Marriage iQ

Episode 135 - The Physical Reasons Sexual Intimacy Can Be Hard

Many couples assume sexual intimacy struggles are caused by communication problems, stress, or a lack of attraction. But what if the real issue is physical? In this episode, Dr. Heidi and Dr. Scott Hastings sit down with pelvic floor specialist Kristen Damery to uncover the hidden physical factors that can impact desire, arousal, orgasm, pain during sex, confidence, and emotional connection in marriage. Kristen explains how pelvic floor dysfunction can affect intimacy at every stage of life—from newlyweds, postpartum mothers, and hormonal changes during menopause. If intimacy has become more difficult, frustrating, or confusing than it used to be, this conversation may reveal a hidden piece of the puzzle. 🔗Connect With Kristen Damery : mylavalube.com [https://mylavalube.com/] ✨ LAVALUBE Exclusive Offer for Marriage iQ listeners: Use code IQ20 for 20% off 👉Here are links to the previous episodes mentioned in today’s show. * Episode 7 - Why Men Want Sex and Women Need Love: Hormones & Connection [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zFBq0CVT4WREjWZAmOE9Y?si=pYqrnjFEQOugmOL25xZTYw] * Episode 68 - How to Stop Overreacting in Your Marriage [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6y9JAPr6Tyw5xgU49Bx0ju?si=6327b19472304592] * Episode 69 - How Meditation Improves Your Marriage (Backed by Science) [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6gqTeWCplfzgS5sYbJRlEH?si=o6SCGkHdRLyROaVmVrYjgw] SOCIAL MEDIA 📸Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🅵Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ▶️YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠]

Episode 134 - Why We Resent the People We Love Most

Why do we end up resenting the people we love most? Most resentment doesn’t begin with anger. It begins with hurt. Feeling unheard. Feeling unsupported. Feeling alone. Over time, those wounds can quietly grow into resentment, causing us to see our spouse not as a partner, but as an obstacle—or even an enemy. In this episode of Marriage iQ, Dr. Heidi and Dr. Scott Hastings explore how resentment develops, why it can feel so difficult to escape, and what it reveals about the unmet needs, expectations, and personal growth happening beneath the surface. You’ll discover: ✨ Why resentment is often a symptom, not the root problem ✨ How unresolved pain slowly erodes connection ✨The role expectations play in creating resentment ✨Why spouses can become scapegoats for deeper frustrations ✨Practical ways to interrupt resentment before it damages your relationship If you’ve ever felt distant, frustrated, misunderstood, or stuck in recurring conflict, this conversation will help you understand what’s really happening—and how to begin moving toward healing together. Subscribe to Marriage iQ for weekly insights to help you build stronger connection, deeper intimacy, and a more intentional marriage. 👉Here are links to the previous episodes mentioned in today’s show. * Episode 133 - The 3 Words That Stop Arguments [https://open.spotify.com/episode/628mZzD77BmewB71173YYW?si=_TVHcukbTBui_LtVmLlyww] * Episode 132 - The Marriage Advice We’d Give Ourselves 30 Years Ago [https://open.spotify.com/episode/75YaxUE5sgI93DzCG0pmgL?si=ca4a310f20134fcc] * Episode 122 - Turn Anger Into Power Without Damaging Your Marriage [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ZgaU7QD7cWSGrvZuB7Y5g?si=49bf8e8411644a9a] * Episode 68 - How to Stop Overreacting in Your Marriage [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6y9JAPr6Tyw5xgU49Bx0ju?si=GIDhOktOTeSskGrHFrjr2A] * Episode 69 - How Meditation Improves Your Marriage (Backed by Science) [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6gqTeWCplfzgS5sYbJRlEH?si=Ap8Fv8E4Q1qIRuAk9f12HQ] SOCIAL MEDIA 📸Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🅵Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ▶️YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠]

Episode 133 - The 3 Words That Stop Arguments

Have you ever had the same argument so many times that it feels almost watching reruns? In this episode of Marriage iQ, Drs. Heidi and Scott Hastings sit down with couples therapist and author Raffi Bilek to uncover the real reason so many couples stay stuck in the same painful communication patterns — and the simple shift that can change everything. We talk about:✨Why trying to “win” arguments backfires ✨The 3 words that instantly lower defensiveness ✨How healthy couples repair conflict ✨Why feeling understood matters more than being right ✨The difference between “exploration” and “resolution” conversations ✨How to stop repeating the same fights over and over If communication in your marriage has started feeling exhausting, tense, or repetitive, this episode will give you practical tools to reconnect, communicate, and repair in a healthier way. 🔗Connect With Raffi Bilek : www.thecommunicationbook.com [https://www.thecommunicationbook.com/] 📖 Grab your copy of Raffi Bilek's book right here : THE COUPLES COMMUNICATION HANDBOOK [https://a.co/d/czXaZLL] SOCIAL MEDIA 📸Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🅵Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ▶️YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠]

Episode 132 - The Marriage Advice We’d Give Ourselves 30 Years Ago

Dr. Heidi and Scott Hastings celebrate 30 years of marriage by sharing the biggest lessons they’ve learned along the way—the good, the hard, and the surprisingly fun. From laughter and intimacy to conflict, agency, and learning to turn toward each other instead of away, this episode is an honest conversation about what actually helps a marriage grow stronger over time. They open up about difficult seasons, major life transitions, parenting differences, rebuilding through stress, and the intentional choices that helped their relationship not just survive, but deepen. You’ll hear: ✨Why laughter matters more than most couples realize ✨How intimacy can reconnect a struggling relationship ✨Why your differences can become relationship superpowers ✨The importance of agency, support, and shared growth ✨How “turning toward” each other changes everything Whether you’ve been married 30 days or 30 years, this episode will encourage you to create a relationship that keeps getting better with time. SOCIAL MEDIA 📸Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🅵Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ▶️YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠]

Episode 131 - Sex, Faith, and Desire: With Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife

Why sex feels so confusing in marriage isn’t just about desire—it’s about identity, fear, and what’s happening beneath the surface. In this episode, Dr. Heidi Hastings sits down with renowned sex therapist Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife to unpack why intimacy can feel so complicated, especially for those navigating both faith and sexuality. Together, they explore how marriage and sex reveal deeper truths about who we are and how we relate to ourselves. You’ll learn why conflict, desire differences, and even frustration can be opportunities for growth. I f you’ve ever felt stuck or unsure in this area, this conversation will help you see it in a completely new way. 🔗Connect With Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife : finlayson-fife.com/ [https://www.finlayson-fife.com/] 👉Podcast : Conversations with Dr. Jennifer [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-with-dr-jennifer/id1479472319] SOCIAL MEDIA 📸Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🅵Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ▶️YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠]