Have you ever received really bad marriage advice?  Today I have the privilege of interviewing Kendra Nielson, a fellow marriage coach and therapist. Together we address common pieces of marriage advice that often miss the mark, such as "Never go to bed angry," or "Always put your spouse first," and "Your spouse should be your best friend." And of course we reinterpret these peices of advice for healthier marriage relationships. Understanding this is crucial in order to have a healthy sexual relationship as well. We just wrapped up our in-person couples retreat last weekend, and it was incredible! Seventeen couples from all over the United States and Canada joined us for four days of deep learning and connection. It was a great experience and I look forward to doing it again next year. So be sure to get on our waiting list. I hope you can be there too and have this experience with your spouse.   Do you have a desire gap in your marriage? If you do, you're in good company. Just about every couple does. I'm going live on April 10th for a free webinar all about how to address the sexual desire gap in your marriage in a constructive, healthy way that makes your connection stronger instead of dividing you in your marriage.

I love helping couples through Get Your Marriage On to help them through challenges, to overcome issues in intimacy, and to walk away with feeling like they have a brand new lease on their marriage and realizing how much joy and fun that a good sexual relationship can bring. And one such couple is who I have on my podcast today: Jennifer and Jeff (names have been changed). They've been very generous and vulnerable to share their experience with their marriage journey with you. Some things to listen for: Oftentimes the challenges we face in marriage are because we don't want to look at the truth of something. We often try to manage people--sometimes it's through beating a person down or sometimes we feel like we're doing it out of love, but either way is self-serving. How to develop better emotional connection (even if you've been married a long time) I hope this episode inspires you to look a little bit deeper within your heart and to build a stronger emotional and intimate connection with your spouse. This is a special episode and I'm grateful you get to hear it.   News and Resources Free Live training on April 10th  March Madness Fun Intimately Us App Free Masterclass: How to Fix Mismatched Sex Drives in Your Marriage (Without Therapy or Pressure) - Get a jumpstart in overcoming desire obstacles Get Your Marriage On Program - The perfect solution for couples to get the education from the retreat but on your own timeline. Besides education, you get the benefit of one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and a community to support you in your journey.    Disclaimer: The opinions and values expressed by guests on the Get Your Marriage On! podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and values of the host. Appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of the guest or their products by Get Your Marriage On or its host. While we work hard to bring you quality and valuable content, listeners are encouraged to use their own best judgment in applying the information or products discussed on this podcast.

 Just about every couple deals with libido differences from time to time. It seems though, as couples approach middle age and begin to face the second half of their life, the differences in sexual desire, which may have been a back burner issue in the marriage up until that time, seem to become front and center. It's the elephant in the room that the couple can no longer ignore. I am absolutely passionate about what I wanna share with you in today's episode. This is very important work that I've witnessed transform hundreds of couples sex lives for the better. The sad truth is too many couples go through life with a subpar sex life. There's just too much poverty in the bedrooms and it's painful. Yet there are so many tools and resources available that if couples can just reach out and implement them and grab them. They can be so much better off than they are. Now I'm sharing a recording of a portion of a live training I did recently for today's episode. I'm doing another updated live training on April 10th on the same topic, and you're invited to join me live. Resources March Madness Episode with Keith and Lindsay Couples Retreat

Everyone struggles with feelings of self-worth and self-acceptance from time to time. Our bodies are sacred; as the Bible says, we're created in God's image. Yet the enemy of our souls does what he can to discredit and devalue our worth, often by casting shade about our own body image. Today you get to meet Hope Orr, a skilled boudoir photographer and owner of Elevated Boudoir, as we talk about her journey, experiences, and the profound impact boudoir photography has had on herself and her clients. I had the privilege of meeting Hope over six years ago through a business connection, and I'm so excited that you get to meet her today. Hope has a grace about her and you can tell she's a very caring individual.  In this episode, you'll hear Hope share her personal battle with body image and toxic perfectionism, and how a spontaneous boudoir session changed her perspective on herself. She discusses the transformative power of boudoir photography, the importance of trust, and shares three principles that can help anyone embrace a positive self-image. The heart of this episode is about the deep personal and emotional journey and broader impact of embracing one's true self.   News and Resources We're hiring! If you think you'd be a good fit for our brand as a brand ambassador and social media marketer, we've extended our deadline. Please check out the details and apply here! Last minute Couples Retreat spot can be yours for $500 off! We just had a last minute cancellation, and the generous couple has offered their deposit for another worthy couple to attend. Use code "payitforward" at checkout! Check out these testimonials on youtube!  Join the March Madness Fun! Intimately Us App Free Masterclass: How to Fix Mismatched Sex Drives in Your Marriage (Without Therapy or Pressure) - Get a jumpstart in overcoming desire obstacles Get Your Marriage On Program - The perfect solution for couples to get the education from the retreat but on your own timeline. Besides education, you get the benefit of one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and a community to support you in your journey.    Disclaimer: The opinions and values expressed by guests on the Get Your Marriage On! podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and values of the host. Appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of the guest or their products by Get Your Marriage On or its host. While we work hard to bring you quality and valuable content, listeners are encouraged to use their own best judgment in applying the information or products discussed on this podcast.

A recurring theme I've noticed in over 200 episodes of the Get Your Marriage On podcast is that those who are willing to push themselves a little outside their comfort zone experience the most joy and growth in their relationships. And this is also consistent with my own experience.  My guest today is Kaitlin Hawes. She's a mom and a wife with a great message. You'll get to hear about what inspired her to reconsider her level of enthusiasm for sexual connection in her marriage and what inspired her to try new things and how a willingness to be honest and vulnerable with her husband opened up new heights of life experiences for her.  You'll also quickly figure out that Kaitlin is quite creative in and out of the bedroom. This episode is on the spicier side; we're gonna do a deep dive as we listen to her tips on how to make oral sex great for both men and women, along with the other fun adventures to try as a couple. I hope this episode inspires you to get creative in your own way, in your bedroom (or out of your bedroom!).   News and Resources We're hiring! If you think you'd be a good fit for our brand as a brand ambassador and social media marketer, please check out the details and apply here! Last minute Couples Retreat spot can be yours for $500 off! We just had a last minute cancellation, and the generous couple has offered their deposit for another worthy couple to attend. Use code "payitforward" at checkout! Check out these testimonials on youtube!  Intimately Us App Free Masterclass: How to Fix Mismatched Sex Drives in Your Marriage (Without Therapy or Pressure) - Get a jumpstart in overcoming desire obstacles Get Your Marriage On Program - The perfect solution for couples to get the education from the retreat but on your own timeline. Besides education, you get the benefit of one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and a community to support you in your journey.    Disclaimer: The opinions and values expressed by guests on the Get Your Marriage On! podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and values of the host. Appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of the guest or their products by Get Your Marriage On or its host. While we work hard to bring you quality and valuable content, listeners are encouraged to use their own best judgment in applying the information or products discussed on this podcast.  

 If you were to pause and think about your very best sexual experiences that you've ever had, can you identify what made them so great?  For many years, academics studying human sexuality at universities were primarily interested in figuring out what goes wrong in the bedroom so they can fix it and get back up to baseline functioning.  But, the guest I interview in this episode took a very different approach: she didn't just want to study people who are experiencing sexual dysfunction, she wanted to study people with extraordinary sex lives and what they were doing right. Dr. Peggy Kleinplatz is a sex therapist and part of the faculty at the University of Ottawa. She's written several books (mostly textbooks for other sex therapists to read), but she wrote one book with Dr. Dana Menard for the rest of us called Magnificent Sex, sharing her breakthroughs and her research on how to acheive optimal sex. She is also the founder of OptimalSexualExperiences.com, a resource for group therapies all over. News & Resources We're hiring! If you think you'd be a good fit for our brand as a brand ambassador and social media marketer, please check out the details and apply here! Intimately Us App Free Masterclass: How to Fix Mismatched Sex Drives in Your Marriage (Without Therapy or Pressure) - Get a jumpstart in overcoming desire obstacles Get Your Marriage On Program - The perfect solution for couples to get the education from the retreat but on your own timeline. Besides education, you get the benefit of one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and a community to support you in your journey.  Guides and workshops - Inexpensive learning opportunities about specific topics to improve your marriage and sex life. Private Facebook group - Christian Couples Improving Sex and Intimacy Let us help you get results like these amazing couples in 2025!   Disclaimer: The opinions and values expressed by guests on the Get Your Marriage On! podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and values of the host. Appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of the guest or their products by Get Your Marriage On or its host. While we work hard to bring you quality and valuable content, listeners are encouraged to use their own best judgment in applying the information or products discussed on this podcast.

Do you ever feel like a failure at sex?  In this episode, I'll be breaking down why perfectionism is the enemy of good sex and how you can build a virtuous cycle of intimacy with small, consistent wins. I'll share real stories, practical strategies, and a fresh way to think about sex that takes the pressure off and brings the pleasure back. If you're ready to ditch the pass fail mentality in the bedroom and start experiencing deeper connection with your spouse, you won't want to miss this episode. Resources: Intimately Us app (free and paid versions) - a fun and easy way to increase novelty, get education, and increase communication and connection. Free Masterclass: How to Fix Mismatched Sex Drives in Your Marriage (Without Therapy or Pressure) - Get a jumpstart in overcoming desire obstacles Couples Retreat - An intensive, romantic, and life-changing weekend that will strengthen your marriage and sexual intimacy. Get Your Marriage On Program - The perfect solution for couples to get the education from the retreat but on your own timeline. Besides education, you get the benefit of one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and a community to support you in your journey. Small group cohorts within this program also offer intensive help and support. New men's and women's small groups are starting in January! Guides and workshops - Inexpensive learning opportunities about specific topics to improve your marriage and sex life. Private Facebook group - Christian Couples Improving Sex and Intimacy Let us help you get results like these amazing couples!

In this discussion, Denita Bremmer, a somatics expert focusing on the mind-body-spirit connection, shares insights into reducing stress to enhance intimacy. She explains how managing your autonomic nervous system can transform relationships. The conversation covers the impact of personal trauma on intimacy and the importance of body awareness in creating a safe emotional space. Denita provides practical grounding techniques and tips for reconnecting with your partner, emphasizing the vital role of presence in intimate moments.

Today's episode is about flirting and having fun by trying on a different persona on a date night. It's about using the power of role play to infuse fresh life into your marriage! It's like putting on a different outfit than the one you usually wear and being playful. And because this is get your marriage on, we'll add a sexy twist to it, of course! My guest is my friend, Katie Runyan. She's the founder of Faithful Fling, an online resource my wife and I use to get creative ideas for date night. You'll find Katie to be a very creative and fun person. I realize that the idea of sexy role-play isn't for everyone, just like not everyone is into all the fun that goes into picking out a Halloween costume, or being super romantic for Valentine's day, and that's okay. But I encourage you to listen and pick out the principles you find can apply to your marriage, to take your marriage to the next level! *** You can win 12 Free Dates from Faithful Fling by participating in the Sextimacy Challenge going on now on the Intimately Us app! Couples Retreat - An intensive, romantic, and life-changing weekend that will strengthen your marriage and sexual intimacy. Virtual Lovemaking Retreat - Easily accessible due to its virtual nature, this retreat on February 14th-15th is the perfect Valentines gift to you and your spouse!   Other episodes you might like:  190: Cultivating Healthy Eroticism in Long-term Marriages 171: Would You Rather …? Sexy Edition & Embracing Your Eroticism 217: Eroticism: What Does Your Sexuality Want?   Disclaimer: The opinions and values expressed by guests on the Get Your Marriage On! podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and values of the host. Appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of the guest or their products by Get Your Marriage On or its host. While we work hard to bring you quality and valuable content, listeners are encouraged to use their own best judgment in applying the information or products discussed on this podcast.

 Our childhood and families of origin have a profound impact on our worldviews, including our attitudes towards sex and intimacy. Not knowing anything different, for the most part, we tend to intuitively model what we've seen and absorbed from the culture we grew up in. My wife and I are blessed to come from wonderful families. We had good childhoods and felt the support and care of our parents, which I'm very grateful for. Yet, after we were married, we were anxious about sex, which we felt was quite taboo. And for a long time really plagued us in our marriage. The reality is sexual growth and understanding is actually developmental, meaning we grow from stage to stage line-by-line one step at a time If we choose the courageous path of growth, as we discussed in our episode last week. There are many in midlife that realized their past attitudes towards sex and intimacy are no longer serving them today. They might come to a crisis in their relationship or feel stretched in their marriage to grow and progress. I hope that this podcast, my apps, my programs, and my retreats help you wherever you are on your journey and help you learn truths and apply principles to aid you in your spiritual and sexual development. My guests today are Dr. Heidi Hastings and Dr. Scott Hastings. Heidi has her PhD in human development and family studies, and Scott is a medical doctor and physician. Talk about a power couple! They are also the hosts of the Marriage IQ podcast, and I've had the opportunity to get to know them personally over the last year.  And I am excited that you get to meet them here today, too! *** Couples Retreat - An intensive, romantic, and life-changing weekend that will strengthen your marriage and sexual intimacy. Virtual Lovemaking Retreat - Easily accessible due to its virtual nature, this retreat on February 14th-15th is the perfect Valentines gift to you and your spouse!   14-Day Sextimacy Challenge - Complete challenges in the Intimately Us app to earn points and a chance to win one of our amazing prizes. Starts February 1! All the details are in the app.   Disclaimer: The opinions and values expressed by guests on the Get Your Marriage On! podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and values of the host. Appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of the guest or their products by Get Your Marriage On or its host. While we work hard to bring you quality and valuable content, listeners are encouraged to use their own best judgment in applying the information or products discussed on this podcast.