Sex is where so many couples' abilities to communicate, be vulnerable, be expressive, and navigate each other's needs gets tested. Now, this can be a great thing—it can also be where things fall apart. This week, I sat down with Dr. Laurie Watson to get her insight on some of the bigger challenges men and couples face sexually: sexless marriages, expressing your desires effectively, and the straight-up differences in how men and women approach sex. This was a thoroughly enjoyable conversation, so if you're with a partner, I hope you listen together and maybe open up some dialogue! Laurie Watson, Ph.D., MA, LMFT, LCMHC, Director of Awakenings, certified sex therapist, certified EFT therapist, certified addictions specialist from IICS, has thirty years of experience working with couples and individuals about love and sex. Laurie says, “I’ve never seen a couple who I didn’t feel hope for about their healing and happiness.” Laurie is the host of the popular podcast, FOREPLAY RADIO, ranked in the top 10 on iTunes under Sexuality. Laurie authored her first book Wanting Sex Again—How to Rediscover Desire and Heal a Sexless Marriage in December 2012.  She’s a popular blogger, with over 15 million reads between her WebMD blog and Psychology Today Online. Laurie also lectures physician residents, PAs, and PTs at Duke’s and UNC Chapel Hill’s medical schools on sexual function and dysfunction.  She has been published or quoted in almost every nationally popular media resource including the New York Times, Buzzfeed, HuffPo, WebMD, Glamour, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan, etc. A popular media figure, she has appeared on the Katie Couric Show and  Vogue Weddings and is regularly on radio and television in Raleigh and Greensboro. Director/owner of Awakenings, Counseling for Couples and Sexuality, Laurie supervises 11 clinicians in both Raleigh and Greensboro.  Connect with Laurie -Website: https://lauriewatson.com/ -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurieWatson.CouplesTherapy/ -Podcast: Foreplay Radio: https://www.foreplayrst.com/ Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is kind of a two-partner. I wanted to talk a little more about the idea of "toxic masculinity" and what that term does in practice to men—and why it does those things. Secondly, I want to bring what I think is an incredibly misunderstood masculine trait. It's not necessarily any of the classical ones like "strength" or "rationality". It's also something that requires cultivation, nuance, and respect for the world. Listen in. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all know intellectually that more than genetics gets passed down. Behaviors, opinions, and traumas can get transferred too. How it manifests, though, can be very different for every individual. In this anonymous men's work session, my guest and I work with the weight of a parent's past trauma. For the parent, it was depression and rejection of her partner's affection, but for my guest, it's become something different. Listen in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let me preface this by defining what I mean by "archetype": a framework that works well for looking at certain patterns and traits. As far as I can tell, these three archetypes work together, and they're also three major archetypes men tend to fall for. Often unconsciously. What also happens is men can get stuck or fixated on one of them in a relationship, and this can lead to complications. This episode (sort of!) inspired by Jill Scott's I'm Not Afraid: https://youtu.be/yjDmpjuRUEc Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do clothes make the man? Well, yes and no. It's a little more complicated than that. This is a deep-dive into some of the nuances of masculine aesthetics. Sit down with Tanner Guzy and I as we discuss how the way you dress affects your self-perception and how men have used clothing throughout history. We also get into some practical places to start dressing better! Tanner Guzy is a men’s style coach, and the host and founder of Masculine-Style.com  He is also the author of The Appearance of Power, How Masculinity is Expressed Through Aesthetics, an analysis of the intersection of clothing, aesthetics, and masculinity, and how men throughout time and across the world have used their appearance to signal virtues like courage, strength, mastery, and honor. Connect with Tanner -Website: https://masculine-style.com/ -Twitter: https://twitter.com/tannerguzy -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tannerguzy/ -Book: The Appearance of Power: https://masculine-style.com/book-3/   Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I was chatting with a friend and he asked me: what am I going to teach my son about money? Big question. Because when I was kid, I wasn't taught very much, and the lessons I DID learn didn't work out too well. So after reflecting, here are four lessons I wish I'd learned a long time ago—one's I'll definitely be teaching my son. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, I'm featuring some of the incredible work, insight, and knowledge of relationship experts I've had on. This is a great episode if you're pressed for time, looking for a variety of answers, or just want a taste of what the ManTalks podcast has to offer. I hope you enjoy! Over the last decade, Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT has become one of today’s most trusted relationship teachers. Elizabeth is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Fellow of The American Association of Marriage & Family Therapy. She is the Head Therapist at Actually, where she is working to make relational wellness mainstream & accessible. Elizabeth is also the host of Hash it Out on Good Risings where she offers advice to everyday relational conundrums. She is frequently asked to talk about relationships with media outlets like Mind Body Green and The Huffington Post and has been featured on numerous podcasts.  Relationship expert and sought-after coach Jayson Gaddis is the founder of The Relationship School, an impact-based company dedicated to helping people work out their differences and have fulfilling long-term partnerships. Jayson is considered a world leader in love, conflict resolution, and interpersonal relationships. He’s the host of an extremely successful podcast with almost 3 million downloads (and over 250 episodes) and has interviewed the very best in the world including Dr. Dan Siegel, Dr. Gabor Mate, Dr. Stan Tatkin, Dr. John Demartini, The Gottmans, Pat Ogden, and Bessel VanDerKolk. Dr. Justin Lehmiller received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Purdue University. He is a Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute and author of the book Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help You Improve Your Sex Life. Dr. Lehmiller is an award-winning educator, having been honored three times with the Certificate of Teaching Excellence from Harvard University, where he taught for several years. He is also a prolific researcher and scholar who has published more than 50 academic works to date, including a textbook titled The Psychology of Human Sexuality (now in its second edition) that is used in college classrooms around the world. Sheleana Aiyana is the founder of Rising Woman, a growing community of more than 3 million readers. Her training and immersion in couples facilitation, inherited family trauma, family systems, conscious relationship, somatic healing, and plant medicines inform her holistic approach to seeing relationship as a spiritual path. She lives with her husband, Ben, on xʷənen̕əč, the unceded land of the Hul’q’umi’num’ and WSÁNEĆ peoples, now known as Salt Spring Island, BC. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just the mention of him is enough to set Reddit threads on fire, and it's understandable why. But I want to talk about what many of us are ignoring or distracted from: how a person like Tate gets attention—and why. Think whatever you want of him, but he's a symptom of some larger issues. Here is my reaction to a clip of his, and some thoughts on what those larger issues might be. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are moments in the podcast life that aren't just a highlight, they straight-up blow your mind. Wim Hof has been an inspiration for me and many friends and men I've worked with for years now. I finally got him on the show to talk about what led to him discovering cold immersion therapy and breathwork, what happens to the body and the nervous system during breathwork or when you're feeling fear, its effects on inflammation, and the ultimate purpose of men. Do. Not. Miss. This. Also, in honor of this episode, I partnered up with TheColdPlunge.com, whose work I love. I use mine daily and the simplicity is an absolute game changer. Use the promo code MANTALKS to save a good chunk of money and join me in the plunge! Connect with Wim -Website: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/ -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iceman_hof/ -Twitter: https://twitter.com/iceman_hof -YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxHTM1FYxeC4F7xDsBVltGg -BBC Series: Freeze the Fear: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bwtn6q   Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I got inspired by a question from a buddy of mine: what is one of the greatest lessons we as men need to learn in the context of relationships? It's not an easy thing to do by any stretch, but I think it's deeply important, deeply valuable, and it also saves you a ton of time and uncertainty. Obviously won't spoil it here! So listen in. Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices