Say Yes to Pleasure: How to Talk About Sex and Rekindle Intimacy in Midlife | Vanessa Marin

About this sermon

With over two decades of experience, Vanessa Marin—licensed psychotherapist, sex educator, and bestselling co-author of Sex Talks—is here to break the shame cycle around sex and help couples reconnect emotionally, physically, and intimately. Whether your relationship is in a rut, your spark feels dim, or you're simply looking to deepen your connection, Vanessa brings practical advice, humor, and warmth to this essential midlife conversation. From exploring the myths around female pleasure to redefining what intimacy really looks like, Vanessa invites us all to say yes—to communication, to connection, and yes... to pleasure. In this episode, we explore: • Why do we carry shame around sex • The myth of the female orgasm • Why Vanessa says, “Start having sex like a man” • The best things for your sex life that have nothing to do with getting naked • The difference between spontaneous and responsive desire • How mental load affects desire in midlife partnerships Thought-provoking quotes from Vanessa Marin: “There should be joy with this act. There should be connection and intimacy.” “This is literally what I am here on this earth for.” “We've internalized plenty of crap ourselves—we’re all trying to keep the spark alive.” “Movies and porn are not sex ed—they're entertainment.” “Mental load makes it hard to make space for intimacy and desire.” Don’t miss this conversation if you want to: • Improve communication around sex • Rekindle connection with your partner • Shift shame into confidence • Understand how desire actually works in midlife Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Sex Talks: The Five Conversations That Will Transform Your Love Life by Vanessa Marin and Xander Marin - https://amzn.to/43VSwnS The Sex Talks Card Deck and Guidebook: 90 Prompts to Deepen Connection and Spark Intimacy - https://amzn.to/3Hys1xa Vanessa and Xander’s Deeper Monthly Membership - https://buy.vmtherapy.com/deeper Guest’s Links: Website - https://vmtherapy.com/about Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vanessaandxander/ Twitter - https://x.com/VMTherapy Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vanessaandxander/ Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/vanessamarin TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@vanessaandxander Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/vanessaandxander/_created/ Podcast - https://vmtherapy.com/podcast/ Connect with Jen! Jen’s Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/ Jen’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmaker Jen’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/ Jen’s Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmaker Jen’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy.