{"podcast":{"title":"Sex For Couples with Heather Shannon","slug":"sex-for-couples-with-heather-shannon-5845078","podcast_index_feed_id":5845078,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/ask-a-sex-therapist-with-heather-shannon/","website_url":"https://heathershannon.co/podcast/","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/dcbb0239-9ee5-409e-8b0d-71903234ff7d/Sex-For-Couples-Podcast-Tile-2k-Square-Pixels.jpg","author":"Heather Shannon","episode_count":184,"summary":"Sex For Couples is a podcast for committed couples who feel stressed, guilty, or frustrated about their sex life—and want to feel excited, close, and playful again. New episodes are released every Monday. Hosted by Heather Shannon, an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist with 19 years of experience as a counselor and coach, the show breaks down the emotional and psychological reasons intimacy fades and what actually helps couples reconnect. Heather has been featured on BloomTV and quoted in Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, SELF, Glamour, and more. She is a Gottman-trained couples counselor, an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist and has spent 13 years as a practicing Buddhist. Through both solo and guest episodes, Sex For Couples offers approachable advice, open conversations, and helpful tools so couples can communicate better about sex, reduce shame and stigma, and enjoy rediscovering each other. This podcast isn’t about performance or perfection—it’s about helping couples stop overthinking sex and start having fun with it again. For more on Heather's work, visit HeatherShannnon.co. NOTE: This show was formerly called \"Ask A Sex Therapist with Heather Shannon\" and was renamed on Vale…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-13T10:20:21.504059+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sex-for-couples-with-heather-shannon-5845078"},"episode":{"title":"3 Ways Non-Monogamy Goes Wrong (And Why It Feels So Unsafe)","slug":"3-ways-non-monogamy-goes-wrong-and-why-it-feels-so-unsafe","published_at":"2026-04-27T05:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sex-for-couples-with-heather-shannon-5845078/3-ways-non-monogamy-goes-wrong-and-why-it-feels-so-unsafe","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sex-for-couples-with-heather-shannon-5845078","url":"https://heathershannon.co/podcast/","audio_url":"https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/episodes.captivate.fm/episode/36002391-9aa7-4597-a7eb-a5fb33ea3039.mp3","summary":"Thinking about opening your relationship—but already feeling tension, anxiety, or uncertainty? You’re not alone. For many couples, conversations about non-monogamy or open relationships quickly become overwhelming. One partner may feel excited and ready to explore, while the other feels hesitant, worried, or emotionally unsafe. In this episode, I break down why that happens—and how to approach non-monogamy in a way that actually supports your relationship instead of destabilizing it. Because the truth is: 👉 Non-monogamy isn’t the problem. 👉 The issue is how couples navigate it—especially when emotional safety isn’t fully established. 🔑 What You’ll Learn Why non-monogamy often feels unsafe early on (even when both people are open to it) The #1 mistake couples make: moving too fast —in conversations or actions How non-monogamy can quietly become one-sided (and lead to resentment) Why staying surface-level in communication creates more insecurity What it actually takes to build emotional safety in open relationships Why even doing everything “right” won’t make the process perfect—and what to expect instead ❤️ Who This Episode Is For This episode is especially helpful if: You’re just starting to discuss non-monogamy One of you is excited—and the other is unsure You’ve tried opening things up and it didn’t go well You want to explore ethically without damaging trust You’re navigating differences in sexual desire, curiosity, or identity 🧭 Free Resource Want help figuring out what non-monogamy could actually look like for you? Download my Quick Start Guide to Non-Monogamy Options —a practical overview of different relationship structures and ways to explore safely: 👉 https://heather-shannon.mykajabi.com/offers/ELDCt5tG 💬 Work With Me If you want support navigating this with y…","meta_description":"Thinking about opening your relationship—but already feeling tension, anxiety, or uncertainty? You’re not alone. For many couples, conversations about non…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1468,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/sex-for-couples-with-heather-shannon-5845078/episodes/3-ways-non-monogamy-goes-wrong-and-why-it-feels-so-unsafe/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sex-for-couples-with-heather-shannon-5845078/3-ways-non-monogamy-goes-wrong-and-why-it-feels-so-unsafe.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}