Before welcoming renowned sexual medicine physician and women’s health advocate Dr. Rachel Rubin to Sex and the Psyche, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz explore why understanding our sexuality requires looking beyond what happens in the bedroom. They discuss the importance of a biopsychosocial approach to sexual wellness, recognizing how our biology, psychology, relationships, and social experiences all influence our ability to experience intimacy, arousal, desire, and pleasure.

Dr. Jenni shares why she values Rachel’s commitment to collaborative care between medical professionals and sex therapists, emphasizing that meaningful progress often happens when physical and psychological factors are addressed together. From hormones and perimenopause to anxiety, body image, attachment, and past experiences, the conversation highlights how interconnected these influences can be- and why patients deserve care that considers the whole person.

Daniel offers a compelling perspective on the relationship between fear and sexual functioning, drawing on his EMT training to explain how the body’s stress response can interfere with physiological processes, including erectile function. Together, he and Jenni explore how anxiety, fear of rejection, concerns about body image, or past violations can affect our ability to feel safe, connected, aroused, and present during intimacy.

The conversation also challenges listeners to become stronger advocates for their own sexual health. Knowing what questions to ask, seeking appropriate medical and therapeutic support, and continuing to advocate for answers that feel meaningful and individualized can open the door to a deeper understanding of our bodies and experiences.

This thoughtful prelude to the upcoming conversation with Dr. Rachel Rubin invites listeners to get curious about the connections between the physical and psychological dimensions of sexuality and to recognize that sexual wellness is far more complex, personal, and multidimensional than many of us have been taught.

Learn more about Dr. Jenni and Daniel

Dr. Jenni Substack

 

Before welcoming renowned sexual medicine physician and women&rsquo;s health advocate Dr. Rachel Rubin to Sex and the Psyche, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz explore why understanding our sexuality requires looking beyond what happens in the bedroom. They discuss the importance of a biopsychosocial approach to sexual wellness, recognizing how our biology, psychology, relationships, and social experiences all influence our ability to experience intimacy, arousal, desire, and pleasure.
Dr. Jenni shares why she values Rachel&rsquo;s commitment to collaborative care between medical professionals and sex therapists, emphasizing that meaningful progress often happens when physical and psychological factors are addressed together. From hormones and perimenopause to anxiety, body image, attachment, and past experiences, the conversation highlights how interconnected these influences can be- and why patients deserve care that considers the whole person.
Daniel offers a compelling perspective on the relationship between fear and sexual functioning, drawing on his EMT training to explain how the body&rsquo;s stress response can interfere with physiological processes, including erectile function. Together, he and Jenni explore how anxiety, fear of rejection, concerns about body image, or past violations can affect our ability to feel safe, connected, aroused, and present during intimacy.
The conversation also challenges listeners to become stronger advocates for their own sexual health. Knowing what questions to ask, seeking appropriate medical and therapeutic support, and continuing to advocate for answers that feel meaningful and individualized can open the door to a deeper understanding of our bodies and experiences.
This thoughtful prelude to the upcoming conversation with Dr. Rachel Rubin invites listeners to get curious about the connections between the physical and psychological dimensions of sexuality and to recognize that sexual wellness is far more complex, personal, and multidimensional than many of us have been taught.
<a href="https://www.intimacyinstitute.org/">Learn more about Dr. Jenni and Daniel</a>
<a href="https://drjenniskyler.substack.com/">Dr. Jenni Substack</a>
&nbsp;

Sex and the Psyche is hosted by clinical sex therapists, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz. Married with two children, Jenni and Daniel, take listeners behind the scenes on how they talk shop on a deeper level as they conceptualize the intersection of relationships, sex, and psychology. With over 16 years of helping couples and individuals enhance and optimize their sexual function, pleasure, and knowledge of human sexuality, Sex and the Psyche covers the issues that affect most everyone from desire discrepancy, erectile issues, painful sex, porn obsessions, premature and delayed ejaculation, and healing from affairs among many other topics. 

As a husband-wife team and co-directors of 'The Intimacy Institute for Sex and Relationship Therapy', Jenni and Daniel share their expertise from real life scenarios, bringing a unique angle to understanding relationships while offering listeners helpful communication skills through thoughtful and intelligent conversations designed to help connect the more complicated dots for manifesting a more satisfying and sustainable sex life. 

Links: 

drjenniskyler.substack.com

The Intimacy Institute Roadmap to Intimacy online courses

 

Sex and the Psyche is hosted by clinical sex therapists, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz. Married with two children, Jenni and Daniel, take listeners behind the scenes on how they talk shop on a deeper level as they conceptualize the intersection of relationships, sex, and psychology. With over 16 years of helping couples and individuals enhance and optimize their sexual function, pleasure, and knowledge of human sexuality, Sex and the Psyche covers the issues that affect most everyone from desire discrepancy, erectile issues, painful sex, porn obsessions, premature and delayed ejaculation, and healing from affairs among many other topics.&nbsp;
As a husband-wife team and co-directors of 'The Intimacy Institute for Sex and Relationship Therapy', Jenni and Daniel share their expertise from real life scenarios, bringing a unique angle to understanding relationships while offering listeners helpful communication skills through thoughtful and intelligent conversations designed to help connect the more complicated dots for manifesting a more satisfying and sustainable sex life.&nbsp;
Links:&nbsp;
<a href="https://drjenniskyler.substack.com/">drjenniskyler.substack.com</a>
<a href="https://www.intimacyinstitute.org/roadmap">The Intimacy Institute Roadmap to Intimacy online courses</a>
&nbsp;

Sex and the Psyche is hosted by clinical sex therapists, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz. Married with two children, Jenni and Daniel, take listeners behind the scenes on how they talk shop on a deeper level as they conceptualize the intersection of relationships, sex, and psychology.

Sex and the Psyche

Sex and the Psyche is hosted by clinical sex therapists, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz. Married with two children, Jenni and Daniel, take listeners behind the scenes on how they talk shop on a deeper level as they conceptualize the intersection of relationships, sex, and psychology. With over 16 years of helping couples and individuals enhance and optimize their sexual function, pleasure, and knowledge of human sexuality, Sex and the Psyche covers the issues that affect most everyone from desire discrepancy, erectile issues, painful sex, porn obsessions, premature and delayed ejaculation, and healing from affairs among many other topics. 

As a husband-wife team and co-directors of 'The Intimacy Institute for Sex and Relationship Therapy', Jenni and Daniel share their expertise from real life scenarios, bringing a unique angle to understanding relationships while offering listeners helpful communication skills through thoughtful and intelligent conversations designed to help connect the more complicated dots for manifesting a more satisfying and sustainable sex life. 

Learn more about Sex and the Psyche

 

Follow on YouTube Instagram and Facebook 

drjenniskyler.substack.com  

intimacyinstitute.org/roadmap

 

Sex and the Psyche is hosted by clinical sex therapists, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz. Married with two children, Jenni and Daniel, take listeners behind the scenes on how they talk shop on a deeper level as they conceptualize the intersection of relationships, sex, and psychology. With over 16 years of helping couples and individuals enhance and optimize their sexual function, pleasure, and knowledge of human sexuality, Sex and the Psyche covers the issues that affect most everyone from desire discrepancy, erectile issues, painful sex, porn obsessions, premature and delayed ejaculation, and healing from affairs among many other topics.&nbsp;
As a husband-wife team and co-directors of 'The Intimacy Institute for Sex and Relationship Therapy', Jenni and Daniel share their expertise from real life scenarios, bringing a unique angle to understanding relationships while offering listeners helpful communication skills through thoughtful and intelligent conversations designed to help connect the more complicated dots for manifesting a more satisfying and sustainable sex life.&nbsp;
<a href="https://linktr.ee/SexandthePsyche?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&lt;sid=4c4cb781-48d2-4305-84b9-e35953a0a426">Learn more about Sex and the Psyche</a>
&nbsp;
Follow on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3LsWuYtwsCiejgBN6Ab5Q">YouTube</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/drjenniskyler/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sexandthepsyche/?ref=PROFILE_EDIT_xav_ig_profile_page_web#">Facebook</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://drjenniskyler.substack.com/">drjenniskyler.substack.com&nbsp; </a>
<a href="https://www.intimacyinstitute.org/roadmap">intimacyinstitute.org/roadmap</a>
&nbsp;

Sex and the Psyche 

Before their conversation with Dr. Rachel Rubin, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz explore how biology, psychology, relationships, and social experiences shape our sexuality. From hormones and perimenopause to anxiety, fear, and intimacy, they discuss why sexual wellness requires a whole-person approach- and how asking the right questions and advocating for individualized care can help us better understand ourselves and our sexual health.

EP38: The Medical Celebrity We Cant Wait to Interview - Plus the Full Definition of Sexuality Nobody Ever Gives You

What does it take to build the sexual wellness brand that women actually deserve — and why has it taken this long?

In this episode, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz sit down with Ada Trujillo and Kim Aviv, co-founders of Mila- an intimate wellness brand that is doing something the category has never quite managed: making pleasure feel as intentional, beautiful, and culturally fluent as skincare.

Ada is a former professional basketball player turned CPG marketing powerhouse who has raised millions for major consumer brands. Kim is a finance and operations expert with deep startup experience. Neither came from the sexual wellness world. Both felt deeply underserved by it-and decided to fix it.

At the center of their product line is the Aura, a pending-patent pleasure device that layers four distinct functionalities to map the full arc of female arousal, not just the finish line. Warmth. Orbital massage. Vibration. Suction. Designed to be explored, not just used. Beautiful enough to live on your nightstand. Quiet enough that nobody walking in would know what it is.

But this conversation goes well beyond the product. Jenni and Daniel bring their combined 17 years of clinical practice to a conversation about why sensuality is a lost language, why lube is non-negotiable at every age, why men feel excluded from women’s pleasure and how a toy can change that, and why the lowest common denominator approach to self-pleasure is costing women a whole range of experiences they never knew were available to them.

Ada and Kim share what it is like to pitch sexual wellness to skeptical investors, and how a $1 million raise became $2.5 million. They talk about what is coming next, including a product for couples, and why they believe sexual wellness belongs on the same shelf as matcha and Pilates.

Check out Mila!

Mila Instagram

Mila TikTok

Mila Facebook

Learn more about Sex and the Psyche

Watch this episode on YouTube

Follow on Instagram and Facebook 

What does it take to build the sexual wellness brand that women actually deserve &mdash; and why has it taken this long?
In this episode, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz sit down with Ada Trujillo and Kim Aviv, co-founders of Mila- an intimate wellness brand that is doing something the category has never quite managed: making pleasure feel as intentional, beautiful, and culturally fluent as skincare.
Ada is a former professional basketball player turned CPG marketing powerhouse who has raised millions for major consumer brands. Kim is a finance and operations expert with deep startup experience. Neither came from the sexual wellness world. Both felt deeply underserved by it-and decided to fix it.
At the center of their product line is the Aura, a pending-patent pleasure device that layers four distinct functionalities to map the full arc of female arousal, not just the finish line. Warmth. Orbital massage. Vibration. Suction. Designed to be explored, not just used. Beautiful enough to live on your nightstand. Quiet enough that nobody walking in would know what it is.
But this conversation goes well beyond the product. Jenni and Daniel bring their combined 17 years of clinical practice to a conversation about why sensuality is a lost language, why lube is non-negotiable at every age, why men feel excluded from women&rsquo;s pleasure and how a toy can change that, and why the lowest common denominator approach to self-pleasure is costing women a whole range of experiences they never knew were available to them.
Ada and Kim share what it is like to pitch sexual wellness to skeptical investors, and how a $1 million raise became $2.5 million. They talk about what is coming next, including a product for couples, and why they believe sexual wellness belongs on the same shelf as matcha and Pilates.
<a href="https://heymila.co">Check out Mila!</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/heymila.co/">Mila Instagram</a>
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@heymila.co">Mila TikTok</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/heymila.co/">Mila Facebook</a>
<a href="https://linktr.ee/SexandthePsyche?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&lt;sid=4c4cb781-48d2-4305-84b9-e35953a0a426">Learn more about Sex and the Psyche</a>
Watch this episode on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3LsWuYtwsCiejgBN6Ab5Q">YouTube</a>
Follow on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drjenniskyler/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sexandthepsyche/?ref=PROFILE_EDIT_xav_ig_profile_page_web#">Facebook</a>&nbsp;

Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz sit down with Ada Trujillo and Kim Aviv, co-founders of Mila, to explore the future of female pleasure and sexual wellness. From reimagining intimate products and breaking down cultural taboos to embracing sensuality, communication, and lubrication at every age, they discuss why women deserve a more intentional approach to pleasure. Ada and Kim also share their entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of raising investment in sexual wellness, and their vision for making intimacy a more natural part of everyday life. 

EP37: Make Sexual Wellness as Mainstream as Matcha! Meet the Founders of Mila

What happens when a couple has spent years working through trauma, parenting, mismatched desire, rejection, and the complicated realities of long-term partnership- and finally reaches a place where intimacy can feel playful again?

In Part 2 of our conversation with Tarah and EJ, we go deeper into the intimate side of long-term relationships: eroticism, desire, sexual shame, emotional safety, and the patience it can take to rebuild connection. Tarah and EJ open up about their own journey through periods when sex became tense and even frightening, and how building emotional safety eventually created room for curiosity, playfulness, and a renewed sense of intimacy.

We talk about why eroticism isn't necessarily about fantasy or sexual novelty, but can begin with something much more fundamental: feeling safe enough to be fully yourself with your partner. We explore what happens when one partner carries sexual trauma while the other experiences a deep hunger for connection, and why patience, boundaries, vulnerability, and personal responsibility are essential when those needs collide.

The conversation also tackles rejection and how differently it can land on each side of a relationship. From pregnancy and changing desire to the painful “don't even touch me” moments, we explore how learning to communicate honestly can transform rejection from a source of tension into an opportunity for deeper understanding.

And then comes one of the most powerful revelations of the episode: sometimes you have to genuinely accept that a relationship might not work in order to freely choose to stay. Letting go of the fear of losing the relationship can remove the pressure, create space for honesty, and allow two people to choose each other from clarity rather than fear.

It's a candid conversation about the reality of long-term love, and a reminder that the work isn't a sign that something is wrong with a relationship. Sometimes, the work is the relationship.

 

Tarah and EJ Links: 

Website: https://relationshiprenovation.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/relationshiprenovationcounseling

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/relationship_renovation/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfb8I3evBi7aZcVnmvN_yPw

Learn more about Sex and the Psyche

Watch this episode on YouTube

Follow on Instagram and Facebook 

What happens when a couple has spent years working through trauma, parenting, mismatched desire, rejection, and the complicated realities of long-term partnership- and finally reaches a place where intimacy can feel playful again?
In Part 2 of our conversation with Tarah and EJ, we go deeper into the intimate side of long-term relationships: eroticism, desire, sexual shame, emotional safety, and the patience it can take to rebuild connection. Tarah and EJ open up about their own journey through periods when sex became tense and even frightening, and how building emotional safety eventually created room for curiosity, playfulness, and a renewed sense of intimacy.
We talk about why eroticism isn't necessarily about fantasy or sexual novelty, but can begin with something much more fundamental: feeling safe enough to be fully yourself with your partner. We explore what happens when one partner carries sexual trauma while the other experiences a deep hunger for connection, and why patience, boundaries, vulnerability, and personal responsibility are essential when those needs collide.
The conversation also tackles rejection and how differently it can land on each side of a relationship. From pregnancy and changing desire to the painful &ldquo;don't even touch me&rdquo; moments, we explore how learning to communicate honestly can transform rejection from a source of tension into an opportunity for deeper understanding.
And then comes one of the most powerful revelations of the episode: sometimes you have to genuinely accept that a relationship might not work in order to freely choose to stay. Letting go of the fear of losing the relationship can remove the pressure, create space for honesty, and allow two people to choose each other from clarity rather than fear.
It's a candid conversation about the reality of long-term love, and a reminder that the work isn't a sign that something is wrong with a relationship. Sometimes, the work is the relationship.
&nbsp;
Tarah and EJ Links:&nbsp;
Website: <a href="https://relationshiprenovation.com/">https://relationshiprenovation.com/</a>
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/relationshiprenovationcounseling">https://www.facebook.com/relationshiprenovationcounseling</a>
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/relationship_renovation/">https://www.instagram.com/relationship_renovation/</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfb8I3evBi7aZcVnmvN_yPw">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfb8I3evBi7aZcVnmvN_yPw</a>
<a href="https://linktr.ee/SexandthePsyche?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&lt;sid=4c4cb781-48d2-4305-84b9-e35953a0a426">Learn more about Sex and the Psyche</a>
Watch this episode on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3LsWuYtwsCiejgBN6Ab5Q">YouTube</a>
Follow on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drjenniskyler/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sexandthepsyche/?ref=PROFILE_EDIT_xav_ig_profile_page_web#">Facebook</a>&nbsp;

In Part 2 of our conversation with Tarah and EJ, we get real about long-term intimacy, eroticism, mismatched desire, sexual trauma, rejection, and the patience required to rebuild connection. Their deeply personal story reveals how emotional safety can create room for playfulness- and how accepting that a relationship might not work can paradoxically give couples the freedom to truly choose each other. A candid conversation about sex, vulnerability, healing, and the work of staying connected.

EP36: EJ and Tarah Part 2 - From Wanting To Run Away in the Minivan, to Having Sex in it! 

What happens when the person you love most is also the person who can trigger your deepest wounds?

In this episode of Sex and the Psyche, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz sit down with relationship coaches and married couple Tarah and EJ Kerwin for a refreshingly honest conversation about love, marriage, parenting, sex, and what it really takes to stay connected when life gets hard.

Tarah and EJ are therapists and relationship coaches who have built their careers helping couples reconnect, but their own marriage was tested in ways they never expected and found themselves overwhelmed by exhaustion, parenting, resentment, and a level of stress that challenged everything they thought they knew about relationships.

Their experience eventually led them to develop a deeper understanding of intimacy and the realization that sexual disconnection is often about much more than sex. They talk about emotional safety, mismatched desire, the impact of parenthood on sexuality, and why couples need to be able to talk about intimacy without turning sex into a weapon, obligation, or measure of love.

The conversation also explores one of the most powerful ideas in their work: our partners can become mirrors for the parts of ourselves we don't always want to see. Instead of asking, “Why is my partner doing this to me?” Tarah and EJ learned to ask, “What is this relationship bringing up in me?”

From attachment wounds and childhood experiences to anger, defensiveness, abandonment, and the need to feel safe, this episode gets real about the personal work that can transform a relationship.

It's a conversation about what happens when we stop trying to fix our partner and start becoming curious about ourselves, and how taking responsibility for our own patterns can actually create more freedom, intimacy, and choice within a relationship.

If you've ever wondered where the connection went, struggled with mismatched sexual desire, felt like parenting changed your marriage, or found yourself repeatedly triggered by the person you love most, this episode offers plenty to think about- and plenty of reasons to keep doing the work.

Because sometimes, the person who knows how to push your buttons is also the person who can help you discover what those buttons are connected to.

Tarah and EJ Links: 

Website: https://relationshiprenovation.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/relationshiprenovationcounseling

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/relationship_renovation/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfb8I3evBi7aZcVnmvN_yPw

Learn more about Sex and the Psyche

Watch this episode on YouTube

Follow on Instagram and Facebook 

What happens when the person you love most is also the person who can trigger your deepest wounds?
In this episode of Sex and the Psyche, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz sit down with relationship coaches and married couple Tarah and EJ Kerwin for a refreshingly honest conversation about love, marriage, parenting, sex, and what it really takes to stay connected when life gets hard.
Tarah and EJ are therapists and relationship coaches who have built their careers helping couples reconnect, but their own marriage was tested in ways they never expected and found themselves overwhelmed by exhaustion, parenting, resentment, and a level of stress that challenged everything they thought they knew about relationships.
Their experience eventually led them to develop a deeper understanding of intimacy and the realization that sexual disconnection is often about much more than sex. They talk about emotional safety, mismatched desire, the impact of parenthood on sexuality, and why couples need to be able to talk about intimacy without turning sex into a weapon, obligation, or measure of love.
The conversation also explores one of the most powerful ideas in their work: our partners can become mirrors for the parts of ourselves we don't always want to see. Instead of asking, &ldquo;Why is my partner doing this to me?&rdquo; Tarah and EJ learned to ask, &ldquo;What is this relationship bringing up in me?&rdquo;
From attachment wounds and childhood experiences to anger, defensiveness, abandonment, and the need to feel safe, this episode gets real about the personal work that can transform a relationship.
It's a conversation about what happens when we stop trying to fix our partner and start becoming curious about ourselves, and how taking responsibility for our own patterns can actually create more freedom, intimacy, and choice within a relationship.
If you've ever wondered where the connection went, struggled with mismatched sexual desire, felt like parenting changed your marriage, or found yourself repeatedly triggered by the person you love most, this episode offers plenty to think about- and plenty of reasons to keep doing the work.
Because sometimes, the person who knows how to push your buttons is also the person who can help you discover what those buttons are connected to.
Tarah and EJ Links:&nbsp;
Website: <a href="https://relationshiprenovation.com/">https://relationshiprenovation.com/</a>
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/relationshiprenovationcounseling">https://www.facebook.com/relationshiprenovationcounseling</a>
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/relationship_renovation/">https://www.instagram.com/relationship_renovation/</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfb8I3evBi7aZcVnmvN_yPw">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfb8I3evBi7aZcVnmvN_yPw</a>
<a href="https://linktr.ee/SexandthePsyche?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&lt;sid=4c4cb781-48d2-4305-84b9-e35953a0a426">Learn more about Sex and the Psyche</a>
Watch this episode on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3LsWuYtwsCiejgBN6Ab5Q">YouTube</a>
Follow on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drjenniskyler/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sexandthepsyche/?ref=PROFILE_EDIT_xav_ig_profile_page_web#">Facebook</a>&nbsp;

What happens when becoming parents changes everything, including your sex life? In this candid episode of Sex and the Psyche, Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz talk with relationship coaches and married couple Tarah and EJ Kerwin about the realities of marriage, parenting, emotional safety, and sexual intimacy. Tarah and EJ share the story of how having twins pushed their own relationship to the brink, and how navigating resentment, mismatched desire, and old attachment wounds ultimately transformed the way they understood relationships. Together, they explore why sexual disconnection is often about more than sex, how our partners can trigger unresolved parts of ourselves, and why learning to look inward may be one of the most important things we can do for our relationships. A raw, relatable conversation about love, intimacy, and learning to become a better partner- without expecting our partner to do all the work for us.

EP38: The Medical Celebrity We Cant Wait to Interview - Plus the Full Definition of Sexuality Nobody Ever Gives You

Sex and the Psyche

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