Between the Sheets: Exploring Sexual Health & Wellness

Sexual Health and Wellness Education brought to you by Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, DNP, CRNP
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Between the Sheets is a weekly podcast, hosted by Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, on sex, intimacy, and relationships - sharing expert advice on sexual health, pleasure, communication, and modern love to help you build confidence, connections, and authentic intimacy. 

  1. 6d ago

    The Birth Control Illusion: What Hormonal Contraception Does to Your Body | Tierra Duncan

    Send us Fan Mail Most of us went on birth control at 16 or 17 and never thought about it again. But what if it's been quietly affecting your mood, libido, bone density, and more — for decades — and no one told you? In this episode of Between the Sheets with Dr. Z, Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, DNP talks with Tierra Duncan, author of The Birth Control Illusion: Reclaiming Hormones, Health and Your Cycle, about the gaps in women's health education around hormonal contraception — and what informed consent should actually look like. What you'll learn in this episode: Why estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are "whole body" hormones, not just reproductive onesHow synthetic hormones in birth control differ from your body's natural hormones — and why that mattersThe real link between birth control and mood disorders, low libido, vaginal dryness, and bone density lossWhy the "period" you have on the pill isn't a real period (and the surprising marketing history behind it)How birth control is often prescribed for symptoms (acne, cramps, heavy periods) instead of addressing root causesNon-hormonal alternatives, including the fertility awareness method and copper IUD trade-offsWhy postpartum birth control decisions deserve more caution and conversationHow tracking your cycle can help you understand your energy, mood, and body better — without falling into rigid "cycle syncing" rulesWhy sleep, stress, and nutrition play a bigger role in hormone health than most people realizeThis is the conversation so many women wish they'd had before they ever started birth control — and one worth having now, no matter your age or stage. 🎙️ Guest: Tierra Duncan, author, educator, and women's health advocate  🔗 Book: The Birth Control Illusion (Amazon, Audible, Kindle, Barnes & Noble) | YouTube & Instagram: @tierraduncanauthor | Website: tierraduncan.com Work with Dr. Stephanie www.reviveish.com info@reviveish.com Connect with Between the Sheets: IG: @ReviveISH Email: podcastbetweenthesheets@gmail.com #podmatch Want to be a guest on Between the Sheets: Exploring Sexual Health & Wellness? Send Stephanie a message on PodMatch here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreviews/btswithdrz Episode is sponsored by Boston Scientific and EDCure. For more information click here: www.EDCure.com/BTS

  2. Aug 5

    Somatic Sex Ed: Reconnecting With Your Body, Consent & Pleasure | ft. Sara Perry

    Send us Fan Mail What if the key to better sex, real consent, and healing from trauma isn't in your head — it's in your body? In this episode of Between the Sheets with Dr. Z, Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, DNP talks with Sara Perry, a somatic sex educator and sexological body worker (and owner of Haven Space Coaching), about what it actually means to reconnect with sensation, desire, and pleasure — and why so much of our sex education leaves this out entirely. What you'll learn in this episode: What "somatic" really means, and why healing happens through the body, not just the mindWhy teaching consent without teaching self-awareness leaves people unable to identify what they actually wantThe "spectrum of response" — how yes, no, and maybe have far more nuance than we're taughtWhy safe words often go unused, and better ways to communicate "slow down" or "let's shift" in the momentWhy being told "no" by a partner is actually a sign of trust and safety, not rejectionHow the body can respond sexually even during non-consensual or traumatic experiences — and why that doesn't mean anything about the personWhat sexological body work is, how it differs from pelvic floor therapy, and who it can help (including scar tissue, discordant ejaculation, and reconnecting with a body that's changed after illness or surgery)A simple at-home somatic exercise anyone can try todayThis is a conversation about slowing down, tuning in, and giving yourself permission to feel — exactly as you are, in this moment. 🎙️ Guest: Sara Perry, somatic sex educator & sexological body worker, Haven Space Coaching  🔗 Website: havenspacecoaching.com | TikTok & Instagram: @havenspacecoaching Work with Dr. Stephanie www.reviveish.com info@reviveish.com Connect with Between the Sheets: IG: @ReviveISH Email: podcastbetweenthesheets@gmail.com #podmatch Want to be a guest on Between the Sheets: Exploring Sexual Health & Wellness? Send Stephanie a message on PodMatch here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreviews/btswithdrz Episode is sponsored by Boston Scientific and EDCure. For more information click here: www.EDCure.com/BTS

  3. Jul 29

    Why Your Hormones Aren't the Whole Story: Mitochondria, Chronic Fatigue & Sexual Dysfunction | ft. Dr. Jess Armine

    Send us Fan Mail What if your low libido, ED, or fatigue isn't a hormone problem — it's a cellular energy problem? In this episode of Between the Sheets with Dr. Z, Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, DNP talks with Dr. Jess Armine, a functional medicine practitioner with nearly 50 years of clinical experience specializing in long COVID, post-viral syndromes, and complex chronic illness. Dr. Armine breaks down why so many patients "do everything right" — fix their hormones, follow the protocol — and still don't feel better, and what's actually happening underneath at the cellular level. What you'll learn in this episode: Why mitochondria (your body's energy factories) drive far more than energy — including sexual functionThe "cell danger response": how toxins, infections, and even emotional trauma can all trigger the same cellular dysfunctionWhy sexual arousal requires high energy output and a calm nervous system — and what happens when your body doesn't have eitherWhy hormone replacement alone sometimes "stops working" over time if root causes aren't addressedThe connection between long COVID, chronic fatigue, and sexual dysfunction in both men and womenSimple, practical steps for supporting cellular health: liposomal vitamins, gut health, digestive enzymes, and moreWhy treating the whole picture (hormones + nervous system + immune system + cellular energy) gets better results than treating one lab value in isolationIf you've been doing "everything right" and still don't feel like yourself, this episode explains what might actually be missing. 🎙️ Guest: Dr. Jess Armine, functional medicine practitioner  🔗 Website: DrJessarmine.com | YouTube: @DrJessarmine | Instagram: @DrJessearmine724 Work with Dr. Stephanie www.reviveish.com info@reviveish.com Connect with Between the Sheets: IG: @ReviveISH Email: podcastbetweenthesheets@gmail.com #podmatch Want to be a guest on Between the Sheets: Exploring Sexual Health & Wellness? Send Stephanie a message on PodMatch here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreviews/btswithdrz Episode is sponsored by Boston Scientific and EDCure. For more information click here: www.EDCure.com/BTS

  4. Jul 22

    From Infidelity to Intimacy Coach: Breaking Sexual Shame & Speaking Your Desires | Jocelyn Silva

    Send us Fan Mail What if the biggest thing standing between you and great sex isn't chemistry — it's honesty? In this episode of Between the Sheets with Dr. Z, Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, DNP sits down with Jocelyn Silva, a sexual empowerment and intimacy coach whose work centers on what she calls "relentless authenticity." After surviving the fallout of her own infidelity and rebuilding her life through SLAA (Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous) recovery, Jocelyn has spent over 15 years helping thousands of people release sexual shame, rediscover desire, and build relationships grounded in truth. What you'll learn in this episode: Why intimacy cannot exist without authenticity — and how to tell if you're holding backHow growing up in a shame-based household shapes adult sexuality, and how to unlearn itThe real reason couples avoid talking about sex (hint: it's not lack of desire)Jocelyn's "playground" framework for setting clear boundaries so sex feels safe, not stressfulWhy you should be having "state of the union" conversations about your sex life every 6–12 monthsHow aging, health changes, and life stages (kids, illness, caregiving) constantly reshape intimacy — and why the conversation is never "one and done"A simple way to give and receive feedback about sex without shame or hurt feelingsThis conversation is a masterclass in communication — for anyone who's ever avoided a hard conversation with their partner because it felt easier not to have it. 🎙️ Guest: Jocelyn Silva, sexual empowerment & intimacy coach  🔗 Instagram: @iamjocelynsilva | Website: jocelynsilva.com Work with Dr. Stephanie www.reviveish.com info@reviveish.com Connect with Between the Sheets: IG: @ReviveISH Email: podcastbetweenthesheets@gmail.com #podmatch Want to be a guest on Between the Sheets: Exploring Sexual Health & Wellness? Send Stephanie a message on PodMatch here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreviews/btswithdrz Episode is sponsored by Boston Scientific and EDCure. For more information click here: www.EDCure.com/BTS

  5. Jul 15

    The $15 AI That Beats a Fertility Specialist — Here's How | ft. Kirsten Karchmer

    Send us Fan Mail She was one of the first reproductive acupuncturists in North America. She worked with over 10,000 infertile couples. And then she built an AI that beat her by 6%. In this episode of Between the Sheets with Dr. Z, Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, DNP sits down with Kirsten Karchmer — reproductive health pioneer, author of Seeing Red, and founder of Conceivable — for a conversation that will make you rethink everything you know about your period, your hormones, and what fertility really means. Kirsten spent 20 years in clinic before a single statistic changed everything: less than 3% of couples can afford fertility treatment. So she built something better, and it works. In a pilot of 105 women, with zero human interaction and no IVF, her AI app increased the likelihood of natural conception by 150 to 260% in just four months — for $15 a month. What you'll learn in this episode: Why tracking ovulation with a fertility monitor may actually increase your miscarriage risk — and what to do insteadWhat a "conceivable cycle" looks like (most women have never had one and don't know it)Why 80% of the 16,000 women Kirsten surveyed had energy levels of 6 or below — and why that matters enormously for fertilityThe connection between fatigue, exhaustion, and miscarriage that almost nobody is talking aboutHow PMS is not normal — and how 85% of women can have almost none of it within 90 daysWhat your menstrual blood is actually telling you about your liver, hormones, and overall healthWhy the app uses a virtual AI care team (nutritionist, therapist, data analyst, and more) to address fertility from every angle simultaneouslyThe forever chemicals in your skincare products that are quietly disrupting your hormonesHeart rate variability, the vagus nerve, and why getting out of fight-or-flight is the missing piece for so many womenWhat happened when Kirsten got accidentally pregnant at 47 with an FSH of 23 (yes, really)Find Kirsten and Conceivable: 🌐 conceivable.com — sign up for early access and the personalized supplement quiz📖 Seeing Red — available wherever books are sold📅 Navigating perimenopause, hormone imbalances, or sexual health concerns? Let's talk. Book a consult at reviveish.com Work with Dr. Stephanie www.reviveish.com info@reviveish.com Episode is sponsored by Boston Scientific and EDCure. For more information click here: www.EDCure.com/BTS  Connect with Between the Sheets: IG: @ReviveISH Email: podcastbetweenthesheets@gmail.com #podmatch Want to be a guest on Between the Sheets: Exploring Sexual Health & Wellness? Send Stephanie a message on PodMatch here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreviews/btswithdrz

  6. Jul 8

    Why Men Can't Access Their Feelings — And What It's Doing to Your Relationship | ft. Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst

    Send us Fan Mail Here's something nobody told you: boys come into the world with a broader range of emotional expression than girls do. And then we spend the next 18 years systematically shutting it down. In this episode of Between the Sheets with Dr. Z, Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, DNP sits down with Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst — psychotherapist with over 50 years of experience and author of Read, Reflect, Respond: The Three Rs of Growth and Change — for a conversation that reframes everything you thought you knew about men and emotions. Dr. Vanderhorst has spent decades working with boys from preschool through adulthood and has watched the same pattern play out: a child with a full emotional range gets shamed, shut down, and trained out of vulnerability. Then he grows up, gets married, and his partner wonders why he won't open up. The answer isn't that he can't. It's that we taught him not to. What you'll learn in this episode: Why boys are born more emotionally expressive than girls — and what happens to that capacity over timeHow shame and social conditioning box away emotions without erasing them — and why that means it's never too lateThe free feelings word list Dr. Vanderhorst swears by — and exactly where to put it in your house so it actually gets usedWhy women say they want emotionally available men, then unconsciously shut them down when they tryThe car, the dark room, and the bedtime cuddle — why side-by-side conversations unlock what face-to-face conversations can'tHow unexpressed emotion ends up stored in the body as physical pain and illnessWhy men's deepest friendships often involve zero emotional vulnerability — and what that costs themThe connection between emotional intelligence and problem-solving that most people never makeWhen to stop trying to fix it yourself and get outside help — and why earlier is always betterDr. Vanderhorst's free feelings word list and blog resources are available at drvandherhorst.com. Her book Read, Reflect, Respond is available on Amazon and at bookstores everywhere. 📅 Hormonal shifts affecting mood, connection, or desire in your relationship? We can help. Book a consult at reviveish.com Work with Dr. Stephanie www.reviveish.com info@reviveish.com Episode is sponsored by Boston Scientific and EDCure. For more information click here: www.EDCure.com/BTS  Connect with Between the Sheets: IG: @ReviveISH Email: podcastbetweenthesheets@gmail.com #podmatch Want to be a guest on Between the Sheets: Exploring Sexual Health & Wellness? Send Stephanie a message on PodMatch here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreviews/btswithdrz

  7. Jul 1

    She Was in a Sexless Marriage for 26 Years — Here's How She Fixed It | ft. Xanet Pailet

    Send us Fan Mail At 50, after 26 years in a sexless marriage, Xanet Pailet found herself single, living in New York City, and facing an uncomfortable truth: she had never enjoyed sex. Not once. Her imaginary dating profile read: "Smart, successful, cute — I just really hate sex." That was the wake-up call that changed everything. In this episode of Between the Sheets with Dr. Z, Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, DNP sits down with Xanet Pailet — bestselling author of Living an Orgasmic Life and the brand new Sex and Intimacy Repair Kit, and founder of Passionate Intimacy Retreats — for one of the most candid, practical, and genuinely hopeful conversations this podcast has ever had. Xanet has now led over 100 couples retreats, holds certifications in Somatica sex and intimacy training and somatic trauma work, and yes — she enjoys sex now. (She mentioned it was Saturday morning. We love that for her.) What you'll learn in this episode: Why sexless marriages often have nothing to do with not loving your partner — and everything to do with unhealed childhood wounds and sexual shameWhat tantra actually is, why it's one of the most powerful tools for couples who feel disconnected, and how breathwork alone can begin to rebuild intimacyWhy you cannot experience pleasure when your nervous system is in fight-or-flight — and how to change thatThe erotic blueprints framework and why your blueprint shifts over time (what worked at 30 won't necessarily work at 45)The concept of core desires — the emotions underneath your fantasies — and why getting those met makes sex dramatically hotter and more consistentWhy faking orgasms is a trap, how women end up in it, and how to get out without blowing up your relationshipHow to start the sexless marriage conversation with your partner without opening a bombWhat four days at an intimacy retreat actually looks like — and why Xanet insists on being in the room with couples in personTake Xanet's free intimacy style quiz at howtoimprovemylovelife.com. Find her books Living an Orgasmic Life and The Sex and Intimacy Repair Kit on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Learn about retreats at passionateintimacyretreats.com. 📅 Hormonal changes, pain with sex, or low desire making intimacy harder? Let's address the physical side. Book a consult at reviveish.com Work with Dr. Stephanie www.reviveish.com info@reviveish.com Episode is sponsored by Boston Scientific and EDCure. For more information click here: www.EDCure.com/BTS  Connect with Between the Sheets: IG: @ReviveISH Email: podcastbetweenthesheets@gmail.com #podmatch Want to be a guest on Between the Sheets: Exploring Sexual Health & Wellness? Send Stephanie a message on PodMatch here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreviews/btswithdrz

  8. Jun 24

    Why Staying Married Is the Hardest Part — And How to Do It Anyway | ft. Bonnie Comfort

    Send us Fan Mail Between years three and seven, most marriages hit a wall. The rose-colored glasses come off, the red flags you ignored start waving, and suddenly you're wondering if you chose the wrong person. Spoiler: you probably didn't. But nobody told you this was coming — and nobody taught you what to do when it does. In this episode of Between the Sheets with Dr. Z, Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, DNP sits down with psychologist, author, and marital therapist Bonnie Comfort — yes, that's her real name — for a candid, deeply human conversation about what it actually takes to stay married. Bonnie spent 25 years in clinical practice in Portland, Oregon, and her memoir Staying Married Is the Hardest Part draws on both her professional expertise and her own 33-year marriage, which included sexual incompatibility, fetishes, infidelity, and ultimately — a love that lasted until her husband's death. What you'll learn in this episode: Why most couples don't have a communication problem — they have an anger and resentment problem, and how to tell the differenceThe 3–7 year disillusionment pattern and why it's completely normal (and survivable)How childhood wounds show up in adult relationships as disproportionate anger — and how understanding that changes everythingWhy the small daily bids for connection your partner makes matter more than grand romantic gesturesWhat mismatched libido and mismatched sexual desire actually look like in a long-term marriage — and what a 25-year therapist says to do about itWhy fetishes and kinks are largely not amenable to therapy — and what that means for couples navigating sexual incompatibilityHow pillow talk, hot tub rituals, and 15-minute check-ins can do more for a marriage than a weekend getawayLove languages, the Gottman bids for connection, and why doing what your partner needs instead of what you would want is the real skillBonnie's memoir Staying Married Is the Hardest Part is available wherever books are sold. Find her at bonniecomfort.com and on Psychology Today. 📅 Hormonal changes affecting your desire, mood, or intimate relationship? We can help. Book a consult at reviveish.com Work with Dr. Stephanie www.reviveish.com info@reviveish.com Episode is sponsored by Boston Scientific and EDCure. For more information click here: www.EDCure.com/BTS  Connect with Between the Sheets: IG: @ReviveISH Email: podcastbetweenthesheets@gmail.com #podmatch Want to be a guest on Between the Sheets: Exploring Sexual Health & Wellness? Send Stephanie a message on PodMatch here: https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreviews/btswithdrz

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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Between the Sheets is a weekly podcast, hosted by Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, on sex, intimacy, and relationships - sharing expert advice on sexual health, pleasure, communication, and modern love to help you build confidence, connections, and authentic intimacy. 

Information

  • Creator
    Sexual Health and Wellness Education brought to you by Dr. Stephanie Zwonitzer, DNP, CRNP
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    109
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Between the Sheets: Exploring Sexual Health & Wellness
  • Show Website
    Between the Sheets: Exploring Sexual Health & Wellness

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