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Why do some couples stop having sex? Is it possible to sustain a strong sexual connection over the long-term? And how can you experience more pleasure when life feels stressful and overwhelming? They’re tough questions, but today’s podcast guest, Emily Nagoski, has the answers.

Emily Nagoski is a sex educator and the author of the best-selling Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life (which is one of the best book titles ever, right?!). She has a PhD in Health Behavior with a minor in Human Sexuality, is the inaugural Director of Wellness Education at Smith College, and her mission in life is to teach women to live with confidence and joy inside their bodies.

This conversation is filled with cutting edge research, proven strategies, and plenty of lightbulb moments. Emily offers so much wisdom, but perhaps her greatest gift is giving us language to articulate deeply personal experiences that so many of us have experienced, yet that can often make us feel broken and alone. (Spoiler alert: you are NEITHER of those things!)

So if you want to create a better sex life for yourself, experience more profound pleasure than you ever thought possible, and feel true fulfilment within yourself, within your relationship and in the bedroom, then pop in those earbuds… this episode is for you.

In this episode we chat about: 

• Her story from teaching sex education to where she is today (06:09)
• The 2 data-backed strategies for a healthier and happier sex life (11:04)
• Two techniques that successful couples use to sustain their connection over the long term (14:25)
• Scheduling sex — Can it work? Should you try it? (18:34)
• Is there a path back from cheating and infidelity? (22:53)
• Gender roles and how they manifest in sex (26:39)
• What is the Human Giver Syndrome? (31:18)
• How to handle differences in desire with your partner (34:09)
• How to turn down sex without making your Significant Other feel rejected (37:43)
• What is arousal non-concordance, why is it so common, and why should we all be talking about it? (41:13)
• How to get both your head and your body in the moment, to transform your pleasure experience (47:31)
• The best way to talk about sex with your kids (and what NOT to do!) (51:46)

Episode resources: 

• Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski (Amazon)
• Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski (Amazon)
• The Truth About Unwanted Arousal TED Talk (YouTube)
• How Couples Can Sustain A Strong Sexual Connection For A Lifetime TED Talk (YouTube)
• Confidence And Joy Are The Keys To A Great Sex Life TED Talk (YouTube)
• The Feminist Survival Project 2020 Podcast (podcast)
• Down Girl by Kate Manne (Amazon)
• Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape by Peggy Orenstein (Amazon)
• What Makes a Baby by Cory Silverberg (Amazon)
• Wait, What? By Heather Corinna (Amazon)
• The Barefoot Princess by Christina Dodd (Amazon)

Thank you so much for listening to this episode. I’m so honored that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could take 2 minutes to leave me a 5-star review in iTunes or on your podcast app, that way we can inspire even more people together.

P.S. Please seek advice from a qualified holistic practitioner before starting any new health practice.

P.P.S. If you’re looking for a high-impact marketing opportunity for your business and are interested in becoming a sponsor for The Melissa Ambrosini Show podcast, please email pr@melissaambrosini.com for more information.