Charting Toward Intimacy
Looking for answers to the questions you don't want to Google? Not sure where to get help when your sexual life is on the rocks and everything the secular culture has to offer is only making things worse? Welcome to Charting Toward Intimacy where you learn to actually enjoy and desire good, holy sex with your spouse.
Hosted by Ellen Holloway, Catholic Sex and Intimacy Coach.
Episodes
202 episodes
Do You Have a Habit of Saying No? | Ep. 195
In this episode, Ellen discusses the common habit of saying no to sex initiated by a spouse. She shares her personal experience of realizing this habit and challenges listeners to reflect on their reasons for frequently declining intimacy. Elle...
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Episode 195
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7:49
One (Really Hard) Thing You Can Do Right Now to Improve Your Sex Life | Ep. 194
Ellen discusses the essential role of forgiveness in maintaining a healthy sexual and marital relationship. She emphasizes that forgiving a spouse, while difficult, is crucial for opening up emotionally and physically within the marriage. Ellen...
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Episode 194
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9:40
Tempering Male Sexual Arousal with Kurt Holloway | Ep. 193
Ellen and her husband Kurt discuss strategies to balance arousal differences between partners during foreplay and sex, particularly when a man's arousal curve is faster than a woman's. They stress the importance of mutual responsibility for eac...
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Episode 193
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19:46
The One Thing That is Guaranteed to Fix Every Marital Problem | Ep. 192
In this episode, Ellen discusses the profound impact of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Confession on improving sex life and marital intimacy for Catholic women. Drawing insights from 'The Imitation of Christ,' she highlights the healing an...
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Episode 192
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17:55
How to Talk About Sex Everyday with Your Husband | Ep. 191
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen emphasize the importance of discussing sex daily with your spouse as a way to improve communication and eliminate the negativity often associated with these conversations. They suggest setting aside just five...
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Episode 191
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21:19
Can We Use Sex Toys? | Ep. 190
Ellen discusses the moral licitness of using marital aids, commonly known as sex toys, in Catholic marriages. She explains that while replacing sex with such aids is immoral, their use to enhance pleasure and intimacy within the marital act is ...
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Episode 190
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7:58
Men's Sexual Health and Nutrition | Ep. 189
In this episode, Ellen and guest Ginny Noce discuss the critical role of nutrition and lifestyle in enhancing men's sexual health. Ginny, a registered nurse and fertility awareness instructor with a master's degree in nutrition, shares insights...
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Episode 189
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31:44
Touch Time (Why you need to do this!) | Ep. 188
Ellen addresses the challenge of feeling uncomfortable with any touch from your husband automatically leading to sex. She introduces 'touch time' as a technique to build comfort and safety with non-sexual touch between spouses. Touch time invol...
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Episode 188
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13:08
Stop Shoulding On Yourself! | Ep. 187
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen discuss the common struggle of saying 'should' in your sex life and how it can negatively affect your intimacy. They explore the importance of understanding the underlying reasons for these feelings. The host...
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Episode 187
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31:50
Alleviating Male Performance Issues Related to NFP | Ep. 187
In this episode, Ellen addresses a listener's question about male sexual dysfunction, particularly erectile dysfunction and inability to finish, related to performance anxiety and natural family planning (NFP). She offers insights from a Cathol...
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Episode 187
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14:02
Pursuing Your Husband (Why it's the best thing for your marriage) | Ep. 186
In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen discuss the importance of pursuing your spouse outside of the bedroom, offering practical advice and theological insights. They stress the significance of intentional love actions and how they reflect our rel...
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Episode 186
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34:02
Wives, Be Subordinate to Your Husbands (What it ACTUALLY Means) | Ep. 185
Ellen dives into the frequently misunderstood Ephesians chapter 5, elucidating its true meaning and emphasizing the profound responsibilities it places on both husbands and wives. She explores how Ephesians chapter 4's call to holiness frames t...
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Episode 185
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16:53
What Do I Do if My Husband Doesn't Agree With Church Teaching? Ep. 184
Ellen welcomes Dr. Sarah Bartell, a moral theologian specializing in marriage and sexuality, to discuss how to handle situations where a husband does not agree with Catholic teachings on sex, intimacy, natural family planning, and contraception...
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Episode 184
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40:49
THE Most Important Requirement of a Married Relationship | Ep. 183
Ellen and Kathleen discuss the crucial role of empathy in relationships, particularly in the context of a married sexual relationship. They emphasize the importance of understanding and sharing the feelings of one's spouse, navigating differenc...
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Episode 183
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28:38
Shame isn't Actually a Bad Thing! | Ep. 182
In this episode, Ellen explores the complex concept of shame in the context of sex and intimacy for Catholic women. Drawing insights from St. John Paul II's "Love and Responsibility," she discusses the dual nature of shame—its protective aspect...
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Episode 182
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16:14
When to Stop TTA (Trying to Avoid) | Ep. 181
In this episode Ellen and Kathleen delve into the highly requested topic of knowing when it's the right time to stop avoiding pregnancy and start trying to conceive. They explore the differences between the two approaches and discuss the beauti...
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Episode 181
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28:44
Your Difference in Sex Drive isn't the Problem | Ep. 180
In this episode Ellen delves into the common marital issue of differing sex drives between spouses. Ellen emphasizes that every couple faces this problem at some point and highlights the importance of understanding the difference between sponta...
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Episode 180
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19:21
Sex Sucked for the First Year of our Marriage | Ep. 179
In this episode I (Ellen) am joined by my husband Kurt to discuss the challenges we faced during the first year of our marriage, primarily focusing on our struggles with sex due to acute vaginismus and poor communication. We delve into how thes...
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Episode 179
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33:17
The Different Types of Painful Sex with Tighten Your Tinkler | Ep. 178
Get our FREE Download of 5 tips for less painful sex!In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway is joined by Christina Walsh, co-owner of Tighten Your Tinkler, to expl...
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Episode 178
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36:15
Family Vacations and Sex | Ep. 177
In this episode Ellen and Kathleen dive into the complexities of maintaining a healthy sex life during family vacations. They discuss practical tips for navigating shared living spaces, the importance of sustaining intimacy without sex, a...
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Episode 177
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28:34
What Does the Church Actually Teach about Oral Stimulation? | Ep. 176
In this episode host Ellen Holloway delves into the topic of oral stimulation. Ellen explains the church's teachings on what is permissible and how oral stimulation fits into moral boundaries as foreplay leading to intercourse. Highlighting the...
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Episode 176
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11:44
Trying New Positions | Ep. 175
Trying new positions can be a lot! Maybe you're not sure how to approach the conversation or you don't even know any other positions to try. This week, Ellen and Kathleen talk all things trying new positions in the bedroom! NOW AVAILABL...
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Episode 175
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31:03
The Mystery of Sexual Pleasure and the Body | Ep. 174
In this episode Ellen delves into why there isn't a checklist for sexual pleasure in marriage and why that's a good thing. She discusses the theological perspectives on the human body and sexual pleasure, emphasizing the opportunity for couples...
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Episode 174
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12:44
Grooming and Shaving | Ep. 173
In this episode Ellen and Kathleen discuss the nuances of grooming and shaving the genital area from a Catholic perspective. They address common questions around the morality of grooming, reasons people choose to groom, and the purpose of...
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Episode 173
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34:33
Painful Sex, Differing Comfort Levels, and Communicating about Sex | Ep. 172
Today Ellen is answering a question from Instagram:My husband really resists oral, but sex has been painful for me. He's really rough. I spoke up and there's been no change. As you can see there are a lot of facets to this ...
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Episode 172
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25:08