Today, we're having an honest, fun, and refreshing conversation about sex, intimacy, relationships, and what can happen to desire during perimenopause, menopause and beyond!

Our guest is Katy Orah, a sex and relationship coach, founder of Your Couples Intimacy, and creator of programs designed to help couples reconnect, communicate, and build deeper intimacy. After working with hundreds of couples, she brings a refreshing, practical, and playful perspective to relationships — without the pressure, perfectionism, or therapy-speak.

We talk about:

• Why couples can gradually go from lovers to roommates
• How the mental load, exhaustion, resentment, and stress can affect desire
• What perimenopause and menopause can mean for intimacy
• Why intimacy is about so much more than sex
• How to introduce toys into a relationship without making a partner feel replaced
• Why communication about sex doesn't have to feel awkward or confrontational

And, of course, we have some fun with Katy during our rapid-fire round — including scheduled sex, lube and vibrators, oh my!

Find Katy:

• Instagram: @yourcouplesintimacy

• Website

Be sure to subscribe, follow, and share Empowered + Well with a woman in your life who might need this conversation.

Because intimacy isn't something we're simply born knowing how to do. It's something we continue to learn, communicate about, and create throughout our relationships. And it's never too late to reconnect, have more fun, and make space for intimacy again.

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program:
https://package.everfit.io/OQ860017

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes:
https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support?
Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us:
Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | Website
Amanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | Website
Follow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast
Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project

Disclaimer: The information shared on Empowered + Well is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always speak with your healthcare provider about questions related to your individual health, medications, hormones, or sexual health.

What if the exhaustion, brain fog, sleep struggles, mood changes, weight resistance, and feeling of being completely overwhelmed that so many women experience in midlife aren't simply something we have to accept as "normal"?

In this episode of Empowered + Well, we're joined by Dori Martin, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and health coach specializing in burnout, metabolic resilience, and midlife health for women.

Dori helps us look beyond the idea that everything can be explained by aging or hormones and explores how stress, hormonal changes, nervous-system load, nutrition, mineral status, lifestyle, and years of putting everyone else first can intersect during midlife.

We talk about what it means to feel like something isn't right even when your conventional labs come back "normal," why looking at patterns can be important, and how women can become better advocates for their health.

• Why so many women experience significant symptoms during midlife but continue to push through
• What it can mean when your labs are "normal" but you still don't feel well
• How perimenopause, menopause, stress, and burnout can intersect
• What Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is and how Dori uses it as part of a broader picture
• Simple foundational steps women can take to begin supporting their bodies

Website

Be sure to subscribe, follow, and share Empowered + Well with a woman in your life who might need this conversation.

Because midlife isn't something we need to simply survive. It's an opportunity to better understand ourselves, listen to our bodies, and discover what it really means to feel well.

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program:
https://package.everfit.io/OQ860017

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes:
https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support?
Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us:
Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | Website
Amanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | Website
Follow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast
Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project

This episode is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always work with your qualified healthcare providers regarding your individual health, symptoms, medications, testing, and treatment decisions.

If you're experiencing persistent or concerning symptoms, don't dismiss them simply because you're told that they're "normal" or that your labs are within range. Advocating for yourself and asking questions is an important part of taking ownership of your health.

We made it to 100! 🎉

In this very special episode of Empowered + Well, we're celebrating 100 episodes AND two birthdays!

Join us as we look back on some of our favorite conversations, share the biggest lessons we've learned over the past 2 years, and have a little fun with birthday-themed This or That.

From memorable guests and meaningful conversations to the evolution of the podcast from the Empowered Women's Wellness Project to Empowered + Well, we're reflecting on where we've been — and looking ahead to what's next.

Most importantly, we're celebrating you, our listeners, for being part of this journey.

Here's to 100 episodes, two more trips around the sun, and the next chapter of Empowered + Well! 🥂💛

Episodes We Mentioned:

• Tiffany Jones
• Microplastics
• Sheryl Green
• Dr. Megan Bernard
• The Gap & The Gain
• The Let Them Theory

What's your favorite episode?
Send us a message and let us know!

If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to follow Empowered + Well and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Try two weeks free of Coach Lauren's online strength training program:
https://package.everfit.io/OQ860017

Grab her free annual strength training guide for endurance athletes:
https://settingthepacenj.lpages.co/strength-training-freebie/

Breast Cancer Thriver or caretaker looking for support?
Check out Amanda's FREE guide: 5 Key Strategies to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Connect With Us:
Lauren Brown | Instagram: @coachlaurenbrown | Website
Amanda Gargiulo | Instagram: @amanda.gargiulo | Website
Follow us on Instagram: @empoweredandwell_podcast
Follow us on YouTube: Empowered Wellness Project