What If Sex Wasn’t About Orgasm? With Ariel Szabo

Menopause, Hormones, and Intimacy: What Men Need to Understand

What happens to intimacy when hormones, sleep, stress, and a woman’s nervous system all begin to change during peri-menopause and menopause? In this episode of Sex Worth Having, Clare explores one of the most misunderstood topics in long-term relationships: how hormonal changes in midlife affect desire, arousal, orgasm, emotional connection, and a woman’s ability to relax into intimacy. You’ll learn: * the difference between perimenopause and menopause * why stress and cortisol directly affect desire * how changing estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels impact the body * why responsive desire becomes even more important during midlife * how menopause affects sleep, anxiety, vaginal tissue, orgasm, and nervous system regulation * why many women feel dismissed by the medical system * and how couples can adapt their intimacy instead of turning against each other This episode is not about blaming or “fixing” your partner. It’s about understanding what may really be happening in her body… so you can approach this chapter with more compassion, teamwork, and connection. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! Here are the treatments by MD's who specialize in Menopause; * Listed Resource and Links: Dr. Lauren Streicher: https://substack.com/@DrStreicher [https://substack.com/@DrStreicher] * Dr. Kelly Casperson: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-are-not-broken/id1495710329 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-are-not-broken/id1495710329] * Dr. Mary Claire Haver: https://drmaryclairehaver.substack.com/ [https://drmaryclairehaver.substack.com/] * Dr. Rachel Rubin: https://drmaryclairehaver.substack.com/ [https://drmaryclairehaver.substack.com/] * Dr. Amy Killen: https://dramybkillen.substack.com/ [https://dramybkillen.substack.com/] * Dr. Sarah Szal: https://saraszalmd.substack.com/ [https://saraszalmd.substack.com/] * The Menopause Society: https://menopause.org/ [https://menopause.org/] * Book a Desire Diagnostic Call with Clare: https://www.sexworthhaving.com/pl/2148759033 [https://www.sexworthhaving.com/pl/2148759033]

What If Sex Wasn’t About Orgasm? With Ariel Szabo

Why does sex sometimes leave you feeling empty instead of fulfilled? In this episode of Sex Worth Having, Clare Sente sits down with somatic sex educator and sexological bodyworker Ariel Szabo [https://www.sacredmoonflower.com/begin] to explore why so many men feel disconnected after sex – and why it should not be about orgasm alone. Learn the difference between disembodied and embodied pleasure, why performance-focused sex leaves many couples unsatisfied, and how shifting your attention from outcome to connection can completely change your experience of intimacy. This conversation opens the door to a more conscious, connected way of relating to your desire, your body, and your partner – one that leads to deeper satisfaction. Ariel Szabo's website: https://www.sacredmoonflower.com/begin Ariel Szabo's Substack: https://theeroticfrontier.substack.com/ Sex Worth Having website: https://www.sexworthhaving.com/ [https://www.sexworthhaving.com/] Book Free 30-minute Desire Diagnostic Call with Clare: https://www.sexworthhaving.com/desire-diagnostic-call [https://www.sexworthhaving.com/desire-diagnostic-call] Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share!

Developing Dominance: How Erotic Leadership Can Transform Intimacy with Brandon the Dom

What if dominance wasn’t about control—but about leadership, trust, and creating deeper connection? In this episode of Sex Worth Having, Clare sits down with sex and relationship coach Brandon the Dom to explore how power dynamics, when grounded in consent and care, can bring new energy, polarity, and excitement into long-term relationships. You’ll learn: * the difference between dominance and domineering * why many men suppress their desire to lead * how “setting the container” helps a partner feel safe enough to let go * why aftercare is one of the most important parts of intimacy * and how exploring new dynamics can help couples break out of predictable sexual patterns This conversation is not about performance or becoming someone you’re not. It’s about learning how presence, communication, and erotic leadership can create more aliveness, trust, and connection in the bedroom and beyond. Brandon’s Website: https://www.brandonthedom.com/ [https://www.brandonthedom.com/] Developing Dominance Online Class: https://www.brandonthedom.com/developing-dominance [https://www.brandonthedom.com/developing-dominance] Brandon’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BrandonTheDom [https://www.youtube.com/@BrandonTheDom] Sex Worth Having website: https://www.sexworthhaving.com/ [https://www.sexworthhaving.com/] Book Free 30-minute Desire Diagnostic Call: https://www.sexworthhaving.com/desire-diagnostic-call [https://www.sexworthhaving.com/desire-diagnostic-call] Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share!

How To Stay Connected When Illness Enters Your Relationship

When illness enters your relationship, intimacy often gets pushed aside—but it may be the very thing that helps you both get through it. In this episode, Clare explores how fear, stress, and uncertainty affect connection, and why intimacy becomes even more important during challenging times. You’ll learn how to stay close without pressure, redefine intimacy beyond sex, and create meaningful moments of connection that help your partner feel loved, seen, and supported. Visit website: https://www.sexworthhaving.com/ [https://www.sexworthhaving.com/] Book Free 30-minute Desire Diagnostic Call: https://www.sexworthhaving.com/desire-diagnostic-call [https://www.sexworthhaving.com/desire-diagnostic-call] Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share!

The Power Of Slow: Transforming Sex, Intimacy, And Connection

Do you think you’re going slow enough in the bedroom? What feels slow to you is often still too fast for your partner’s body to fully register and feel. Many of us live at a constant “60 miles an hour,” stuck in a stressed, distracted state that blocks the kind of deep, connected intimacy long-term relationships need. It’s time to discover the power of slowing down. This shift begins when someone chooses to lead—and that someone is you. Slowing down isn’t just about movement; it’s about pacing and presence. It creates space for your partner to move from guarded and tense to open and responsive. Slow isn’t boring—slow is sexy. It allows sensation to build, deepens connection, and creates more meaningful intimacy. Learn the essential mindset shifts and simple practices—like hand-on-heart breathing and Qigong [https://flowingzen.substack.com/p/a-quick-qigong-reset-for-stress-and]—that give you the capacity to slow down, attune to your partner, and become the confident, intuitive lover they dream about. Visit website: https://www.sexworthhaving.com/ [https://www.sexworthhaving.com/] Book Free 30-minute Desire Diagnostic Call: https://www.sexworthhaving.com/desire-diagnostic-call [https://www.sexworthhaving.com/desire-diagnostic-call] Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share!