SEX! It can be such a tricky topic. Whether you’re trying to teach your child what sex is or you’re having an altogether different type of conversation with your partner about what your needs in the bedroom are - these are important conversations that should happen regularly and require curiosity and honesty. 

Adrienne Alden is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has worked for years with couples in relational distress. Her hope for therapy is to help clients see their part in troublesome relational patterns and to discover a new way of engaging.  She uses a collective approach with clients, combining attachment and psychodynamic theory and mindfulness.

Adrienne is experienced in working with communication struggles, high conflict couples, mismatched libidos, pelvic and genital pain disorders, premature ejaculation, delayed or difficulty with orgasm, erectile dysfunction, trauma recovery, life transitions, affair recovery, eating disorders, parenting adolescence, family of origin exploration, religious and spiritual exploration, gender role exploration, cultural influence, sexual orientation questioning.

In part 1 of our conversation with Adrienne we explored some of the common issues found in long-term partnerships and touched on various communication strategies couples can implement to strengthen their relationship. Today we dive into those dreaded sex talks - both with our children, and with our partner. They are two very different types of conversation, but both equally important. Today’s episode is packed with great information that you won’t want to miss.

Our discussion today included:

• Making our talks with children about sex a normal part of the conversation and not taboo

• The importance of using anatomically correct language with our kids from the beginning

• How to follow your child’s lead in difficult conversations

• Adrienne’s favorite resources for having positive talks about sex with our children

• Being curious about mismatched libidos in a relationship

• Difference between spontaneous desire and contextual desire

• Top questions to explore with your partner for mismatched libidos and overall sexual health

• How to reintroduce intimacy in a relationship if it’s been a while

In this Episode:

Sex Positive Families Organization

Amaze.org

Amaze Junior

Adrienne’s Sensuality Yes/No/Maybe List

Adrienne’s Suggested Sex Books:

Come as you are by Emily Nagowski - sexual health primarily for people who identify as female 

Buddhas Bedroom by Cheryl Fraser- A great book for couples to read together

Shameless by Nadia Boltz Weber- Sexual Religious Trauma recovery by a pastor 

Magnificent Sex Lessons from Extraordinary Lovers by Peggy Kleinplatz

Your Brain on Sex by Stanley Siegel 

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk- trauma recovery ( does describe some sexual abuse so be careful with this one)

Thank you to our sponsor:

Doulas of Raleigh - https://www.doulasofraleigh.com/