The Sex and Relationships Podcast

Friends - those people we collect through life, often taken for granted but can be so important to us. In this episode Clare and Aileen turn their attention to friendships. What are they, how do we make them, what do they bring and where they can go wrong. So, if you’ve ever felt guilty for neglecting a friendship, been baffled by a falling out or wondered why some friends bring out the best in yo...

Have you ever had that knot in your stomach when your partner is spending a lot of time with someone else, or that emotional reaction when a colleague gets promoted over you? Then it’s likely you’ve experienced this week’s topic: jealousy. In this episode Clare and Aileen discuss what jealousy is, where it comes from and tips on what you can do about it. They will give you a set of tools to help y...

How often have you said something quite ordinary to a parent, or they’ve said something to you and suddenly the room feels like it’s about to explode? Welcome to the parental nightmare. It’s not just about conflict, it’s about what’s hidden underneath these relationships – family secrets, unspoken stories, patterns of behaviour passed from one generation to the next. In this episode Clare and Aile...

Work can take up so much of our waking hours but how often do we look at our relationship with work. Are you a workaholic or just going through the motions? Does it inspire or drain you? What about the people we work with: colleagues, managers and those unrequited crushes or unwanted attentions? When it comes to work, things can get complicated. Clare and Aileen delve into the tangled world of wor...

Have you ever found yourself thinking, ‘What on earth was I doing? This person is all wrong for me’, when only a few months ago they seemed perfect? How did that feeling of bliss when you’re finishing each other’s sentences and laughing at the same jokes turn to irritation, resentment and blaming them for everything that’s wrong? Clare and Aileen help you understand the natural cycle from falling-...

Have you’ve ever felt transformed after a walk by the sea or in the woods? Have you’ve ever found yourself reaching for the biscuit tin when anxious rather than hungry, or noticed how your pet knows when you are feeling low? This podcast is for you. Clare and Aileen take you on a tour of some of those relationships we often don’t think about but matter deeply. From pets and nature to time, food an...

Your relationship with yourself might sound a bit odd. But it’s so important. How often have you sidelined or neglected yourself to focus on everyone else? When did you last think paying attention to yourself was selfish? Clare and Aileen share their top tips on how to bring your relationship back to you and reveal how investing in yourself can make a real difference not just to you but to those a...

Relationships – what are they? We often think of relationships as intimate with a partner and yet we actually have hundreds of relationships with friends, family, at work, at play even with nature and beyond. Clare and Aileen kick off the season by discussing the breadth of relationships. Check out some of the things Clare and Aileen chat about: 02:01 Hierarchy of friends 05:00 Relationships we do...

Holidays, thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays – those special, wonderful moments we dream of. But if you’ve ever walked away from a Christmas dinner or a family holiday wondering what on earth went wrong – this podcast is for you. Check out some of the things Clare and Aileen chat about in this episode: 02:10 Great expectations 07:36 What can possibly go wrong? 11:46 Pressure cooker effect 18:27 Ti...

Sex is everywhere, right? But what makes good sex ?! Clare and Janet kick off the season by discussing the fundamentals about sex… why do we do it and what is it for you? Dip into some of things Clare and Janet chat about in this episode: 04:11. What is sex for you and what is it’s purpose in your life? 06:44. Different ideas about sex. Bernie Zilbergeld: The New Male Sexuality 10:55. What is good...

When Porn or Hollywood are your sex educators, it can get confusing when things don’t work that way for us! Why is it that the things that are supposed to turn us on, sometimes turn us off? How come our desires can vary or be so different from our partner’s?   Dip into some of things Clare and Janet chat about in this episode: 05:12   Where are you on the arousal scale? 09:02&n...

What happens when one of you decides to go outside of the relationship for sex? The therapists discuss affairs, why non-monogamy happens and how to deal with a betrayal.   Dip into some of things Clare and Janet chat about in this episode: 03:37  What is an affair? Why do they happen? 09:30  It’s not just cheating husbands, a growing number of women are now having  affairs. 12:...

Why erectile dysfunction doesn’t have to be the catastrophe you might think it is. Clare and Janet discuss ways to help with erection problems.   Dip into some of things Clare and Janet chat about in this episode: 03:35  What might be causing erection problems?  08:34  So what help is at hand?  What’s on the market to help you get an erection.  Stress No More 12:...

Clare and Janet discuss orgasms - and what can help if it isn’t happening for you or your partner. Also the myths surrounding female orgasm. Do you really know what the clitoris looks like?!   Dip into some of things Clare and Janet chat about in this episode: 01:54  What is an organism? What are common misunderstandings? 06:09  Why orgasms add years to your life...

Clare and Janet explore the relationship issues that lead to arguments and how to do conflict better. Dip into some of things Clare and Janet chat about in this episode: 00:43  Shouting, crying, slamming doors, walking away, silence - common reactions to arguments but what’s really going on in conflict? What are you really fighting for? 13:30  So what to do about conflict in relatio...

If sex is another job on the ‘to do’ list, and you find you’re losing sexual attraction for your partner, it’s time to press the Reset button. Clare and Janet chat about why we ‘go off it’ and how we can get it back!   Dip into some of things Clare and Janet chat about in this episode: 5:03    How to prioritise your relationship and not take each other for granted. 06:24&n...

Is sex over too quickly? If premature ejaculation happens to you or your partner, it doesn’t have to be game over. Clare and Janet explore why men can orgasm too quickly and what can help. Dip into some of things Clare and Janet chat about in this episode: 02:05  Definitions of rapid ejaculation. 05:16   Some of the medical approaches to treating premature ejaculation...

If you always come last on the priority list, it’s time to learn why ‘Being Selfish for the Team’ helps everyone. Janet and Clare discuss the vital positives of self care on your life and relationship. Dip into some of things Clare and Janet chat about in this episode: 01:47  Why making time for ‘me’ is not selfish, it’s very important for your well-being, your relationship wit...

“I’m very aware there’s a lot of listeners out there who would never go and see a therapist. Not in a million years! And I think what Janet and I are doing in these chats is making the therapy room available to all of you.”   Join sex and relationship therapists Clare Prendergast (PgDip/COSRT) and Janet Eccles (MSc MA/COSRT/Sup MBACP) as they chat about why you might just...