{"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":"Is Your Sex Life Being Ruined By Hormones? A Hormone Doctor Explains","slug":"is-your-sex-life-being-ruined-by-hormones-a-hormone-doctor-explains","published_at":"2026-02-16T05:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/sex-for-couples-with-heather-shannon-5845078/is-your-sex-life-being-ruined-by-hormones-a-hormone-doctor-explains","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/8a4bea78-260f-4a5e-9512-b613d87ac9c5.mp3","summary":"Perimenopause libido dropping after 40? If sex feels different—lower desire, more dryness, shorter fuse, less connection—your hormones (not your relationship) may be the missing piece. In this episode of Ask a Sex Therapist , Heather Shannon talks with board-certified OB-GYN + functional/integrative hormone expert Dr. Tara Scott about the most common hormone shifts that impact women’s sex drive across postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause—and why women’s desire is often more “Goldilocks” than linear (too little or too much estrogen can cause problems). You’ll learn how hormone testing can be interpreted when timing is right, why blood levels don’t always match what’s happening in your tissues, and how chronic stress can quietly deplete DHEA and testosterone (even in your 30s and 40s). Dr. Scott also breaks down practical, realistic ways to support hormone health—movement, food quality, sleep, stress tools, and reducing endocrine disruptors—without trying to overhaul your entire life overnight. If you’re dealing with low libido, vaginal dryness, painful sex, fatigue, sleep changes, or irritability, this conversation will help you understand what’s normal, what’s treatable, and how to advocate for better care. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Hormonal Health 01:22 Understanding Hormonal Shifts Throughout Life 03:41 Differences in Male and Female Libido 14:00 Personalizing Hormonal Treatment 28:46 The Impact of Lifestyle on Hormonal Balance Want to address the emotional and psychological factors blocking your sex life? Request a free consultation for coaching/therapy with Heather or a member of her team here: Booking A Consultation With The Right Person Learn more about our guest Dr. Tara Scott at: Website - https://drtarascott.com/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Tar…","meta_description":"Perimenopause libido dropping after 40? If sex feels different—lower desire, more dryness, shorter fuse, less connection—your hormones (not your relations…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2678,"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/is-your-sex-life-being-ruined-by-hormones-a-hormone-doctor-explains/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/is-your-sex-life-being-ruined-by-hormones-a-hormone-doctor-explains.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}