A lot of people struggle with sexual initiation. In fact, this is one of the most common topics that readers and listeners ask me about! So why is sexual initiation so hard, and what can we do to make it easier? Let’s talk about it!

For today’s show, I am joined once again by Vanessa Marin, a licensed psychotherapist specializing in sex therapy, as well as Xander Marin, a self-described “regular dude” who left a cushy career in tech once he realized it was more fun to talk about sex with his wife all day. They co-host the “Pillow Talks” podcast and co-authored the new book, Sex Talks: Five Conversations That Will Transform Your Love Life.

Some of the topics we discuss include:

Why does initiating sex feel so hard for people?
What should you do (and what should you avoid) when it comes to sexual initiation?
What are the six different sexual initiation styles?
How can individuals navigate sex when they have different initiation styles?
How do you say “no” to a partner’s initiation attempt without hurting their feelings?
What are some things you can do to encourage your partner to initiate sex more?

Make sure to check out Vanessa and Xander’s website, and visit their Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok to learn more. And be sure to get a copy of Sex Talks!

Thank you to our sponsors!

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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.

Episode 171: How to Initiate Sex

Sex and Psychology Podcast

Episode 171: How to Initiate Sex