Your holiday to-do list may be bursting at the seams, but we can always squeeze in some extra intimacy. Though sex may not rank as a top priority during this busy season, it’s important to note that a little affection, connection and lovin’ may actually reduce your stress levels by lowering your blood pressure, boosting your immune system and increasing your energy levels.

Give these simple 12 Days of Christmas strategies a try and enjoy a happier, healthier holiday season:

Day 1: Give your honey a hand!

Brighten your lover’s day with with a sensual hand massage first thing in the morning. A quickie session lasting just 5 minutes will give you enough time to showcase your manual skills and cultivate an intimate connection that will last throughout the day. Use almond oil or a candy-cane scented hand cream as you stroke their fingers between your warm hands and swirl your thumbs in circular motions over their tender palms.

Day 2: Send a sexy card.

You’ll need to plan a few days ahe...

Meet this week's Sexuality Superhero, Renelle E. Nelson! As an infidelity and intimacy recovery strategist, Renelle is dedicated to helping couples reconnect over betrayal and other related traumas. Schedule your consultation today, or check out Renelle's online courses. But first, read her feature below.

How did you find yourself working in sexuality?

I found myself working in sexuality first when I was studying to be a licensed marriage and family therapist, and took a Sexuality class. It was so intriguing and I excelled in the class. My teacher pulled me to the side and invited me to look more in the field of Sexuality. She mentioned there were few women (African-American) in the field. It all made sense, when I was exploring my own sexuality I had so many questions but no one wanted to or had the education to assist me. So in all, I became who I am, and who the field needed.

What is the best part of the job?

The best part of my job is assisting women who felt they were broken a...

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Nikki DaVaughn joins Jess to share insights on Domination, dirty talk, fat sex and body confidence. We cover:

• Scripts you can use if you want to try being more Dominant with your lover.
• The difference between being a Dominant and a top; the difference between being a sub and a bottom.
• The language of fatness: plus-size vs curvy vs fat.
• How her mother’s voice offset the potential effects of a fat phobic and objectifying culture.
• Body positivity versus body neutrality.

Follow Fat Bottom Cabaret on Instagram and Facebook.

Follow Nikki on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

This podcast is brought to you by Desire Resorts.

If you’ve got questions or topic suggestions for the podcast, submit them here. As well, you can now record your messages for us! Please record your message/question in a quiet room and use your phone’s headphones with a built-in mic if possible.

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This morning, Jess sat down with Jeff and Carolyn on Global TV's The Morning Show to address viewer questions about relationships and ghosting. Check out what Jess has to say, see her expanded notes and video clip below.

I’m married and want to leave, because I’ve met someone else - my forever person - and we’ve already started making plans. When should I tell my husband? I think I should wait until everything is in place to tell my husband I’m leaving in order to avoid a blowup and months of fighting, but my friends say I should let him know earlier. Am I right or are they?

Do not ghost your husband. Unless you feel unsafe — for example, if you’re dealing with an abusive partner, you want to put your safety first — be transparent. Tell him now. If you’re making plans to leave — changing mail, financial account info or looking for a new place to live — your partner deserves to know.

You say you’re looking to avoid conflict, but I think you may be looking to avoid accountability. Thi...

Gary Chapman’s bestseller, The 5 Love Languages, suggests that each of us has a primary love language — words of affirmation, receiving gifts, acts of service, quality time or physical touch — and to improve emotional communication and connection, we need to learn to speak our partner’s language.

With the holidays upon us, understanding and catering to your partner’s love language can make gift-giving easier and more meaningful, so I’ve put together a brief gift guide for each of the love languages.

If your partner values words of affirmation, be sure to write a personalized card and consider a DIY gift. Last year, Rosedale resident Bruce made his wife a book of memories with photos and loving commentary from over thirty friends and family members. It’s no wonder they’ve been happily married for 37 years! If you didn’t plan ahead (Bruce’s book took four weeks to complete), consider the 21st century digital addendum to the words of affirmation love language: public declarations (my ad...

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Dr. Ava Cadell shares her journey from growing up in an orphanage and surviving assault to working as a nude model and becoming one of the most well-known sexologists in the world. Ava shares a wealth of information from her personal and professional journeys including:

• Exercises to heal from loss and self-hate
• How to find your own voice after trauma
• Strategies for loving yourself after the loss of a loved one
• Neuro-based exercises to break familiar patterns
• Strategies for improving body image and rewriting scripts about love, sex and intimacy
• The role of art therapy, empathy and meditation in healing
• Free resources for those dealing with grief, loss and shame

This podcast is brought to you by Desire Resorts.

If you’ve got questions or topic suggestions for the podcast, submit them here. As well, you can now record your messages for us! Please record your message/question in a quiet ro...

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Licensed therapist Carlos Cavazos is a firecracker and an incredible source of insights and easy-to-use advice for more fulfilling relationships and hotter sex. In this episode we discuss:

• How to take care of yourself first when you are accustomed to caring for others (personally and/or professionally)
• The difference between independence, inter-dependence, and co-dependence
• How to set healthy boundaries this holiday season
• How to overcome negative-filtering, so that you can be happier in love and life
• Exercises to support your mental health
• How to make the festive season kinky and have more exciting sex
• Sploshing and cake-sitting
• Adult baby diaper lovers (ABDL)
• How to reduce the stress of hyper-vigilance
• How to use Naughty and Nice lists to spice things up

Follow Carlos on Instagram, Youtube, & Twitter.

This podcast is brought to you by Desire Resorts.

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Is cuffing season a real thing? Jess joined Jeff and Carolyn this morning on Global TV’s The Morning Show to further discuss.

The desire to commit to a partner during the cooler months is reflected in the online dating data. One study found that there is an increase in searches related to dating in winter months with a peak in January. However, this pattern is cyclical with another peak during the summer. It’s notable that these search increases are not only related to relationships, but also to sex and porn, so it’s not necessarily a matter of cuffing per se.

The Facebook data with regard to relationship status also suggests net gains in the winter season at 34% more new relationships that breakups on December 25th, 28% more on December 24th and 29% more on February 14th.

Why might someone want to dive into a relationship in the Winter and avail themselves of commitment in the Spring?

Some theories suggest that it’s hormonal. It’s possible that as testosterone levels rise and s...

Say hello to this week's Sexuality Superhero, Linnea Marie! Linnea is a sex educator, speaker and reviewer of sex toys. She is based in the Pittsburgh area, but that doesn't stop her from spreading her sexual health knowledge about fellatio and female orgasm across North America! Get to know Linnea a little better by checking out her profile below.

How did you find yourself working in sexuality?

I was always that friend everyone went to for sex advice. I wasn't afraid to talk about it nor engage in the fun activities. I took Human Sexuality and Psychology courses in college, which really sparked my interest. It was during that time that I also experienced my first orgasm [my "ah ha" moment]! I was beyond upset that no one told me about that pleasure, so I decided to make it a mission to spread an educational awareness by talking about orgasms and other related topics. In 2011, I started selling sex toys and hosting private parties. I had a thirst for more knowledge so I continued to ...

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The Passion Interview is a tool used for couples to spark passion, improve understanding, and deepen intimacy. It’s designed to shift the conversation away from the mundane to the exploratory. Jess uses this exercise with couples in-session and in the 50 video online Master Class. In this week’s episode Jess and Brandon work through the questions together and discuss a range of topics: childhood memories, racial justice, privilege, the Obamas, retirement, routine, travel, regrets, physical affection and expressions of love.

You can download the passion interview here.

This podcast is brought to you by Desire Resorts.

If you’ve got questions or topic suggestions for the podcast, submit them here. As well, you can now record your messages for us! Please record your message/question in a quiet room and use your phone’s headphones with a built-in mic if possible.

And be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, ...