Untangling Intimacy: Build Your Therapy Toolkit

In this episode, hosts Martha Kauppi and Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith discuss how therapists can effectively open—and ground—client conversations involving partners experiencing cases of mismatched desire, seemingly incompatible turn-ons, or other gaps posing challenges. Each host brings clinical expertise to the discussion, offering practical insights and effective interventions on how to navigate the opening of a hard conversation. Get Martha Kauppi's free guide for couples experiencing sexual challenges. Use code UNTANGLINGINTIMACY to unlock 10% off "Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions" and individual webinars. Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment. Join the ATSIP waitlist HERE and be the first to know when the course opens for signups. To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here. To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here. Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: ⁠[email protected]. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, hosts Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi explain how therapists can support clients navigating loneliness, dating app fatigue, and modern relationship struggles. While it can seem daunting at first blush, today's most popular dating processes can be an opportunity for discernment, self-trust, and growth. Use code UNTANGLINGINTIMACY to unlock 10% off "Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions" and individual webinars. Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment. Join the ATSIP waitlist HERE and be the first to know when the course opens for signups. To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here. To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here. Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: ⁠[email protected]. Thanks for listening!

Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi discuss how therapists can navigate kink and BDSM conversations in session with grace and confidence. Each offers practical insight and essential tools for therapists looking to provide support that is informed, ethical, and affirming. Get Martha Kauppi's free guide for couples experiencing sexual challenges. Use code UNTANGLINGINTIMACY to unlock 10% off "Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions" and individual webinars. Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment. Join the ATSIP waitlist HERE and be the first to know when the course opens for signups. To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here. To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here. Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: ⁠[email protected]. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi explore a listener-submitted question involving marital infidelity, disrupted desire, and a struggle to rekindle sexual connection. From potential repair pathways to available interventions, each host offers key insight on how to begin untangling a difficult knot of intimacy.  Get Martha Kauppi's free guide to relationship repair. Use code UNTANGLINGINTIMACY to unlock 10% off "Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions" and individual webinars. Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment. ⁠ Join the ATSIP waitlist HERE and be the first to know when the course opens for signups. To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here. To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here.  Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: ⁠[email protected] Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi discuss how to ethically and effectively work with consensual non-monogamy (CNM), offering practical insights on communication strategies, and addressing bias in therapy. Throughout the conversation, they share their own lived experiences, and outline how you can build clinical competence—and gain confidence—when working with expanded relationship structures. Use code UNTANGLINGINTIMACY to unlock 10% off "Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions" and individual webinars: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/CNM-Level-1 https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/webinars Order your copy of "Polyamory: A Clinical Toolkit for Therapists (and Their Clients)" here: instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/book To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: ⁠https://workwithdrskye.com/ To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/ Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: ⁠[email protected] Thanks for listening!   ⁠   

In this episode, hosts Martha Kauppi and Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith explain how they handle issues relating to initiation, desire discrepancy, and spontaneous and responsive desire. Whether it's a thoughtful intervention, or helping partners communicate to each other in respectful ways, there are a variety of positive solutions at clinicians' disposal. Use code UNTANGLINGINTIMACY to unlock 10% off "Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions" and individual webinars: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/CNM-Level-1 https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/webinars Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/will-lily-brief-assessment-video-opt-in-page-podcast Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip     To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: ⁠https://workwithdrskye.com/⁠    To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: ⁠https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/  Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: ⁠[email protected]  ⁠     Thanks for listening!

Hosts Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi explore navigating boundaries when clients seek friendship—or more—with their therapist. Practical strategies, ethics guidance, and real-world scenarios all help illustrate how to compassionately handle a fraught circumstance. Use code UNTANGLINGINTIMACY to unlock 10% off "Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions" and individual webinars: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/CNM-Level-1 https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/webinars Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/will-lily-brief-assessment-video-opt-in-page-podcast Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip     To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: ⁠https://workwithdrskye.com/⁠    To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: ⁠https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/  Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: ⁠[email protected]  ⁠     Thanks for listening!  

Hosts Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi probe the complexity of sexual pain in a discussion that covers how simple questions can uncover serious medical or relational issues, and how to compassionately offer support to clients who are experiencing a pattern of unwanted sexual pain. Use code UNTANGLINGINTIMACY to unlock 10% off "Consensual Non-Monogamy Level 1: Clinical Skills and Interventions" and individual webinars: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/CNM-Level-1 https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/webinars Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/will-lily-brief-assessment-video-opt-in-page-podcast Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip     To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: ⁠https://workwithdrskye.com/⁠    To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: ⁠https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/  Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: ⁠[email protected]  ⁠     Thanks for listening!  

In this episode, hosts Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi unpack what pleasure really means—the physiology of touch, the emotional and relational pieces, and so much more. Whether navigating common blocks, emphasizing embodiment, or underscoring the importance of small sensory moments, "Centering Pleasure: From Shame to Embodiment" offers insights on understanding, embracing, and effectively working with pleasure. Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: ⁠https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/brief-assessment Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip    To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: ⁠https://workwithdrskye.com/⁠   To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: ⁠https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/  ⁠ Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: ⁠[email protected] ⁠   Thanks for listening!

In this special episode, hosts Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi go over interventions that were—or could be—applied to a real-life client scenario involving a couple with differing perspectives on an instance involving permission, consent, and self-pleasure.  ⁠ Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: ⁠https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/brief-assessment ⁠ Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: ⁠https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip⁠  To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: ⁠https://workwithdrskye.com/⁠  To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: ⁠https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/ ⁠ Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: ⁠[email protected]⁠   Thanks for listening! 

In this episode, hosts Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi cover how effective communication can unlock meaningful, productive results. ⁠ Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: ⁠https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/brief-assessment ⁠ Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: ⁠https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip⁠  To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: ⁠https://workwithdrskye.com/⁠  To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: ⁠https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/ ⁠ Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: ⁠[email protected]⁠   Thanks for listening! 

Hosts Martha Kauppi and Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith discuss the importance of clear, controllable goals, and how they can improve relationships.  Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/brief-assessment Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip  To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: https://workwithdrskye.com/  To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/ Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: [email protected]   Thanks for listening! 

In our latest episode, hosts Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi discuss how keeping agreements, opening repair conversations, and engaging in honest accountability can rebuild relational trust after that trust has been breached. Get “Anatomy of an Intervention: Early Session Sex Issues Work,” a new free training series: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/Anatomy-of-an-intervention-signup Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/brief-assessment Purchase a copy of Martha Kauppi's book, "Polyamory: A Clinical Toolkit for Therapists (and Their Clients)," here: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/book  Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip  To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: https://workwithdrskye.com/  To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/ Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: [email protected]  

Hosts Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi discuss methods to sensitively deal with clients' belief systems around sex.  Get “Anatomy of an Intervention: Early Session Sex Issues Work,” a new free training series: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/Anatomy-of-an-intervention-signup Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/brief-assessment Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip  To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: https://workwithdrskye.com/  To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/ Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: [email protected]  

Hosts Martha Kauppi and Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith explore the multifaceted nature of consent and differentiation, and their impact on relational issues.  Get the new free training series, “Anatomy of an Intervention: Early Session Sex Issues Work,” (and mark your calendar for a free webinar, January 23rd, 2026, 1 pm CST): https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/Anatomy-of-an-intervention-signup Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/brief-assessment Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip  To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: https://workwithdrskye.com/  To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/ Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: [email protected]   Thanks for listening! 

In this episode, hosts Dr K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi tackle a few listener-submitted questions involving clients' tendencies around applying—and responding to—sexual pressure.  Get the new free training series, “Anatomy of an Intervention: Early Session Sex Issues Work,” (and mark your calendar for a free webinar, January 23rd, 2026, 1 pm CST): https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/Anatomy-of-an-intervention-signup Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/brief-assessment Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip  To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: https://workwithdrskye.com/  To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/ Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: [email protected]   Thanks for listening! 

From sex pain to sexual menus, hosts Dr K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi explore effective ways therapists can respond when a client brings up surprising, sensitive topics.  Get the new free training series, “Anatomy of an Intervention: Early Session Sex Issues Work,” (and mark your calendar for a free webinar, January 23rd, 2026, 1 pm CST): https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/Anatomy-of-an-intervention-signup Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/brief-assessment Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip  To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: https://workwithdrskye.com/  To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/ Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: [email protected]   Thanks for listening! 

In this episode, Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith and Martha Kauppi discuss the paths that led them to their respective careers, strategies for introducing discussions about sex into your practice, and much more.    Get the new free training series, “Anatomy of an Intervention: Early Session Sex Issues Work,” (and mark your calendar for a free webinar, January 23rd, 2026, 1 pm CST): https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/Anatomy-of-an-intervention-signup Free training in Martha Kauppi's first-session sex issues assessment: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/brief-assessment Join the ATSIP waitlist here and be the first to know when the course opens for signups: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/atsip  To work with Dr. K. Skye Henry Smith, submit here: https://workwithdrskye.com/  To find out more about Martha Kauppi, and access more training materials, visit here: https://www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com/ Have a question for Skye and Martha? We can't promise every submission will be answered, but we'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to: [email protected]   Thanks for listening!