Rephonic
Artwork for The RISE to Intimacy Podcast
Attachment Theory
Nervous System Regulation
Polyamory
Emotional Regulation
Nervous System
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Sexual Desire
Communication
Artificial Intelligence In Dating
Trauma
Communication In Relationships
Social Conditioning
Performance Anxiety
Sexless Relationships
Consent
RISE Model (regulate, Illuminate, Strengthen, Empower)
People-Pleasing
Intimacy
Erectile Dysfunction
Non-Monogamy

If intimacy feels like pressure instead of pleasure, you're not alone - and there's a reason why.

Licensed sex and couples therapist Valerie McDonnell breaks down the real barriers to connection that most people don't even know exist. From performance anxiety and sexless relationships to attachment wounds and nervous system dysregulation, each episode teaches the same tools Valerie uses with priv... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes17Founded4 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Health & FitnessSociety & CultureSexualityRelationships

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The RISE to Intimacy Podcast

Latest Episodes

You've been in a sexless relationship for months, maybe years, and you have no idea where to begin to find your way back. You've read the books. You know what you're supposed to do differently. But nothing changes, and you can't help how you feel.

W... more

You're talking to your partner, and they glance at their phone or sigh at the wrong moment, and suddenly your whole body tenses up. Maybe you start yelling, or you shut down and want to get out of the room. Later, you're lying in bed replaying it, wo... more

Polyamory often gets framed as a mindset shift, a philosophical reimagining of love, freedom, and connection. But your nervous system doesn't care about your philosophy. It just knows your partner is with someone else, and your chest is tight, and yo... more

You may have had one big conversation about opening your relationship and assumed that was enough. Or you haven't been able to have the first one yet because you don't know how to start without derailing it before it goes anywhere. Either way, commun... more

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times

Host

Valerie McDonnell
Host of The Rise to Intimacy Podcast and licensed sex & couples therapist with private practice experience.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 13 ratings
  • Excellent and insightful with a practical approach!

    Amazing! Excellent and insightful with a practical approach!

    One of my big takeaways—how important emotional regulation is and the large impact it has in relationships.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    R in RVA
    United States2 months ago
  • Jabroni

    It was such a great and informative podcast I listen to it when I’m working out

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jabroniiiuu
    United States3 months ago
  • Great

    This is a good listen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Brodo beck
    United States3 months ago
  • Wow

    This is a really great podcast!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Yurt Colton
    United States3 months ago
  • Amazing!!!

    I have never really been big into podcasts, but this podcast has changed my mind about them. Everyone needs to listen !!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    logan martina
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Clear, compassionate, evidence-based guidance that fits real-life challenges.
Content is empowering and deeply actionable for improving relationships.
Excellent host presence and grounded approach to sensitive topics.
Loved the practical, step-by-step tools for managing nervous system responses.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How the RISE Model Moves You from Roommates to Teammates
Q: How do we prevent growing apart in a long-term relationship?
Empowerment means taking ownership of emotional and sexual wellbeing, creating shared agreements, and maintaining routines that sustain connection even during chaos, so you move from roommates to co‑creators of a lasting bond.
How the RISE Model Moves You from Roommates to Teammates
Q: How can we bring back passion when things feel routine or awkward?
Make passion an intentional practice: cultivate erotic maintenance, engage in playful, non-sexual closeness, learn your partner's body, and introduce novelty and flirting to keep the space alive.
How the RISE Model Moves You from Roommates to Teammates
Q: Why do I lose interest in sex even though I'm still attracted to my partner?
Desire is influenced by emotional connection and the environment you create together; increasing emotional safety, repairing after conflicts, and slowing down to explore erotic space helps rebuild arousal.
How the RISE Model Moves You from Roommates to Teammates
Q: How do I reconnect with my spouse when it feels like we're just roommates?
Start with regulate and small daily steps to regulate your nervous system, then illuminate by identifying patterns and communication gaps, and gradually introduce consistent, intimate routines that build emotional safety and a sense of teamwork.
How Erectile Dysfunction Is a Nervous System Response
Q: Did you feel comfortable at all trying to talk to your partner about it?
No, not one bit, because it always came back to the idea that she was unattractive or that there was something wrong with her.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The RISE to Intimacy Podcast

What is The RISE to Intimacy Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful show hosted by a licensed sex and couples therapist that consistently helps listeners understand the real barriers to intimacy. Across episodes, practical frameworks for nervous-system regulation, honest communication, and rebuilding desire are paired with actionable exercises and real-life client examples. Unique strengths include a trauma-informed approach, emphasis on ongoing relationship work (not one-off talks), and a proactive stance on emotional safety as the foundation for closeness. Potential listeners will likely appreciate evidence-based guidance for issues like low libido, sexless relationships, and attachment needs, delivered in a compassionate, pragmatic style.

Where can I find podcast stats for The RISE to Intimacy Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The RISE to Intimacy Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The RISE to Intimacy Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The RISE to Intimacy Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The RISE to Intimacy Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The RISE to Intimacy Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The RISE to Intimacy Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The RISE to Intimacy Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The RISE to Intimacy Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The RISE to Intimacy Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The RISE to Intimacy Podcast:

1. The Daily

How many episodes of The RISE to Intimacy Podcast are there?

The RISE to Intimacy Podcast launched 4 months ago and published 17 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The RISE to Intimacy Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The RISE to Intimacy Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The RISE to Intimacy Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The RISE to Intimacy Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The RISE to Intimacy Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days