Advertise on podcast: Better Loving, by Laura Ellen

Work with Laura: https://laura-ellen.com/contact Work with Sancya: https://www.pathoftherose.com/We’ve all been told to “trust our gut” but sometimes that’s the very thing blocking us from the true creative power of our intuition. In this episode, Laura & Sancya explore intuition as a vital sense perception. An instinctive human experience rooted in our ability to feel, discern and relate with the world inside and around us. We unpack the difference between intuition and emotion, exploring anxiety, nervous system states, and psychological protections, and why meeting those parts matters in order to have a clear intuitive channel. We look at how intuition is shaped by both personal and collective conditioning, translated through the body, and starved or fed depending on how much trust we have in the unknown. And we discuss why deep listening isn’t just an individual skill, but part of belonging to a responsive web of life that we’re all co-creating with, now matter where or who we are. You can train your intuition like a muscle. You can revive it, refine it, reclaim it. We share practical examples of how to do this, so you can start today. As always, take what resonates. Leave the rest. »»»»» Listen on Spotify »»»»» Listen on Apple Podcasts With love, Laura Ellen & Sancy Luz ***This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to seek appropriate support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

I’ll be brief today because it’s assignment season and all of my writing eggs are going into the uni basket. This episode is for anyone who feels like something is missing in their intimacy, who struggles with body image, and wants to form a sexual self-identity that feels… Free. I share some insights on how to cultivate the confidence you need to be yourself in intimate contexts, and connect to the parts of you that feel like they can’t. This will be helpful for you if: * You struggle to speak up during sex * Identify with the people pleaser archetype * Hide your body during sex * Feel disappointed or defeated after sex (even if it was good) As always, take what resonates. Leave the rest. »»»»» Listen on Spotify »»»»» Listen on Apple Podcasts With love, Laura Ellen This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

Links & Resources: Work with Laura: https://laura-ellen.com/contact About Laura: https://laura-ellen.com/about Subscribe to Substack: https://substack.com/@bylauraellen? Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7CQmZy8qRGBKGAaUcBCRXw Episode Summary: This episode sits alongside a personal reflection on creativity, confidence, and the quiet ways we move away from our own voice within sexual and relational contexts. I speak into the fear of being too expressive, too intuitive, or too unconventional, and how that can soften confidence over time. This is a grounded reflection on returning to creative self-trust, allowing space for imperfection, and reconnecting with a more natural and self-led way of speaking, creating, and being seen. Key Topics: The impact of using AI on creative expression and self-trust The difference between sounding confident and feeling connected to your voice Fear of being perceived as too spiritual, emotional, or unconventional The tension between academic validation and embodied knowing Reconnecting with intuitive expression and creative autonomy Letting go of perfection and allowing more honest, in-process work Building confidence through self-acceptance and lived experience Disclaimer This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

Links & Resources: Work with Laura: https://laura-ellen.com/contact About Laura: https://laura-ellen.com/about Subscribe to Substack: https://substack.com/@bylauraellen? Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7CQmZy8qRGBKGAaUcBCRXw Episode Summary: This episode explores the impact of mismatched libido and sexual rejection on our sense of self and erotic vitality. I reflect on what happens when our desire isn’t met by a partner, how repeated experiences of being turned down can quietly erode confidence and the freedom to express sexuality, and how subtle self-silencing can affect our overall sense of aliveness. I focus on understanding what sexual rejection can mean psychologically, how it interacts with our own sense of enoughness, and how to stay connected to pleasure, desire, and sexual self-identity while honoring differences in arousal, history, and rhythm between partners. This episode is about holding space for our own vitality without trying to fix or change the other person. Key Topics Covered: How repeated sexual rejection can impact confidence and erotic vitality The ways self-silencing develops when desire isn’t reciprocated Understanding differences in sexual rhythm, history, and arousal between partners Maintaining connection to your sexual self-identity despite mismatch Reflecting on what sexual rejection means psychologically and emotionally Practicing enoughness and presence with your own desire Disclaimer This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

Links & Resources: Work with Laura: https://laura-ellen.com/contact About Laura: https://laura-ellen.com/about Subscribe to Substack: https://substack.com/@bylauraellen? Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7CQmZy8qRGBKGAaUcBCRXw Episode Summary: Switching off at the end of a full day and moving into intimacy can feel harder than we admit. In this episode, I explore why sex is not inherently relaxing and how nervous system state, relationship context, and the pace of modern life all shape our capacity for arousal. We unpack the difference between spontaneous and responsive desire, and how cultural messaging can quietly create pressure on bodies to respond in ways that are not authentic. I speak to the moments of contraction, resistance, or bracing that arise when initiation lands at the wrong time, and how meeting those moments honestly can build deeper confidence and connection. This conversation supports you to honour your arousal system, communicate from integrity, and allow pleasure to arrive at a pace that feels true to your body. Key Topics Covered: Why sex is not automatically relaxing and how nervous system state influences readiness The impact of stress, unresolved tension, and daily demands on sexual connection Spontaneous and responsive desire and how each functions in real bodies Cultural expectations shaped by media and how they influence sexual pressure Noticing contraction, bracing, or resistance during initiation and what that means Building confidence through honest communication in moments of discomfort Moving beyond chemistry and newness to cultivate authentic, sustainable intimacy Supporting pleasure to unfold organically rather than rushing the experience Disclaimer This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

Links & Resources: Work with Laura: https://laura-ellen.com/contact About Laura: https://laura-ellen.com/about Subscribe to Substack: https://substack.com/@bylauraellen? Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7CQmZy8qRGBKGAaUcBCRXw Episode Summary: This episode explores the often unspoken reality of pain, numbness, and pressure in women’s sexual experiences. Drawing on clinical insight and research, including findings from OMGYes that one in four women experience pain during sex, I speak to the layers of shame, bracing, and self-judgement that many women carry behind closed doors. We unpack the psychodynamics and somatics of painful sex, including overwhelm, lack of safety, medical trauma, post-birth changes, heartbreak, and disembodiment. This conversation offers practical and compassionate tools for creating sexual contexts grounded in safety, attunement, and responsive desire. Designed with female bodies in mind, this episode will also support partners who want to better understand the pace and conditions that allow pleasure to unfold organically. Key Topics Covered: The prevalence of pain during sex and the impact on confidence and self-worth Shame, bracing, freezing, and fawning in intimate moments The nervous system responses that can shape sexual experiences Medical trauma, post-birth changes, heartbreak, and disembodiment Responsive desire and the importance of attuned, female-centered touch Creating safety as the foundation for genuine pleasure Practical tools for building a sexual context that supports your body Supporting a partner with patience, attunement, and care Disclaimer This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

Links & Resources: Work with Laura About Laura Subscribe to Substack Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here. Episode Summary: In this episode, I explore long term love beyond the pressure to perform wellness, growth, or relationship mastery. We look at how modern ideas of conscious partnership can quietly create shame when relationships become ordinary, familiar, or less charged than they once were. I reflect on the emotional and somatic realities of staying with the same person over time, including boredom, irritation, longing, and the softening of passion. Drawing on different relational perspectives, including Esther Perel’s work and more devotion oriented views of intimacy, this conversation invites a gentler, more humane understanding of love as something that deepens through repetition, shared reality, and presence inside everyday life. Key Topics Covered: The pressure to perform emotional and relational maturity How wellness culture can impact intimacy and self perception Normalising triggers, boredom, and repetition in long term relationships The transition from novelty into familiarity and depth Desire, security, and intimacy over time Working with autopilot and presence in daily relating Holding individuality and togetherness in partnership Staying connected to erotic aliveness within yourself Finding intimacy inside ordinary life Disclaimer This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bylauraellen.substack.com This episode is exclusive to monthly and annual subscribers. Join to access all Q&A episodes, monthly experiential workshops, and personal essays here. Links & Resources: Work with Laura About Laura Subscribe to Substack Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here. Episode Summary: In this episode, I explore why we often find ourselves drawn to relationships that feel intense, exhausting, or familiar in ways that don’t serve us. Even when we know what we want, have done the work of self-awareness, and see the patterns clearly, our bodies can pull us toward dynamics that feel irresistible but stressful. I discuss how our nervous systems shape our attraction, why calm and safety can feel unfamiliar, and the ongoing practice it takes to reorient toward relationships that actually support ease, connection, and wellbeing. This is a reflection on the interplay between mind, body, and attachment, and an invitation to notice what your nervous system is truly drawn to. Key Topics Covered: How familiar patterns of intensity show up in relationships Why cognitive awareness is not always enough to change choices The role of the nervous system in attraction and relationship dynamics Understanding why safety and ease can feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable The practice of re-orienting toward calmer, more supportive connections Learning to feel at ease within a secure baseline Insights into choosing relationships that nurture rather than drain Disclaimer This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved.

Links & Resources: Work with Laura About Laura Subscribe to Substack Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here. Episode Summary: Starting to date again can feel exciting and unsettling at the same time. In this episode, I explore the subtle tension your body might feel when stepping into the dating world, whether fresh out of a relationship, enjoying single life, or seeking something more meaningful. I discuss why self-trust is the foundation for choosing well, and how to cultivate the ability to say no, walk away from what doesn’t feel right, and enjoy connection without guilt or compromise. Drawing on clinical insights, personal experience, and what I’ve learned from working with clients, I offer practical tools to help you feel embodied safety, clarity, and confidence as you navigate relationships. Key Topics Covered: Recognising the body’s subtle signals of caution and readiness in dating How cultural pressures, apps, and past disappointments shape nervous system responses Why self-trust is essential for dating well Strategies to build walk-away power and make choices that feel right in your body Enjoying connection without guilt or compromise Creating safety, clarity, and confidence as you navigate relationships Disclaimer This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected] © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

Links & Resources: - Work with Laura - About Laura - Subscribe to the Better Loving Substack - Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here. Episode Summary: In this episode of Better Loving, Laura Ellen explores the shift from performative sexuality—shaped by validation, approval, and desirability—to mature sexual power rooted in self-connection, presence, and authenticity. Laura unpacks how performative patterns show up in subtle ways, including faking enjoyment, over-accommodating, or shaping desire around external response, and reflects on how these dynamics impact intimacy and self-worth. Through personal insight, reflection questions, and micro-practices, this episode invites listeners to relate to their sexuality as a source of inner authority and embodied confidence rather than something to prove or exchange. Key Topics: - Sexual maturity and inner authority - Desire rooted in presence, not performance - Sexual identity beyond validation - Pleasure without agenda or outcome - Erotic self-connection and dignity - Authentic intimacy and mutuality - Self-worth beyond desirability - Non-transactional sexual relating - Embodied confidence and relational clarity - Healthy boundaries and conscious sexuality Chapters & Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction: The Power of Sexuality 00:40 Performative Sexuality vs. Mature Sexual Power 01:36 Understanding Performative Traps 08:20 Reflection Questions and Practices 11:46 Embracing Erotic Integrity 19:36 Final Thoughts and Invitation Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

Links & Resources: About Laura Work with Laura Subscribe to Substack Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here. Episode Summary: Starting again isn’t triumphant for me, it’s tender, resistant, and quietly/very confronting. In this episode, I reflect on what it’s been like to return to public creation after three years of choosing privacy, growth, and a life lived largely off the internet. Responding to your AMA questions, I share why I stepped away, what I had to let go of, and how I’m learning to hold creativity, visibility, and integrity without self-abandonment. This is a conversation about shame, courage, and allowing ourselves to be seen again. Key Topics: - Resistance, fear, and desire when starting again - Life beyond internet attention and external validation - Why I stepped away — and what that time made possible - Integrating growth through action, not just insight - Holding both visibility and integrity as a therapist - Reclaiming creativity without shame - The courage it takes to be seen Disclaimer This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

Links & Resources: Work with Laura Subscribe to Substack Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here. Episode Summary:Cue that moment when you realise you might actually be the common denominator in your relationships. This episode dives into why we lose our power when we stay stuck in victim mentality, drama cycles, and blame, and how embracing radical self-responsibility and self-ownership can transform the way you relate to others. I explore the importance of healthy boundaries, secure attachment, and releasing anger and resentment, offering insights into how owning your 50% can unlock more empowered, authentic relationships across friends, family, money, and lovers. Key Topics: Victim mentality and its impact on personal power Recognising drama cycles in relationships Radical self-responsibility and self-ownership Healthy relationships and secure attachment Releasing anger and resentment Setting and maintaining boundaries Ending blame and reclaiming your power Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

Links & Resources: Work with Laura Subscribe to Substack Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here. Episode Summary: Sexual energy is more than something to discharge or “get over with.” In this episode, Laura explores sexual energy as a vital life force—one that can either deplete us or actively nourish our creativity, confidence, and capacity to take meaningful action. Drawing from embodied wisdom and reflective inquiry, this conversation invites listeners to become more conscious of how they relate to arousal, desire, and pleasure, and how that energy can be intentionally directed toward connection, self-trust, creative expression, and personal power. This episode is an invitation to relate to sexuality with greater awareness, agency, and depth. Key Topics Covered: Depletive sex versus nourishing sex Sexual energy as a creative and life-enhancing force Mindfully choosing where and how you invest your sexual energy Sexuality beyond performance or release Cultivating power, vitality, and embodied confidence Using arousal as fuel for creativity, clarity, and bold action Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

Links & Resources: Work with Laura Subscribe to Substack Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here. Episode Summary: In this episode, we explore the question many people quietly live inside of: Should I stay, or should I go? Rather than offering a definitive answer, this conversation invites deeper self-responsibility around indecision, ambivalence, and commitment in intimate relationships. We look at how lack of clarity erodes connection, how toxic dynamics are co-created, and what it actually takes to relate from a secure, conscious place. This episode supports listeners to slow down, ask better questions, and discern whether they are choosing from fear, habit, or genuine devotion—before making life-altering relationship decisions. Key Topics Covered: Conscious relating and secure attachment Indecision, ambivalence, and the cost of not choosing Toxic relationship dynamics and shared responsibility Devotional love, commitment, and emotional maturity Conflict, blame, and drama cycles Trying to change your partner vs accepting reality Compromise vs self-abandonment Consenting vs accommodating Knowing when to stay, when to leave, and how to tell the difference Breakup realities and relational discernment Better questions to ask yourself before ending (or deepening) a relationship Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe

Links & Resources: Work with Laura Subscribe to Substack Music by PIANIKA, a New Zealand based producer, creating capsules of sound and energy. Listen here. Episode Summary: This episode explores what it really takes to move beyond performative sexuality and into a sex life—and sense of self—that feels authentic, embodied, and fulfilling. We look at how body confidence, anxious attachment, shame, and inherited sexual narratives can quietly shape how we show up in intimacy, often keeping us disconnected from our power and desire. Through honest reflection and practical insight, this conversation invites listeners to reclaim their sexuality as a place of agency, self-trust, and self-discovery—where sex works for you, not against you, and where being fully yourself is no longer negotiable. Key Topics Covered: Body confidence and sexual self-trust Anxious attachment and how it shows up in intimacy Releasing shame-based sexual conditioning Moving out of fear and into personal power Authentic self-expression in relationships and sex Intentional, pleasure-led sexuality Accessing deeper, instinctual (primal) states safely Courage, rejection, and self-ownership Sexual fulfillment beyond external validation Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for general educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for individual mental health care. The topics discussed are broad in nature and cannot account for individual circumstances or nuance. Listeners are encouraged to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and seek appropriate professional support where needed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected]. © Laura Ellen. All rights reserved. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bylauraellen.substack.com/subscribe