
Monologues from the Makom: A Review
I am honored to have been invited by Professor Brill to respond to his blog interview of some of the

Working with Traditional and Faith- Based Couples
Recently I was invited by the Sexual Medicine Society of North America to be part of a panel entitled “What

Guest Post: Our Evolving Understanding of Genital Pain Disorders
By Steph Auteri | From the October 2015 Issue of AASECT newsletter first posted here I lived with pain

The Myth of Male Sexuality
Whether biologically or socially influenced, classic definitions of masculinity assign to men the traits of ambitiousness, competitiveness and a fairly

Are we still talking about “Unorthodox?”
The Netflix series, “Unorthodox”, has generated a great deal of discussion and debate. Dozens of op-eds and blogs have been

Your Love Life in Lockdown
The Coronavirus has affected how we live, how we work, how we congregate and how we experience touch and intimacy.

Do you have a sex addiction?
Our sense of self is largely defined by our system of values and spiritual identity, along with many other

‘Fulfilling His Needs, Not Mine’
Source: International Society for Sexual Medicine Many women don’t tell their partners when sex is painful, suggests a recent Journal

Growth and Transition
Life is a series of changes and as individuals, we are constantly growing and developing. In our personal lives, depending

Teshuva and repairing our intimate relationships
The relationship between God and the Jewish people is dynamic and complex, taking many forms in different contexts and periods.

Obligatory sex conflicts with human sexual rights
The World Association of Sexual Health Congress met recently in Mexico City. Though I was unable to attend due to

Intimacy after abuse
Humans long for intimacy and are wired to connect. Most individuals desire to experience a meaningful partnership that includes feeling

“Just relax.” Meeting with trauma in the physical therapy setting
In his seminal book “The Body Keeps the Score,” trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk states “the ability to

How often “should” Orthodox couples have sex?
I recently received the following question from a therapist: “Is there a norm as to how often religious couples should

The pelvic floor keeps the score
Trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk’s book “The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, and Body in the Healing of

Marriage and the traveling spouse
Tamar and Avi are an American couple in their late thirties who made aliya to Israel two years ago with

Tightly Wound: A review and social commentary
Tightly Wound is a film by Shelby Hadden and Sebastian Bisbal that tells Shelby’s story of dealing with vaginismus and her

The death of desire begins in childhood
Above the drawing of four modestly attired girls in a supermarket is the caption “Modesty in the public sphere: What

The M word, an addendum to raising sexually healthy Orthodox sons
First published in Times of Israel. Several years ago, I shared my Ten Tips for Raising Sexually Healthy Orthodox Sons. In my seventh

Sexual abuse with no abuser: guest blog
This guest blog was written by Elisheva Liss, LMFT It originally appeared here. Beila and Sruly (pseudonyms) are a handsome and charming

Why trauma survivors avoid sex
The following case illustrates how couples intimate lives may be affected by trauma. Baruch, a 23 year old combat soldier

When your spouse loses religion
First published in Times of Israel. There are various terms used to describe the newly non-religious. The popular term used in

Why you will marry the wrong person
Alain de Bouton shares his views on love and marriage which may resonate with many. “The good news is that

Post-traumatic sex disorder: PTSD and intimacy
First published in Times of Israel. Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a serious condition that can affect individuals after being

From Mom and Dad with Love–Ten Marriage Tips to our Engaged Child
Originally posted in the Eden Center blog. Mazal tov! Your child is engaged and amidst the hustle and bustle of choosing gowns,

Sexuality during pregnancy and the postpartum period
Sex can be an expression of passion, creativity, and love. It involves holding on to yourself, while letting go, feeling

Am I ready to get engaged?
Originally posted 9.1.17 in Kol-Isha. Depending on your background, you may be hearing shidduch recommendations, a friend may set you up,

The feminist approach to painful intercourse
A fascinating paper was just published that challenges the notion that women who suffer from painful intercourse have a disorder.

In Sickness and in Health: Intimacy and Chronic Illness
First posted on the Nefesh blog In the course of a couple’s lifecycle, medical conditions, chronic illnesses or diseases can become a

Fifteen Tu B’av Tips for Creating, Renewing and Maintaining Marital Passion
Originally posted in the Eden Center blog The 15th of Av is considered a joyous day in the Jewish calendar. In ancient

Empathy and listening: tools to improve sexual desire
Psychologists Gurit Birnbaum of the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel and Harry Reis of the University of Rochester have studied

Sanctity and pleasure, feminists and rabbis
Originally published in Times of Israel Exactly two years ago today I published my first TOI blog post called Ten Tips to

‘Trans’forming our attitudes in a ‘world gone mad’
Originally appeared in Times of Israel Personal disclosure: As a wife, daughter, daughter–in-law, and anticipated future mother of Orthodox rabbis, I

The truth about ‘Pink Viagra’
Originally posted in Times of Israel Women want to want. Their partners want them to want. And Sprout Pharmaceuticals has some

Ten Valentine’s Day tips for a loving marriage
Valentine’s Day is a Christian holiday, so, growing up in America, we Jewish kids were affected culturally, rather than ritually.

Couples therapy is effective when sex is painful
Pain with intercourse or attempted intercourse is a medical condition which requires diagnosis by a medical doctor, preferably a gynecologist

From sexual trauma to loving touch: reclaiming intimacy after abuse
Couples may suffer from sexual difficulties that result from one (or both) of the partner’s past history of abuse. Abuse

Be assertive (not aggressive), it’s good for your relationship
As poet Thomas Moore wrote, “Intimacy begins with the self”. Only when one knows himself, his desires and needs, and

Why curiosity is good for your marriage
In a therapy session, John, 40, says “Mary isn’t interested in me. She doesn’t ask me anything about my inner

When she is never ‘in the mood.’ Can a desire pill repair couple’s dynamics?
Couples seeking sex therapy, often indicate that a lack of sexual desire by one of the partners, more often than

Ten tips for new brides
For the original Times of Israel article click here The wedding season is upon us, and along with tending to the

What skills are needed for intimate relationships?
This relationship self test, looks at how you rate yourself, as well as how your partner rates you, in some

Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable
“Why do people often shut down in the face of intimacy? Because of an intense fear of vulnerability. Dr. Brene

Men and women with post-traumatic stress (PTSD) may experience sexual problems
Rachel Yehuda, Amy Lehrer, and Talli Rosenbaum have published their findings in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, regarding men and women

Vulvodynia: when the pain isn’t all in your head, therapy still helps
Pain is both a physical and emotional experience. Women who experience pain in the most intimate location, the vulva and

“Halachic Positions” A book review
Opriginally posted in Morethodoxy Halachic Positions – A Review Talli Rosenbaum, Rabbi Rafi Ostroff Halachic Positions: An Outline, Analysis and Candid

Sex, Judaism, and Mindfulness
From original Times of Israel article click here. You embark on a three hour hike The tour guide says, “at the end

Ten Tips for Raising Sexually Healthy Orthodox Sons
For the Ten Tips on Raising Sexually Healthy Daughters, click here. For the original Times of Israel article, click here. Last May

When you are not in the mood-will female viagra help? Maybe you’re just bored in bed?
Sexual medicine experts attribute low female desire and arousal to many factors including hormones, aging, blood flow and medications. Several

Sexual Predators and Sexual Fetishes: Don’t Confuse the Two
There’s no such thing as ‘kosher voyeurism’ when the victim doesn’t consent. Rabbi Shmuely Boteach, take note. Published in Haaretz