Myisha Battle, a certified sex and dating coach and author of "This Is Supposed to Be Fun," shares her insights on love and relationships. She dives into five ways to enhance intimacy in partnerships while debunking the myth of finding 'the one.' Myisha discusses the often-confused dynamics of sex and intimacy, advocating for open communication and understanding between partners. She also addresses the orgasm gap and offers mindfulness tips for navigating modern dating, emphasizing genuine connections over societal pressures.
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insights INSIGHT
You Complete Me Model Problems
The "you complete me" model assumes individuals are incomplete without romantic partners, placing undue pressure on finding "the one".
This model devalues other relationships and overburdens romantic partners by making them solely responsible for fulfilling all needs.
insights INSIGHT
Evolution of Marriage
Societal structures that once supported marriage have changed, leading to increased expectations on partners.
Modern relationships demand partners fulfill a wider range of needs, increasing pressure and potential strain.
insights INSIGHT
Bromance and Emotional Dependency
Societal norms discourage men from expressing romantic, non-sexual feelings towards other men, limiting their connections.
This often leads to women being overburdened in relationships as the primary source of emotional support for their male partners.
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This Is Supposed to Be Fun is a uniquely inclusive guide that helps readers navigate modern dating by focusing on communication, authenticity, and personal fulfillment. Drawing from diverse client stories, Myisha Battle offers practical advice on creating meaningful connections and enjoying the dating process. The book emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and respecting individual differences in relationships.
Big Friendship
How We Keep Each Other Close
Ann Friedman
Aminatou Sow
Station Eleven
Emily St John Mandel
Sea of Tranquility
Emily St John Mandel
Mating in Captivity
Unlocking Erotic Intelligence
Esther Perel
In this book, Esther Perel explores the paradoxical union of domesticity and sexual desire, arguing that our cultural penchant for equality, togetherness, and absolute candor can be antithetical to erotic desire. Drawing on more than twenty years of experience as a couples therapist, Perel uses case studies and lively discussions to demonstrate how more exciting, playful, and poetic sex is possible in long-term relationships. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining independence, mystery, and the space between self and other to sustain desire.
Intimate terrorism
The Crisis of Love in an Age of Disillusion
Michael Vincent Miller
This book examines the problems of intimacy in contemporary Western culture, arguing that cultural myths about love are often arrested in adolescence. It delves into how traditional romantic love can lead to disillusionment and power struggles within relationships. Miller suggests that American individualism and unrealistic sexual values contribute to these issues and offers insights on how to address these problems through a more nuanced understanding of love and relationships[2][3][4].
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This episode is part one of our four-part series where we’re counter-programming against the way Valentine’s Day is often celebrated, and examining different kinds of relationships including romantic, friendship, and family.
Today’s guest hews a bit more closely to the traditional Valentine’s Day theme and will do some myth-busting around all the things we tend to get wrong when we talk about romantic relationships.
Myisha Battle is the author of the book, “This Is Supposed to Be Fun: How To Find Joy in Hooking Up, Settling Down, and Everything in Between.” She also hosts the podcasts Down for Whatever, and Dating White. Much of her public work focuses on the early stages of relationships, but in her private practice, she counsels people at all stages, and in all kinds of relationships.
Content Warning: Explicit language and conversations about sex.
In this episode we talk about:
Five ways to improve intimacy and connection in romantic partnership
The nuts and bolts of sex, and how we often get intimacy and sex confused in unhelpful ways
Understanding men’s and women’s cycles to depersonalize issues in sex and relationships
The myth of finding “the one”
The orgasm gap
Bromance
And if you’re looking, tips on how to make finding a partner easier
10% Happier with Dan Harris 
