Sex in Marriage: Communication, Connection + Healing Past Wounds Around Intimacy

About this episode

Brook and Elizabeth discuss the complexities of intimacy in marriage, addressing communication, connection, and healing from past wounds.

In this episode, Brook and Elizabeth sit down for an honest conversation about sex, intimacy, and connection in marriage. We begin with a few updates — including reflections from the Fatherhood Retreat, the upcoming Intentional Motherhood Retreat, and an update on Elizabeth’s back surgery — before diving into the topic. Just as the gospel reminds us that we are fully known and fully loved, marriage invites that same kind of vulnerability. Yet many couples carry shame from past experiences, including sexual abuse, pornography, cultural messages, or purity culture wounds, and those things often affect intimacy in marriage. We also discuss some of the common differences between men and women. Many men tend to feel emotionally connected after physical intimacy, while many women need emotional connection in order to feel open to physical intimacy. For many moms especially, exhaustion and constant demands can make intimacy feel like one more need to meet. Often, simple shifts in communication and care can make a significant difference. Throughout the conversation, we emphasize that intimacy is not just about physical consumption or emotional communication alone — it’s about a deeper…

People in this episode

Hosts: Brook, Elizabeth

Topics covered

• sex in marriage
• intimacy
• communication
• healing past wounds
• emotional connection
• vulnerability

Keywords

• marriage
• intimacy
• communication
• emotional connection
• vulnerability
• sexual abuse
• purity culture

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Fatherhood Retreat, Intentional Motherhood Retreat

More episodes of The Intentional Parents Podcast

• 20 Years From Now: What You'll Wish You Focused On As a Parent (w/ Sally Lemos, MS, LPC) · June 10, 2026 · 2h 6m
• You're Not Broken: Finding Freedom and Clarity Through an Adult ADHD Diagnosis · June 3, 2026 · 1h 18m
• Church Hurt, Conflict With Your Spouse, Fairness With Kids + Uninvolved Grandparents (Q+R) · May 27, 2026 · 1h 2m
• Live Q+R from the Motherhood Retreat: Fostering Vulnerability, Receiving Criticism + Parenting Without a Healthy Model · May 20, 2026 · 40 min
• The Hidden Blockers of Sexual Desire in Marriage + How to Move Past Them Together · May 6, 2026 · 1h 10m
• Healing from Trauma in Adulthood, Re-Parenting Yourself + Acknowledging How We’ve Hurt Our Children · April 29, 2026 · 1h 1m