EPISODE 215: Mismatched Sex Drive Types: The #1 Reason Couples Struggle With Desire
Does it ever feel like you and your partner are just never on the same page when it comes to sex?
One of you wants it more often. One of you needs things to be just right. One of you initiates. One of you never does. It can feel frustrating, confusing, and even a little bit lonely.
But there’s a good chance the issue isn’t actually about how much you want sex… it’s about how you want sex.
In today’s episode, we’re breaking down one of the most important tools we’ve ever shared: the two sex drive types.
If you’ve ever felt like your desire is broken—or that your partner just doesn’t “get” you—this conversation is about to change everything.
💛 Here’s what we’re covering:
The real difference between mental desire and physical arousal
What it means to be a Spontaneous vs. Responsive type
Why you’re not low desire… you just need a different kind of start
How to navigate mismatched sex drives without resentment
Why your type has nothing to do with gender (but the stats may surprise you)
How to initiate sex in a way that works for both of you
You’ll also hear a game-changing mindset shift that can help you stop taking it personally—and start working with your differences instead of against them.
Links & Resources
✨ Join us inside Deeper to access the brand new Sensual Touch Challenge and finally understand what turns you (and your partner) on → https://vmtherapy.com/touch
✨ What’s your sex drive type?→ https://free.vmtherapy.com/sex-drive-type
🎧 Stay connected:
📸 Follow us on Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/vanessaandxander
💌 Get our weekly email — with behind-the-scenes stories, expert tips, and so many sex puns. Sign up here 👉🏻 vmtherapy.com/subscribe
🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to Pillow Talks wherever you listen to pods!
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EPISODE 214: The Truth About Being Touch-Starved (Even In A Happy Relationship)
This week, we’re diving into something that seems simple but holds a lot of power in your relationship: touch.
Whether it's a lingering hug, a soft shoulder squeeze, or just holding hands while watching Netflix — physical touch is one of the most important (and underrated) ways to build connection, intimacy, and trust.
But if you’ve found yourselves touching less — or if touch feels off somehow — you’re not alone. We asked our audience, and:
47% said they want more touch
37% said they want better touch
In this episode, we’re breaking down why touch is so essential — and why so many couples stop doing it. (Spoiler: it's not just about sex.) Plus, we’re giving you practical tools and one super simple free exercise (takes 5 minutes) to start reconnecting through touch today.
💛 Here’s what we’re covering:
The emotional and physical benefits of touch (for both of you)
Why “touch starvation” is real — even in long-term relationships
The surprising ways you may be unintentionally avoiding touch
The difference between sexual and non-sexual touch — and why both matter
What to do if your partner says “touch just isn’t my love language”
Quick, everyday ways to bring more affection into your relationship (no grand gestures required)
✨ Ready to explore all the ways to touch?
We created The Secret Touch Blueprint to help you and your partner reflect on what kinds of touch feel best to you — and how to talk about it together.
Grab it here → https://free.vmtherapy.com/touch-blueprint
And if doing that exercise leaves you thinking, “Wait… I want more of this,” you’ll love what’s coming next.
This July, we’re launching a 4-week Sensual Touch Challenge exclusively inside our Deeper membership.
It’ll walk you through 8 specific types of touch — from relaxing to arousing — with fun prompts, step-by-step videos, and guided exercises to try with your partner.
It’s designed to bring back the playfulness, the exploration, and the kind of touch that makes you feel again.
💥 Pillow Talks listeners get 25% off their first month of Deeper with code PILLOW → https://vmtherapy.com/touch
Links & resources:
👋🏻 The Secret Touch Blueprint →https://free.vmtherapy.com/touch-blueprint
💥 Join the Sensual Touch Challenge (starting July 7 inside Deeper) → https://vmtherapy.com/touch
Stay connected:
📸 Follow us on Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/vanessaandxander
💌 Get our weekly email — with behind-the-scenes stories, expert tips, and so many sex puns.
Sign up here 👉🏻 vmtherapy.com/subscribe
🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to Pillow Talks wherever you listen to pods!
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EPISODE 213: What Do Men REALLY Think About…? Part 3 (Doggy Style, Aging, Leg Hair & More!)
Have you ever wanted a peek inside a man’s brain? 🧠
We’re back with Part 3 of one of our most talked-about episode series — answering all the burning, bizarre, and brutally honest questions you’ve always wanted to ask men.
This week, we’re diving into what men really think about everything from doggy style to aging to the internet daddy of the moment, Pedro Pascal.
🎙️ Here’s what we’re getting into:
What are men actually looking at during doggy style?
What do they think when they see a woman who’s prettier than their partner?
Is it true they can literally… think about nothing?
How do they feel about things like…
Women aging, messy buns, leg hair, and more
How do they stay so chill about daily life stuff (kid schedules, groceries, appointments)?
What really keeps them engaged in a relationship?
This one is honest, funny, and surprisingly vulnerable. And of course, Xander’s not holding back.
🔗 Links & Resources:
🎧 What Do Men REALLY Think About…? Part 1 ➡️ https://vmtherapy.com/episode56
🎧 What Do Men REALLY Think About…? Part 2 ➡️ https://vmtherapy.com/episode69
❤️ Ready to go deeper?
Your questions deserve more than just a quick answer. Inside our monthly membership Deeper, we help you actually take the next step — with expert-designed tools, guided content, live sessions with us, and unlimited access to Vanessa AI (your 24/7 virtual sex and relationship coach).
🎉 Podcast listeners get 25% off your first month! Use the code PILLOW at checkout right here 👉🏻 https://vmtherapy.com/deeper
🎧 Stay connected:
📸 Follow us on Instagram ➡️ **https://instagram.com/vanessaandxander**
💌 Get our weekly email — with behind-the-scenes stories, expert tips, and so many sex puns.
Sign up here 👉🏻 vmtherapy.com/subscribe
🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to Pillow Talks wherever you listen to pods!
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1:06:13
EPISODE 212: Why You Flinch When Your Partner Touches You (And How To Fix It) "The Bristle Reaction”
Have you heard of The Bristle Reaction? It’s a term Vanessa coined—and when we posted about it on TikTok, over 8 million people watched. (You can watch that here 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@vanessaandxander/video/7206335375453867306?lang=en)
The Bristle Reaction is that moment when your partner reaches out for a hug or a kiss… and your body instinctively recoils. Even when you love your partner deeply, their touch can sometimes create a sense of tension or irritation—and it’s more common than you think.
We asked our Instagram audience, and a whopping 84% said they’ve experienced this reaction. But the question we keep hearing is: “How do we fix it?”
In this episode, we break down:
The 3 biggest reasons The Bristle Reaction happens
6 actionable ways to start enjoying your partner’s touch again
Why this topic hits so close to home for so many couples
If physical affection has started to feel complicated or triggering, this episode will give you clarity, tools, and hope.
🔗 Links & Resources:
📘 Sex Talks: The Five Conversations That Will Transform Your Love Life
📝 Initiation 101 Guide ➡️ https://buy.vmtherapy.com/art-of-initiation?ref=podcast-212&utm_term=podcast-212
❤️ Ready to go deeper?
Your questions deserve more than just a quick answer. Inside our monthly membership Deeper, we help you actually take the next step — with expert-designed tools, guided content, live sessions with us, and unlimited access to Vanessa AI (your 24/7 virtual sex and relationship coach).
🎉 Podcast listeners get 25% off your first month! Use the code PILLOW at checkout right here 👉🏻 https://vmtherapy.com/deeper
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1:17:40
EPISODE 211: Ask A Sex Therapist: Penis Pumps, Pegging, + Postpartum Sex
Ask a sex therapist is back!
Have you ever Googled something about sex and then immediately deleted your search history? 🥵
In this week’s episode, Vanessa (a sex therapist with 20+ years of experience) and Xander (her ever-curious, regular dude husband) answer your most personal, pressing, wait-am-I-the-only-one? questions about sex, intimacy, and everything in between.
Here’s what we’re diving into:
Is it weird if my partner and I don’t kiss during sex? (Pretty Woman, anyone?)
What exactly is pegging?
Is it normal for other things to be “better than sex”?
Can using a penis pump have consequences?
Should you get a vasectomy? (Xander’s in the club!)
Postpartum sex — what are men really thinking?
Can responsive/spontaneous desire be taught? Like can you switch your type?
❤️ Ready to go deeper?
Your questions deserve more than just a quick answer. Inside our monthly membership Deeper, we help you actually take the next step — with expert-designed tools, guided content, live sessions with us, and unlimited access to Vanessa AI (your 24/7 virtual sex and relationship coach).
🎉 Podcast listeners get 25% off your first month! Use the code PILLOW at checkout right here 👉🏻 https://vmtherapy.com/deeper
Resources Mentioned:
Ultimate Foreplay Guides 👉🏻 https://vmtherapy.com/foreplay
Ultimate Sex Guides 👉🏻 https://buy.vmtherapy.com/ultimate-sex-guide?ref=podcast-211&utm_term=podcast-211
🎧 Stay connected:
📸 Follow us on Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/vanessaandxander
💌 Get our weekly email — with behind-the-scenes stories, expert tips, and so many sex puns.
Sign up here 👉🏻 vmtherapy.com/subscribe
🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to Pillow Talks wherever you listen to pods!
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Meet Vanessa and Xander Marin, your new BFF couple friends! She’s a sex therapist with 20 years of experience and he’s a regular dude. Together they’re the shockingly open, slightly nerdy, and seriously funny couple you want to grab sushi with. They share the ups and downs in their relationship while giving you step-by-step techniques for improving yours. Subscribe for your weekly double date full of totally do-able sex tips, practical relationship advice, hilarious and honest stories of what really goes on behind closed bedroom doors, and so much more. It’s the sex education you WISH you’d had!