an internal process and an external response, and discusses common barriers like shame, dysregulation, and skill deficits. The convers...

In this latest episode on Conversations on Sex Addiction and Relationships, the team dives into a tough but essential question: Why do addicts lie and are they even aware they’re doing it?   Tim Stein, Dan Drake, and Wendy Conquest, unpack how lying often starts as an early survival strategy rooted in trauma, where being fully authentic didn’t feel safe. Over time, this evolves into patterns of de...

What counts as an emotional affair? In this episode of Conversations on Sex Addiction and Relationships, Wendy Conquest, Tim Stein, Jeanne Vattuone, and Dan Drake unpack emotional affairs. How they begin, and why they can be deeply painful even without physical cheating. The conversation will look at how emotional affairs can blur lines through texting, personal disclosure, and unmet emotional nee...

What does it really mean to be a sex addict? In this episode of Conversations on Sex Addiction and Relationships, hosts Tim Stein, Jeanne Vattuone, and Wendy Conquest unpack the confusion around sexual compulsivity, pornography use, betrayal trauma, and intimacy issues. They explore how to tell the difference between normal sexual behavior and addiction, what red flags to look for, and how shame,...

When someone is caught in the cycle of sex addiction, it can appear that their only value is acting out in the addiction itself. But beneath the surface lies something much deeper. In this episode on Conversations on Sex Addiction and Relationships, Tim Stein, Wendy Conquest, and Dan Drake unpack what values really mean in sex addiction recovery. They explore the disconnect between what addicts sa...

In this mailbag episode 'The High-Functioning Addicts' on Conversations Podcast, Wendy Conquest, Tim Stein, and Dan Drake tackle a listener’s question about “high-functioning” sex addicts. These are people who appear to have everything under control yet still find themselves in patterns of secrecy, betrayal, and shame. What happens when addiction wears the disguise of success? The Conversations Po...

Conversations Podcast hosts - Wendy Conquest, Dan Drake, and Tim Stein sit down to name the everyday dynamics that quietly erode even committed relationships. They move beyond sex addiction to look at what harms connection in “ordinary” couples: assumptions and misattunement, the numbing presence of smartphones, the difference between healthy anger and aggression, dishonesty and lack of authentici...

Betrayal shatters your world. Can you find a way to be brave and heal? Join Jeanne Vattuone, Wendy Conquest and Dan Drake as they speak with this week's Podcast Guest, Tammy Gustafson, on Conversations. Tammy unveils her 6-year journey writing Broken to Brave, sharing her four phases of healing after intimate betrayal. From dysregulated nervous systems to demystifying the path forward, this episod...

When does simply noticing someone cross into objectifying them? In this thought-provoking conversation, Wendy Conquest, Jeanne Vattuone, and Dan Drake unpack the difference between normal human noticing and objectification — a key theme in recovery and relationships. They explore questions like: - Can someone in recovery notice someone’s attractiveness without crossing a boundary? - How can betray...

Technology has transformed nearly every part of modern life from how we work and communicate to how we seek comfort, connection, and even therapy. But as it continues to simplify daily tasks and free up time, a deeper question emerges: what do we choose to do with that time? In today’s episode, we explore the double-edged nature of technology, its potential to connect us, and its power to isolate...

Is secrecy a core part of pornography addiction — or just one possible sign of a deeper struggle? In today’s episode, we explore the complex intersection between porn use, shame, secrecy, and addiction. They unpack what “problematic use” really means, why some people hide their behavior while others don’t, and how early experiences and family culture can shape an individual’s understanding of sexu...

What happens when men are the ones betrayed by sex addiction? In today's episode, author and therapist Adam Nisenson joins the Dan Drake, Wendy Conquest, Tim Stein and Jeanne Vattoune to unpack a topic rarely discussed — male betrayal trauma. Through his book A Man’s Guide to Partner Betrayal, Adam gives voice to men who’ve been silenced, shamed, or overlooked in conversations about infidelity and...

When betrayal strikes, it’s not just pain, it’s the kind of anger you’ve never felt before. In this episode, the panel talks about how to feel and express anger without going into rage. You’ll hear honest stories and professional insight on: - Why anger feels powerful in the moment but hollow afterward - How men often feel their anger isn’t validated - Healthy ways to express and release rage with...

Is betrayal trauma really different for men and women? Most men do not come into therapy later rather than sooner. Men feel isolated for most of the betrayal trauma experience. Women usually over-function during the BT experience especially earlier in the journey. Join the conversation: Do you think men are given the same emotional space to heal as women? Drop your thoughts below. Subscribe for mo...

Sex addiction takes its toll on the addict and the partner. Listen in for physical symptoms to know about. Subscribe for more powerful discussions on healing, relationships, and emotional recovery. Join our community for new uploads every week. #EmotionalHealing #Relationships #TherapyTalk #Anger #RecoveryJourney #MentalHealthAwareness #AddictiontoSex #BetrayalTrauma #Cheating

Anger after betrayal can feel overwhelming, confusing, and even “out of character.” In this episode of Conversations on Sex, Addiction, and Relationships, Dr. Crystal Hollenbeck joins Dan Drake, Jeanne Vattoune, Tim Stein and Wendy Conquest to break down the reality of betrayal trauma anger, why it shows up, how it unfolds over time, and what tools can help process it. Whether someone is facing in...

When betrayal is discovered, anger can feel overwhelming. In this episode of Conversations on Sex, Addiction, and Relationships, we sit down with Dr. Crystal Hollenbeck to explore how betrayal trauma anger shows up both immediately and over time. Dr. Hollenbeck explains why betrayed partners often experience anger in waves as more consequences and realizations surface, not only at discovery, but m...

In this upcoming episode of Conversations on Sex Addiction and Relationships, the team explores how betrayal trauma extends beyond sexual infidelity with Dr. Crystal Hollenbeck. While sexual betrayal is often the most visible form of hurt, many partners experience deep wounds from emotional betrayal, financial secrecy, or broken trust from friends, family, and community members. Crystal shares ins...

In this episode of Conversations on Sex Addiction and Relationships: Partner Wants to Have Sex and Sex Addict Doesn't We explore the painful dynamics of betrayal trauma, intimacy anorexia, avoidance, childhood wounds, entitlement, and fear that often lie at the heart of these behaviors. 👉 Whether you are navigating betrayal, supporting someone in recovery, or simply curious about intimacy dynamic...

In this episode, we explore the complex impact of sex addiction on relationships, focusing on the grief, loss, and emotional struggles faced by betrayed partners. Unlike addictions to substances like alcohol or drugs, sexual betrayal carries unique challenges, affecting both the addict and their partner on deeply personal levels. We discuss: Understanding the addict’s unconscious drives and needs...

In this episode, we dive into a listener question about a sex addict who withholds intimacy while engaging sexually with others. Many partners struggle with betrayal, confusion, and grief when their spouse avoids connection at home but seeks it elsewhere. We explore the concept of intimacy anorexia, why addicts withdraw sexually, and what it might mean for the future of a marriage. Our discussion...

In this episode, the Conversations team explore why some individuals seek emotional or physical validation outside their intimate relationships. Often, it’s not about sex but about fear, trauma, or unmet emotional needs in the primary relationship. They discuss how past experiences, including childhood trauma and early relationship patterns, can create unconscious behaviors that affect trust and i...

What happens when a betrayed partner feels invalidated, not only by the one who hurt them, but also by a professional who should be offering support? In this conversation, experts discuss how the way a question is worded can shift the entire meaning, and how outdated therapeutic approaches may unintentionally cause harm. The discussion also highlights the painful reality for betrayed partners who...