This week, Shaun sits down with his good friend, somatic therapist and sex & relationship coach Laura Griffiths, for a conversation that's part confessional and part masterclass on masculinity, grief, and the kind of intimacy most men are too scared to reach for.

Laura calls Shaun out on the charm he wears like armor, names his "performative" first-date energy that kept them from ever being romantic, and unpacks why women fully rooted in their bodies feel threatening to so many men, including him. They go deep on the Peter Pan archetype and the absence of real initiation into manhood, why the Manosphere is fueled by guys who are "angry their mothers weren't their fathers," and what healthy masculinity actually looks like when you let the mask down.

Shaun opens up about the emotional rock bottom he hit this past fall - a short romance that cracked open a lifelong childhood wound, followed by the death of his beloved dog Roger — and why he chose this time not to hide. Laura brings a somatic therapist's precision to grief, the pain body, receiving love, and the erotic charge that lives in the space between vulnerability and strength.

If you've ever wondered whether men and women can really be friends, why grief and eros live in the same room, or what it means to "optimize for heartbreak," this one's for you.

Laura Griffiths is a somatic therapist and sex & relationship coach working with individuals and couples on rupture, repair, and creative-erotic power. Find her at thelauragriffiths.com, on Instagram @thelauragriffiths, and on Substack at Tongue of Honey.

In this episode:

• How Laura and Shaun met on Hinge — and why there were no flirty vibes
• The mask of charm and the "little wounded boy" underneath it
• Why powerful, embodied women feel threatening
• Peter Pan, Neverland, and the initiation men never got
• The Manosphere decoded: the father wound in plain sight
• Grief, eros, and crying in coffee shops
• What receiving really asks of us
• Love as "optimizing for heartbreak"

Send Shaun your questions at +1 (415) 494-9559 or email him at podcast@thelovedrive.com. Voicemails and voicememos are preferred, but texts/emails are OK too.

To submit a guest, please do so here: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/

If you’re listening on Spotify or watching on YouTube, please leave a comment. Shaun loves hearing from you. And leave a review wherever you listen.

Connect with Shaun:

Love Camp: https://shaungalanos.substack.com/p/summer-camp-isnt-just-for-kids-love

Retreats and latest offerings: ⁠https://bit.ly/m/thelovedrive⁠

Read my blog: ⁠https://shaungalanos.substack.com⁠

The Love Drive Podcast: ⁠https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/⁠

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

More About Shaun: ⁠https://shaungalanos.com/about/⁠

Buy me a coffee: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/thelovedrive⁠

In this solo episode, Shaun shares the story of Roger, his blind dog, and what loving him through loss taught him about trust, grief, and letting go. What begins as a response to a listener’s question about a dog losing its sight turns into a deeper reflection on resilience, adaptation, and how often we project our fear onto the ones we love.

He also checks in from Thailand, reflects on nicotine withdrawal and travel, and answers listener questions about dating as a therapist and navigating friendship after a breakup.

This episode is about grief without regret, freedom without guilt, and what Roger the blind dog taught Shaun about living in the moment.

Timestamps:

(00:20) Thailand update, solo travel, and being the 33rd wheel
(03:20) Day 24 without nicotine and changing plans from Europe to Korea
(07:42) Roger the blind dog, resilience, and what animals teach us about presence
(14:40) A sweet listener voicemail and why this podcast matters
(18:26) Dating as a therapist or helper without losing your humanity
(23:15) Breakups, friends staying connected to an ex, and letting go of control
(28:54) Previewing next week with Laura Griffiths
(30:09) Love Camp and an invitation into something different

Send Shaun your questions at +1 (415) 494-9559 or email him at podcast@thelovedrive.com. Voicemails and voicememos are preferred, but texts/emails are OK too.

To submit a guest, please do so here: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/

If you’re listening on Spotify or watching on YouTube, please leave a comment. Shaun loves hearing from you. And leave a review wherever you listen.

Connect with Shaun:

Love Camp: https://shaungalanos.substack.com/p/summer-camp-isnt-just-for-kids-love

Retreats and latest offerings: ⁠https://bit.ly/m/thelovedrive⁠

Read my blog: ⁠https://shaungalanos.substack.com⁠

The Love Drive Podcast: ⁠https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/⁠

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

More About Shaun: ⁠https://shaungalanos.com/about/⁠

Buy me a coffee: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/thelovedrive⁠

In this episode, Shaun is joined by Bay Area sex therapist Claire Perelman, aka Sex Clarified, for a candid and useful conversation about sex, desire, shame, and the stuff people are usually too awkward to say out loud.

They get into monogamy, sexual compatibility, communication, squirting, pegging, orgasm pressure, porn habits, toys, libido differences, and the shame so many people still carry around pleasure.

This episode is really about permission: to communicate clearly, stop performing, get curious about your body, and stop treating sex like a test you can fail.

Send Shaun your questions at +1 (415) 494-9559 or email him at podcast@thelovedrive.com. Voicemails and voicememos are preferred, but texts/emails are OK too.

To submit a guest, please do so here: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/

If you’re listening on Spotify or watching on YouTube, please leave a comment. Shaun loves hearing from you. And leave a review wherever you listen.

Books and other mentions:

She Comes First by Ian Kerner https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060538260/

Slow Sex: The Path to Fulfilling and Sustainable Sexuality by Diana Richardson https://www.amazon.com/Slow-Sex-Fulfilling-Sustainable-Sexuality/dp/B0853DZL95

Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski https://www.amazon.com/Come-You-Are-Surprising-Transform/dp/1476762090

Squirting workshop https://heyplura.com/events/squirting-may

Guest links:

Instagram - www.instagram.com/sexclarified

TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@sexclarified

Website – www.sexclarified.com

Substack - https://substack.com/@claireperelman

All other relevant links - linktr.ee/sexclarified

Connect with Shaun:

Retreats and latest offerings: https://bit.ly/m/thelovedrive

Read my blog: https://shaungalanos.substack.com

The Love Drive Podcast: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/

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

More about Shaun: https://shaungalanos.com/about/
Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thelovedrive

In this solo check-in, Shaun begins with a simple question that lands deeper than expected: how is your heart? From there, Shaun moves through a mix of life update, therapy reflection, sex question detour, and a deeper check-in on what it means to feel like you’re doing enough with your life.

He talks about quitting nicotine, feeling more touched by life again, and replacing one habit with an alarming amount of gummy bears. He reflects on doomscrolling, discipline, and the small daily choices that can either ground you or pull you further away from yourself.

At the center of the episode is a vulnerable therapy reflection on feeling unaccomplished at 43 and realizing that praise, money, and external validation can’t create self-worth for you. There’s also dating advice, some delightfully unhinged sex talk, and a sweet reminder that this podcast is meant to feel like a longer voice memo from a friend.

If your sense of success has been tied to achievement and you’ve been feeling a little unmoored lately, this episode is for you. And if it speaks to you, share it with a male friend too. We’d love to have more men in these conversations.

Timestamps:

(02:54) Nicotine update and feeling more alive

(05:23) Doomscrolling and wanting more discipline

(07:01) These episodes as a voice note from a friend

(07:27) Feeling unaccomplished at 43

(12:27) Can money make you feel successful?

(15:14) Deep throating, sore throats, and bruising

(18:54) Allergic to semen?

(19:41) Reviews, voicemails, and how to send questions

(20:55) Sweet listener message and why more men should listen

(25:44) Dating question: should you ask for another date?

(29:58) Travel update and weekly Thursday releases

(31:29) Next week: Claire Perelman on sex and questions

Send Shaun your questions at +1 (415) 494-9559 or email him at podcast@thelovedrive.com. Voicemails and voicememos are preferred, but texts/emails are OK too.

To submit a guest, please do so here: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/

If you’re listening on Spotify or watching on YouTube, please leave a comment. Shaun loves hearing from you. And leave a review wherever you listen.

Connect with Shaun:

⁠Shaun's love camp⁠

Retreats and latest offerings: https://bit.ly/m/thelovedrive

Read my blog: https://shaungalanos.substack.com

The Love Drive Podcast: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/

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

More About Shaun: https://shaungalanos.com/about/
Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thelovedrive

Therapy Jeff joins Shaun for a conversation about men, therapy, emotional depth, and why so many relationships struggle when people cannot say what is actually going on inside them. They talk about the myth that men are “simple,” why emotional shutdown creates distance, and why gym, status, and success are not substitutes for real emotional growth.

They also get into Jeff’s critique of Scott Galloway’s message to men, and the difference between chasing shortcuts and actually doing the work of becoming more emotionally mature.

They talk about modern dating, rejection, approach anxiety, and what respectful flirting can actually look like now.

If you’ve ever wondered why some men struggle to open up, why dating can feel so high-stakes, or what emotional maturity actually looks like in practice, this episode is for you.

Timestamps:

(00:20) Meet Therapy Jeff

(02:46) Funeral family tension

(08:30) Managing anxiety in real time

(11:25) Why men struggle emotionally

(20:03) Getting straight men into therapy

(28:43) Therapy apps and stigma

(29:11) Why we need male therapists

(30:20) Small town dating dilemmas

(33:44) Rejection and approaching women

(42:45) First kiss and consent

(46:22) Where to find Therapy Jeff

(47:16) What love means today

Send Shaun your questions at +1 (415) 494-9559 or email him at podcast@thelovedrive.com. Voicemails and voicememos are preferred, but texts/emails are OK too.

To submit a guest, please do so here: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/

If you’re listening on Spotify or watching on YouTube, please leave a comment. Shaun loves hearing from you. And leave a review wherever you listen.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Jeff’s response to Scott Galloway

Shaun’s guest appearance on Jeff’s Problem Solved podcast

Jeff’s podcast, Problem Solved

Follow Jeff on Instagram and TikTok: @therapyjeff

References:

Notes on Being a Man by Scott Galloway

Feeld app

Nonviolent Communication (NVC)

Shaun’s love camp

Connect with Shaun:

Retreats and latest offerings: https://bit.ly/m/thelovedrive

Read my blog: https://shaungalanos.substack.com

The Love Drive Podcast: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/

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

More About Shaun: https://shaungalanos.com/about/
Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thelovedrive

In this solo episode, Shaun shares a personal confession that kicks off a real conversation about coping, cravings, and the oddly human ways we try to take the edge off.

He also gets into self-soothing, emotional patterns, and what it means to actually give yourself what you need instead of just grabbing the nearest distraction. There’s also listener Q&A on sex, flirting, and gym crush energy, plus a few side roads that make this episode feel equal parts advice column, voice note, and comedy detour.

If you like your relationship advice with heart, humor, and a little chaos, this episode is for you.

Timestamps:

(00:26) Welcome and teaser

(00:59) What’s giving me chi

(04:24) My dirty little secret

(12:25) Inner child needs

(16:46) Term: hobosexual

(19:44) Sons Versus New Love

(20:40) Engaged update reality check

(22:56) Reviews, voicemails, and break

(24:27) Sex curiosity and gym flirting

(32:04) Taboo hookup and housekeeping

Send Shaun your questions at +1 (415) 494-9559 or email him at podcast@thelovedrive.com. Voicemails and voicememos are preferred, but texts/emails are OK too.

To submit a guest, please do so here: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/

If you’re listening on Spotify or watching on YouTube, please leave a comment. Shaun loves hearing from you. And leave a review wherever you listen.

Links:

He moved in after 8 days reel

The Feels — IRL singles events and mindful dating experiences

Yes/No/Maybe worksheet for talking about sex

Shaun's love camp

Connect with Shaun:

Retreats and latest offerings: https://bit.ly/m/thelovedrive

Read my blog: https://shaungalanos.substack.com

The Love Drive Podcast: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/

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

More About Shaun: https://shaungalanos.com/about/
Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thelovedrive

Jennie Young, creator of the Burned Haystack dating method, joins Shaun to talk about how to stop wasting time on the wrong people and date with way more intention. They get into dating app red flags, boundary testing, bad first dates, manosphere code words, and why filtering harder might actually lead you to the right person faster. Jennie also reviews Shaun’s dating profile live and shares what it felt like to finally meet her own needle.

And then, in a bonus post-recording tangent, Jennie has a message for Dan Savage: too many men are misusing “GGG” and “sex positive” to pressure women, and she is absolutely not having it.

Timestamps:

(00:00) The hidden red flags in dating profiles

(00:24) The dating app problem no one admits

(03:50) Why Burned Haystack dating took off

(07:40) Dating in a small town without settling

(17:55) The first boundary test tells you everything

(41:35) The first date money debate

(42:01) Jenny reviews Shaun’s dating profile live

(43:05) The small profile changes that matter

(48:28) Your photos might be hurting you

(54:19) The manosphere language women should notice

(59:32) Charm, banter, or just sexual pressure?

(01:01:03) Jenny’s work and where to follow her

(01:02:29) Why healthy chemistry can feel boring

(01:05:07) Finding love later than you planned

(01:05:49) Jennie has a question for Dan Savage about GGG

(01:10:23) Wrap up, links, and final takeaways

Links:
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/9116647515019601/

Substack: https://burnedhaystack.substack.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/word_case_scenario/

Order the book: https://www.jennieyoung.com/burn-the-haystack-book

Referenced: How to Not Die Alone by Logan Ury

Love Camp: https://shaungalanos.substack.com/p/summer-camp-isnt-just-for-kids-love

Connect with Shaun:

Retreats and latest offerings: https://bit.ly/m/thelovedrive

Read my blog: https://shaungalanos.substack.com

The Love Drive Podcast: https://shaungalanos.com/podcast/

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

More About Shaun: https://shaungalanos.com/about/

Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thelovedrive