6 Ways To Effectively Communicate Your Sexual Needs

6 Ways To Effectively Communicate Your Sexual Needs

June 29, 2026 · 30 min · Season 1 · Episode 181

About this episode

Heather Shannon discusses six effective ways to communicate sexual needs to partners without causing defensiveness.

Want help figuring out your own needs before you bring them to your partner? Take the free Intimacy Audit: https://HeatherShannon.co (click the pop-up) In this episode . . . Great sex isn't about mind reading. If you've stayed silent about what you want, tried to bring it up and gotten shut down, or you're with someone who clams up at the mention of sex, this episode gives you six steps to actually say what you need without putting your partner on the defensive. AASECT Certified Sex Therapist Heather Shannon breaks down how to talk about your sexual needs, desires, and fantasies in a way that builds connection instead of conflict. You'll learn the difference between framing something as a "need" versus a "want," how to figure out what you actually desire when you're not sure, and how to bring up bigger topics, like having a threesome, without blowing up the conversation. Find out: Why calling something a sexual "need" instead of a "want" can create unintended pressure or resentment How to start identifying your own desires, even if you've never really thought about it before The difference between healthy support and codependency in a relationship, and why it matters for your sex…

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Host: Heather Shannon

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