Finding Your Way Back to Yourself: Reclaiming Intimacy and Aliveness

In this solo episode, Marie opens up about her personal journey — from a teenage moment when her therapist celebrated her sexuality instead of shaming it, to the gradual burial of that vibrant part of herself through the pressures of motherhood, cultural expectations, and self-numbing.Marie shares how a podcast about sex and intimacy sparked a "thawing out" — and how reclaiming that one buried part of herself brought back far more: her playfulness, creativity, adventurousness, and aliveness. She also gets real about what came with it — the anxiety she'd buried right alongside the joy.The core message: when you selectively mute a part of yourself, you mute all of yourself. And the path back isn't in your head — it starts in your body.In this episode, Marie covers:Why she buried her sensual, passionate self after becoming a motherHow numbing one part of yourself numbs everythingWhat finally sparked the "thaw" — and what surprisingly came with itWhy intimacy with a partner starts with intimacy with yourselfPractical homework — a body-based daily practice:Take a deep breath to arrive in your body, not your headTell yourself: "It's safe to be here" — repeat as neededVisualize your favorite safe place with full sensory detail (sand, waves, sun, wind)Practice 5–15 minutes daily, ideally in the morning or during a stressful midday momentDiscomfort during this practice isn't a sign you're doing it wrong — it means you're doing it right.Adam will be back next week. If this episode resonated, share it with someone who needs it.Download our Weekly Spousal Meeting Agenda startupspouses.co/free-workbook-download