Helpful Resources
These are my personal recommendations for reading materials, videos and more. From books about successful communication in a relationship to blogs about non-traditional sexual practices, you're sure to find something that is helpful to your specific situation.
Books on Relationships
The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman
This book explores the concept of love languages and how understanding your partner’s love language can enhance your relationship.
Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find – and Keep – Love by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller
It provides insights into attachment theory and how understanding your attachment style can improve your relationships.
Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Dr. Sue Johnson
Based on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), this book offers practical advice and exercises to deepen emotional bonds with your partner.
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert by John M. Gottman and Nan Silver
This book shares research-based principles and practical advice to strengthen marriage and long-term relationships.
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex by John Gray
A classic guide to understanding the differences between men and women and how these differences impact relationships.
Love and Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs by Emerson Eggerichs
Eggerichs explores the concept that love and respect are the primary needs for women and men, respectively, and offers practical advice for meeting these needs.
Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples by Harville Hendrix
This book provides exercises and advice to help couples understand and improve their relationships through the lens of Imago Relationship Therapy.
The Relationship Cure: A 5 Step Guide to Strengthening Your Marriage, Family, and Friendships by John M. Gottman
Gottman offers a practical guide to improving all types of relationships through effective communication and emotional connection.
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend
This book emphasizes the importance of setting healthy boundaries in relationships and provides practical advice on how to do so.
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown
Brown discusses the power of vulnerability and how embracing it can lead to stronger, more authentic connections in relationships.
Books Related to Intimacy
Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence by Esther Perel
This book explores the paradox between domesticity and sexual desire, offering insights and strategies to keep passion alive in long-term relationships.
Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski
Nagoski delves into the science of sexuality, providing practical advice and understanding to help women enhance their sexual well-being and intimacy.
The Erotic Mind: Unlocking the Inner Sources of Sexual Passion and Fulfillment by Jack Morin
This book explores the psychology of sexual desire and provides exercises to help individuals and couples deepen their erotic connection.
She Comes First: The Thinking Man’s Guide to Pleasuring a Woman by Ian Kerner
Kerner focuses on the importance of female pleasure and offers practical advice for men to enhance their partner’s sexual experience.
The Art of Sexual Ecstasy: The Path of Sacred Sexuality for Western Lovers by Margo Anand
Anand combines ancient Tantric practices with modern sexuality to guide couples in achieving deeper intimacy and ecstasy.
Passionate Marriage: Keeping Love and Intimacy Alive in Committed Relationships by David Schnarch
Schnarch offers techniques for enhancing emotional and sexual intimacy in committed relationships.
The New Monogamy: Redefining Your Relationship After Infidelity by Tammy Nelson
This book addresses the challenges of rebuilding intimacy after infidelity and offers strategies for creating a stronger, more honest relationship.
Getting the Sex You Want: Shed Your Inhibitions and Reach New Heights of Passion Together by Tammy Nelson
Nelson provides practical advice for couples to communicate openly about their sexual desires and improve their intimate connection.
Sex at Dawn: How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What It Means for Modern Relationships by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá
This book explores the evolutionary origins of human sexuality and challenges conventional views on monogamy and intimacy.
Books Related to Sex
The Joy of Sex: The Ultimate Revised Edition by Alex Comfort
This classic guide offers comprehensive advice on sexual techniques, positions, and enhancing pleasure in the bedroom.
The Sex Bible for Women: The Complete Guide to Being a Great Lover, and Getting the Orgasms You Want by Susan Crain Bakos
Bakos provides a thorough guide to female sexuality, including tips on enhancing pleasure and achieving orgasms.
The Guide to Getting It On! by Paul Joannides
This comprehensive guide covers a wide range of topics related to sex and sexuality, providing practical advice and answers to common questions.
The Multi-Orgasmic Couple: Sexual Secrets Every Couple Should Know by Mantak Chia and Douglas Abrams
This book introduces techniques for couples to achieve multiple orgasms and enhance their sexual connection.
Sexual Intelligence: What We Really Want from Sex and How to Get It by Marty Klein
Klein addresses common sexual issues and misconceptions, offering advice on how to achieve a fulfilling sex life.
The Big, Fun, Sexy Sex Book by Lisa Rinna and Ian Kerner
Rinna and Kerner provide a playful and informative guide to spicing up your sex life with new ideas and techniques.
Better Sex Through Mindfulness: How Women Can Cultivate Desire by Lori A. Brotto
Brotto combines mindfulness techniques with practical advice to help women enhance their sexual desire and overall satisfaction.
Books on Non-Traditional Relationships
Polyamory:
The Ethical Slut: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships & Other Adventures by Janet W. Hardy and Dossie Easton
This classic guide covers the practical and emotional aspects of navigating polyamorous and open relationships, emphasizing consent and communication.
More Than Two: A Practical Guide to Ethical Polyamory by Franklin Veaux and Eve Rickert
Veaux and Rickert offer a comprehensive guide to polyamory, providing insights, practical advice, and personal stories to help navigate multiple loving relationships.
Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships by Tristan Taormino
Taormino covers various forms of non-monogamous relationships, offering advice on communication, jealousy, and boundary-setting.
Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Consensual Nonmonogamy by Jessica Fern
This book explores the intersection of attachment theory and consensual non-monogamy, providing strategies for creating secure and healthy polyamorous relationships.
Polyamory and Jealousy: A More Than Two Essentials Guide by Eve Rickert
Rickert focuses on the often challenging emotion of jealousy in polyamorous relationships, offering practical strategies for managing and understanding it.
Swinger Relationships:
The Lifestyle: A Look at the Erotic Rites of Swingers by Terry Gould
Gould provides an in-depth exploration of the swinger lifestyle, including interviews and observations of couples who participate in swinging.
Swingland: Between the Sheets of the Secretive, Sometimes Messy, but Always Adventurous Swinging Lifestyle by Daniel Stern
Stern offers a candid and humorous account of his experiences in the swinging community, providing insights into the dynamics and etiquette of the lifestyle.
The Swinger’s Handbook: A Complete Guide to Creating the Swinging Lifestyle for You and Your Partner by Terry Gould
This practical guide covers the basics of swinging, including finding partners, setting boundaries, and maintaining healthy relationships.
Swinging Around the Clock: The Psychological, Emotional, and Relational Benefits of the Swinging Lifestyle by Felicia Rose
Rose explores the psychological and emotional aspects of swinging, discussing how it can enhance intimacy and connection in relationships.
Insatiable Wives: Women Who Stray and the Men Who Love Them by David J. Ley
Ley delves into the psychology and dynamics of hotwifing and the cuckold lifestyle, providing insights into these specific aspects of the swinging community.
Books on Communication
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall B. Rosenberg
This book introduces the principles of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), offering techniques for effective and compassionate communication.
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
This book provides tools for effective communication during high-stakes conversations, helping to resolve conflicts and build stronger relationships.
Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen
The authors provide strategies for navigating difficult conversations with empathy and clarity, improving understanding and connection.
Communicate Your Feelings Without Starting a Fight: The Ultimate Guide to Cultivating a Healthy Relationship and Happy Marriage by Effectively Dealing with Difficult Conversations by Antonio Borrello
This book offers practical advice on communicating feelings effectively and handling difficult conversations in a relationship.
Messages: The Communication Skills Book by Matthew McKay, Martha Davis, and Patrick Fanning
This comprehensive guide covers a wide range of communication skills, from assertiveness to conflict resolution, applicable to both personal and professional relationships.
We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations That Matter by Celeste Headlee
Headlee provides insights and practical tips for having meaningful and productive conversations in all areas of life.
Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication by Oren Jay Sofer
This book combines mindfulness and Nonviolent Communication (NVC) principles to help individuals communicate more effectively and compassionately.
The Art of Communicating by Thich Nhat Hanh
This book emphasizes the importance of mindful communication, offering practical advice on how to listen deeply and speak with clarity and compassion.
You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation by Deborah Tannen
Tannen explores the differences in communication styles between men and women, offering insights to bridge the communication gap in relationships.
I Hear You: The Surprisingly Simple Skill Behind Extraordinary Relationships by Michael S. Sorensen
Sorensen focuses on the skill of validation, providing practical advice on how to make others feel heard and understood in conversations.
How to Communicate Like a Buddhist by Cynthia Kane
This book offers a guide to mindful communication based on Buddhist principles, helping individuals speak and listen with greater awareness and compassion.
The Sex, Gender & Relationships Hotline
International Professional Surrogates Association (IPSA)
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom
SIECUS for comprehensive sex education resources
Sexual Health Includes Pleasure (SHIP)
Helping Survivors of Sexual Assault and Abuse
Swinger Lifestyle:
Relationship Podcasts
Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
Esteemed psychotherapist Esther Perel brings listeners into real-life couples counseling sessions, offering insights into the complexities of relationships.
The Relationship School Podcast with Jayson Gaddis
This podcast provides practical advice and strategies for navigating the challenges of intimate relationships, featuring interviews with experts in the field.
Dear Sugars
Hosted by Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond, this advice podcast addresses listeners’ relationship questions with empathy and wisdom.
Marriage Therapy Radio with Laura Heck and Zach Brittle
Marriage therapists Laura Heck and Zach Brittle discuss various aspects of relationships and provide practical advice for couples.
Love Life Connection with Veronica Grant
Veronica Grant offers advice and coaching on dating and relationships, focusing on self-love and personal growth.
Multiamory
This podcast explores polyamorous relationships and consensual non-monogamy, offering insights and advice for navigating these types of relationships.
The Love, Happiness, and Success Podcast with Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
Dr. Bobby, a psychologist and marriage counselor, discusses topics related to love, happiness, and personal growth in relationships.
The Couples Therapist Couch with Shane Birkel
This podcast is geared towards couples therapists but provides valuable insights and techniques that can benefit anyone interested in improving their relationship.
Relationship Alive! with Neil Sattin
Neil Sattin interviews experts in the field of relationships, offering practical advice and strategies for creating and maintaining healthy relationships.
The Smart Couple Podcast with Jayson Gaddis
Jayson Gaddis shares insights and interviews experts to help couples create fulfilling and lasting relationships.
The Tony Robbins Podcast
While not exclusively about relationships, Tony Robbins provides valuable advice on personal development, which can greatly impact relationships.
Savage Lovecast with Dan Savage
Dan Savage offers candid and often humorous advice on a wide range of relationship and sexual topics, answering listener questions.
Marriage Kids and Money with Andy Hill
This podcast focuses on the intersection of relationships and finances, providing advice for couples on managing money and building a strong financial foundation.
Love Letters with Meredith Goldstein
Boston Globe advice columnist Meredith Goldstein tackles listeners’ relationship dilemmas, offering thoughtful and compassionate advice.
Relationship Advice by Esther Perel
In addition to her other podcast, Esther Perel offers specific episodes focused on relationship advice, drawing from her extensive experience as a therapist.
Podcasts about Intimacy and Sex
Sex with Emily with Dr. Emily Morse
Dr. Emily Morse offers practical advice on all aspects of sex and intimacy, featuring expert interviews and listener questions.
The Sex Ed with Whitney Miller
Whitney Miller discusses various topics related to sexual health and intimacy, aiming to educate and empower listeners.
The Lovers’ Podcast
This podcast explores intimacy, love, and relationships with a focus on enhancing emotional and physical connections.
The Erotic Enlightenment Podcast with Dr. Shannon Chavez
Dr. Shannon Chavez provides insights into eroticism, sexual health, and intimacy, with practical advice and expert interviews.
Intimate Conversations with Intimacy Expert with Dr. Alexandra Solomon
Dr. Alexandra Solomon explores the complexities of intimacy and relationships, offering expert advice on creating deeper connections.
The Tantric Sexuality Podcast
This podcast explores the practices and principles of Tantra to enhance intimacy and connection in relationships.
Passion and Possibilities with Vanessa and Xander
Vanessa and Xander discuss topics related to enhancing intimacy and passion in relationships, offering practical tips and personal stories.
The Art of Intimacy
Focused on various aspects of intimacy, this podcast offers insights and advice on deepening connections with partners.
Mindful Sex with Dr. Liz
Dr. Liz offers guidance on incorporating mindfulness into sexual experiences and improving intimacy.
The Real Relationship Talk with Dr. Kira
Dr. Kira explores real-life intimacy challenges and provides actionable advice for enhancing emotional and physical connections.
Unlocking the Secrets of Intimacy
This podcast focuses on uncovering and addressing common intimacy issues, offering strategies for creating deeper connections.
Sex, Love, and Intimacy
This podcast delves into various aspects of sex and intimacy, providing listeners with practical advice and expert insights.
Callboy Confessions with Chris and Samantha
This podcast dives into the world of sex work, discussing experiences and providing insights into various aspects of sexual interactions.
The Savage Lovecast with Dan Savage
Dan Savage provides candid and often humorous advice on sex and relationships, answering listener questions and discussing various topics.
Good Girls Talk About Sex with Lacey Schwartz
Lacey Schwartz interviews women about their sex lives, exploring diverse experiences and perspectives on sexual pleasure and desire.
Sexual Intelligence with Dr. Marty Klein
Dr. Marty Klein discusses sexual health and behavior, offering insights and advice on enhancing sexual satisfaction and understanding.
The Truth About Sex with Dr. Jennifer P.
Dr. Jennifer P. explores myths and facts about sex, offering evidence-based information and practical advice for a fulfilling sex life.
The Sex and Relationship Therapy Podcast with Dr. Zhana
Dr. Zhana explores various aspects of sex and relationships, providing therapeutic insights and advice for improving intimacy and pleasure.
Unlocking the Erotic Mind with Jack Morin
Jack Morin discusses the psychology of sexual desire and pleasure, offering insights into unlocking and enhancing erotic experiences.
Love, Sex, and Magic
This podcast explores the intersections of love, sex, and personal growth, offering discussions and advice on cultivating a fulfilling sexual life.
Bedside Manners with Dr. Liz
Dr. Liz provides advice on improving sexual health and pleasure, focusing on practical tips and educational content.
The Happy Hour with Dr. Laura Berman
Dr. Laura Berman discusses sex, relationships, and intimacy, offering expert advice and answering listener questions.
The Orgasmic Life Podcast with Dr. Laurie Mintz
Dr. Laurie Mintz explores the science and psychology of orgasms, offering insights and tips for enhancing sexual pleasure.
Sex & Psychology with Dr. Lori Brotto
Dr. Lori Brotto discusses topics related to sexual health and psychology, providing research-based advice and insights for a better sex life.
Adult Sex Ed:
A Lifetime of Better Sex – The Sinclair Institute
The Better Sex Video Series, Volumes 1, 2 and 3 – The Sinclair Institute
How to Satisfy Your Man, Volumes 1 & 2 – The Alexander Institute
Ultimate Seduction Techniques, Volumes 1 & 2 – The Alexander Institute
The Art of Kama Sutra – The Alexander Institute
Sexy and Erotic Movies:
Coming Soon