Sex in Modern Dating: AI, Intimacy, and the Future of Relationships with Marisa Cohen

Sex in Modern Dating: AI, Intimacy, and the Future of Relationships with Marisa Cohen

What happens when artificial intelligence becomes part of our emotional lives? In this episode of Sex in Modern Dating, I sit down with relationship scientist, therapist, and author Marisa T. Cohen to explore the growing role of AI in modern relationships. We discuss AI companions, virtual intimacy, therapy bots, emotional connection, loneliness, attachment, and whether technology can truly meet our human need for connection. Dr. Cohen also shares insights from her own experiences studying AI relationships and discusses the potential benefits, risks, and ethical questions surrounding AI's place in dating and romantic partnerships. Whether you're curious about AI companions, concerned about technology's impact on relationships, or fascinated by the future of love, this conversation offers a thoughtful and evidence-based look at one of the most talked-about topics in modern dating. In this episode, we discuss: 💛 AI companions and virtual relationships 💛 AI and emotional intimacy 💛 Therapy bots and mental health support 💛 Attachment and connection in the digital age 💛 Benefits and drawbacks of AI relationships 💛 What the future of dating may look like 🌐 Website: www.marisatcohen.com [https://www.marisatcohen.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 📸 Instagram: @marisatcohen [https://www.instagram.com/marisatcohen/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Dr. Cohen is a relationship scientist, marriage and family therapist, educator, TEDx speaker, and author of the book From First Kiss to Forever. She specializes in relationship science, dating, intimacy, and helping people build healthier connections. Connect with Dr. Marisa Cohen

Episode 8: Sex in Modern Dating: The Trauma We Don't Talk About in Dating

During this episode, I’m opening up about trauma, consent, survival responses, and the lasting impact sexual trauma can have on the nervous system, intimacy, self-worth, and relationships. I’ll be sharing parts of my own lived experience with sexual abuse within a relationship, while also talking about the ways trauma can shape emotional safety, attachment, boundaries, and the way we experience connection long after the experience itself has ended. We’ll also discuss common misconceptions surrounding sexual abuse, relationship-based trauma, freeze and fawn responses, shame, self-blame, and why healing is about so much more than simply “moving on.” My hope for this conversation is to create understanding, reduce shame, and remind survivors that their responses were never weakness — they were survival. Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions surrounding sexual trauma, abuse, coercion, consent, and sensitive emotional content. Please listen with care and prioritize your well-being while engaging with this episode. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence or relationship abuse, support is available. * RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 1-800-656-HOPE or rainn.org * Love Is Respect: Call 1-866-331-9474 or text LOVEIS to 22522 You deserve support, safety, and healing. If this episode resonates with you, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help these conversations reach others who may need them. Follow along on Instagram & TikTok: @sohappytogetherpodcast

Episode 7: Therapy for Love Series: Closing the Gap

You understand your patterns. You can name your triggers. You know what you should be doing differently… So why does nothing actually change? In this final episode of the Therapy for Love Series, we’re talking about the gap between awareness and action—and why insight alone isn’t enough to shift the way you show up in your relationships. Because healing isn’t just about knowing better. It’s about choosing differently in the moments that matter. In this episode, we break down: * Why awareness without action keeps you stuck * How insight-based, body-based, and skills-based therapies work together * What it actually looks like to pause instead of react * How to start responding differently—even when it feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar * Why real change happens through practice, not perfection If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing the work but not seeing change, this episode will help you understand why—and what to do next. This is about closing the gap between what you know and how you show up. 🎧 So Happy Together Podcast is where we unmask modern dating and relationships—through honest conversations, clinical insight, and real-life application. If this episode resonated with you, follow the podcast on Spotify and share it with someone who’s ready to start showing up differently in their relationships. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy.

Episode 6: Therapy for Love Series: Healing Relationship Patterns Through Somatic Therapy with Expert and LMFT, Chloe Bean

What if your dating patterns aren’t just “bad habits”… but body-based responses shaped by your past? In this episode of So Happy Together, I’m joined by Chloe Bean—licensed marriage and family therapist and somatic therapy expert—to explore how your nervous system quietly shapes the way you show up in love. We’re diving into what somatic therapy actually is, how trauma and past relationship experiences live in the body, and why so many people mistake emotional activation for chemistry. If you’ve ever found yourself pulled toward inconsistency, feeling anxious in dating, or unsure how to trust “safe” connections—this conversation will connect the dots. Together, we unpack: * How your body responds to perceived safety vs. threat in dating * Why anxiety can feel like attraction * What people-pleasing looks like in the nervous system * How to tell the difference between true incompatibility and a triggered nervous system response * What a regulated, secure relationship actually feels like in your body * Practical ways to start reconnecting with yourself and building safety from within This episode is for anyone who’s tired of repeating the same patterns and ready to understand their relationships on a deeper, more embodied level. Because healing in love isn’t just about what you think— it’s about what your body has learned to expect. 🎧 Listen now and start showing up differently in your relationships. Follow So Happy Together on Spotify and connect with us on Instagram & TikTok @sohappytogetherpodcast for more therapy-informed insights on dating, attachment, and healing. And be sure to follow Chloe Bean on Instagram @chloebeantherapy for more somatic-based tools and insights on healing your nervous system and relationships.

Episode 5: Your Relationship Isn't the Problem: You Are (And That's the Good News)

What if the problem isn’t just who you’re dating… but how you’re showing up in relationships? In this episode, we’re starting a brand new series: Therapy for Love — where we break down how different types of therapy can actually transform the way you love, communicate, and connect. Because therapy isn’t just about talking about your past — it’s about changing the patterns that keep showing up in your relationships. In this episode, we explore three core approaches to therapy: * Insight-based therapy — understanding why you do what you do * Body-based therapy — learning how your nervous system holds onto relationship experiences * Skills-based therapy — building real tools for communication, boundaries, and emotional regulation If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “Why do I keep ending up in the same kind of relationship?” or “Why do I react this way even when I know better?” This episode is for you. We’re breaking down how therapy helps you: * Recognize your patterns without shame * Regulate your emotions in real-time * Build healthier, more secure relationships This is where awareness turns into change. And in the next episode, I’ll be joined by a special guest who specializes in trauma and somatic therapy — so make sure you’re following along. Follow “So Happy Together Podcast” on Spotify so you don’t miss what’s coming next, and connect with me on Instagram & TikTok @sohappytogetherpodcast for more relationship insights. Because you deserve a love that feels safe, secure, and aligned — and it starts with you.