Let's Talk Intimacy (Page 7)

Amber Brooks

By: Amber Brooks

Editor: Lillian Castro

Updated:

Ahh, intimacy. The very heartbeat of relationships. Below, we explore not only the meaning but also the significance of intimacy in relationships.

Our goal is to educate readers on how to maintain, deepen, and rebuild emotional and physical closeness throughout the lifecyle of their relationship. And that includes trust building, bonding, and vulnerability.

Intimacy isn’t one-dimensional, meaning it isn’t just about sex. Our expert articles explore the many facets of intimacy, giving readers the tools to water and grow every part at every stage of their romantic partnership.

These articles focus on how partners can promote rapport to create secure, enduring bonds. Our content offers practical guidance to help couples put what they learn about intimacy into action and understand its role in improving connection.

Find that romantic spark and never let it burn out with the help of our guides. Our experts also offer tips about intimacy in the digital world, including hot topics like sexting and AI companionship.

225 Results

What Our Experts Say:

181.
I’m New to Intimacy. How Do I Approach This Situation?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I am a 25-year-old male dating a 29-year-old woman. I've never had a relationship in my life and am very new to intimacy. I really like this woman, but I fear that when it comes time for intimacy, especially sexual relations, she will be disappointed and this will end things. Do you have any advice on how I approach the situation? -Zach (Indiana) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Zach, To quote a...

Read More »
182.
My Girlfriend is Asexual. Am I Stupid for Being with Her?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: My girlfriend is asexual. We don't have sex and we don't kiss, which is completely fine. She has crushes on lots of people constantly. By crushes, she means her favorite people, which again is fine because they aren't romantic. I was the second person she met who defied that definition. The first person is the problem here. Since me and her got into this relationship, he's apparently stopped talking...

Read More »
183.
How to Play Sexual Baseball
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

If the words, "Did you get to second base?" have little to do with the major leagues and more to do with fond memories of high school dates, then you are old enough to know about sexual baseball. Back then, sex unfolded over weeks or months as young partners explored sexual boundaries and their own trust in a potential lover. Here's how it worked. For readers too young to remember, here's how sexual baseball...

Read More »
184.
I’m Used to Wild Sex. How Do I Bring it Up in a Relationship?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: My wife just passed early this year. We had a wild sex life. She would dress me in her clothes and lingerie. She would also tie me up, whip me and do me from behind. How weird is that, and do a lot of girls like doing it? How would I bring that up in a relationship? -Dustin (Utah) Dr. Wendy Walsh: Dustin, I’m so sorry to hear about your wife’s passing. It sounds like you are suffering a...

Read More »
185.
She Won’t Have Sex With Me Again. What Should I Do?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I’m a 54-year-old man, and I have been dating a 61-year-old woman for five months. After two months, we had sex. She told me we had to back up a few steps. She will not have sex with me now. What should I do? -Joe (Ohio) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Joe, you need to keep the conversation going. She can’t ask for a do-over unless she explains the motivation of the player. Was there a rule...

Read More »
186.
We Haven’t Kissed Yet. Would It Be Weird to Ask Her?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I want to have a first kiss with my girl, but I don't know if we're ready. We hug all the time, hold hands and tell each other we love each other, but we haven't kissed yet. Would it be weird if I asked her about it? -Matt (Georgia) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Matt: Not weird at all. I always say, if you can’t talk about sex (or any kind of sexual contact), then you have no business doing it....

Read More »
187.
Do Sexual Acts Need to Be Tit for Tat?
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

It’s an interesting question, but the real answer depends on your partner — and on you. Let me start out by saying that sex, like the relationship as a whole, has to involve roughly equal amounts of giving and taking from both sides. You both have to put just as much into it, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be the same things. As a woman, you most likely know what it’s like to feel like you are putting more...

Read More »
188.
How to Have Sex When You Live With Roommates
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

There are a few golden rules when it comes to gettin’ busy when you have roommates — that is, unless it’s your roommate you’re gettin’ busy with. All kidding aside, what’s a girl to do when her libido is fully charged and she’s got a man willing and able, but that pesky chick she lives with is always home? The following are some tips, tricks and tactics to having sex when you live with roommates. 1. The noise...

Read More »
189.
When to Start Getting More Intimate
Jonathan Welford

Jonathan Welford

When do you have sex for the first time with a new partner? This is a question that comes up, please excuse the pun, all so frequently. You've met a guy, gotten to know each other, chatted on the phone, exchanged emails, and perhaps even shared a drink together. You’ve decided to have an official date, so does this date end up with the two of you between the covers? You do like him and that sexual itch could...

Read More »
190.
3 Things Men Love About Senior Women
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

In 1971, a marketing campaign for Loving Care’s “Nice & Easy” hair color hit the airwaves with words for women that were worth millions of dollars in product sales: “You’re not getting older; you’re getting better.” The campaign was so successful and memorable not because it told older women what they wanted to hear, but because it struck a chord of truth that had been ignored for far too long. Until then,...

Read More »
191.
I’m a 19-Year-Old Virgin. Should I Wait for Someone I Care About?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I'm a 19-year-old female and still a virgin. I'm really worried about this. I feel like just losing it to anybody, but at the same time, I want to do it with someone I care about. I have guys who are interested in me, but I don’t feel the same way. I have done everything but intercourse and feel weird for still being a virgin. -Beth (London) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Kudos to you! It’s quite a...

Read More »
192.
How to Kiss for Senior Women
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

It’s one of the most glorious ways to pass the time, a true mind-blowing experience and one of the best bonding methods ever invented. Kissing is a very important part of every relationship, and the way you do it can make or break your chances with your new guy. You’ve done it a million times, but maybe it’s been a while and you just want to make sure your kissing style is going to please him. Like snowflakes, no...

Read More »
193.
How Can I Tell My Girlfriend She Doesn’t Kiss Well?
Bethany Heinesh

Bethany Heinesh

Unfortunately, women often miss the mark and lose the chance to exchange the kind of kiss that sparks a significant connection. Most of us are convinced we are good kissers — even if we’re not. (This is true for men too, of course!) It isn’t completely our fault, however. Usually, if we suck at kissing (no pun intended), our guy usually doesn’t have the cojones to tell us we’re no good in the make-out department...

Read More »
194.
He is Not Affectionate. Why Does He Act Like This?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: He is not affectionate and never kisses me. We have been together for five years on and off. In between, we dated others and we go back to each other. He does not talk about love or commitment but is always with me. I am holding back until I find somebody else. Why does he act like this? Is he emotionally unstable? -Marta (Virginia) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: It sounds like you two are...

Read More »
195.
I’m 38 and I’ve Never Had Sex. Can You Help Me?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Reader Question: I'm 38 years old and was wondering how to start an intimate relationship with a man when I've never had sex. I was sexually violated when I was in high school, and I still have trouble getting over being violated. Can you help me? -Candice (Canada) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Your pain is real and your fears warranted. I often say there are two kinds of fears: Irrational fears based on...

Read More »
196.
What Turns Women On?
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

Author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer Ian Fleming once said, "Men want a woman whom they can turn on and off like a light switch." Fleming is the creator of spy James Bond and "Bond Girls" like Honey Ryder, Domino, Jill Masterson, Vivienne Michel, Contessa Teresa "Tracy" di Vicenzo and, my personal favorite, Pussy Galore. If there is anyone who knows about turning a woman on, it’s James Bond....

Read More »
197.
What Are the Ground Rules for Friends With Benefits?
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

The number one ground rule for a woman in a "friends with benefits" situation is to pretend you are a man. Men are very good at separating the sexual act from feelings of intimacy and love, while women are more likely to feel an emotional bond with their physical lover. Don’t go into such an arrangement thinking, somewhere in the back of your mind, that you can leverage this sexual tryst into a loving...

Read More »
198.
How to Have an Exciting Sex Life After 50
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

Sex is a lifelong activity for both men and women. Don’t let any images from our youth-obsessed culture deter you from pursuing your birthright. If you have an able body and willing heart, follow your manly instincts and go for the gusto. There are always ways to have an exciting sex life after 50, so it's up to you to be aware of yourself and your partner. While it’s true the reality of aging does modify the way...

Read More »
199.
The Pros of Dating Long Distance
Sam Stieler

Sam Stieler

Discussions concerning long-distance dating almost always revolve around the potentially negative fallout of these admittedly challenging relationships. Yet long-distance relationships provide just as many benefits as points against. You simply need to dig a little deeper, and apply an unconventional outlook, to find the bright spots offered by dating from a distance. Healthy emotional connections require...

Read More »
200.
How to Be Romantic After 50
Sam Stieler

Sam Stieler

Does romance have an expiration date? Lots of older men find it difficult to continue feeling as passionate as they did when they were younger and resign themselves to believing those glory days are simply over. The good news is that this isn’t a permanent situation. You can regain those passionate feelings of youth once more. The bad news is that you’re going to need to put in a little work if you want to keep...

Read More »
201.
How Can I Get Her to Like Public Displays of Affection?
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

Public displays of affection are acts of physical intimacy in the view of others. This can range from a closed-mouth kiss between new husband and wife at the conclusion of a wedding to teenagers groping each other in a Brazilian nightclub. Whatever your definition of PDA, some people are comfortable with it and some are not. If you happen to be dating a woman who prefers to restrict intimacy to the bedroom, but...

Read More »
202.
If the Sex is Bad, Do I End the Relationship?
Nick Slade

Nick Slade

If the sex sucks but there is a genuine bond of friendship and compassion, keep working on it. When the sexual passion builds on the foundation of friendship, compassion and real caring for the other person, the relationship is almost always stronger than when the heat of passion leads the way and blinds you to the lack of depth in the underlying bond. Great sex is the cement that holds it all together, but it is...

Read More »
203.
How to Make Love
Lauren Hostert

Lauren Hostert

The word "sex" brings a lot of images to mind. Some of them raunchy, others from sixth grade health class, and maybe some from that HBO show that taught a generation what Furries are. A diverse pallet, certainly, but in some ways sex, be it risque, clinical or in a mascot suit, seems to omit one of the most wonderful parts about it — love. While the phrase "make love" sounds like it should have been left to the...

Read More »
204.
How to Find Time for Sex After Kids
Kara Pound

Kara Pound

As the mom of a three year old, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to find those intimate moments with your guy. Whether your little one’s in day care or you’re a stay-at-home mom, it’s not easy to find time for yourself — let alone time to nurture your sex life. There are diapers to change, runny noses to wipe, laundry to be done, dinner to be made, etc. Chances are, at the end of the day, you’re looking...

Read More »
205.
Fifty Shades of Grey – Yawn. Been There. Done That.
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

The American female population is still breathless over "Fifty Shades of Grey," the best selling trilogy of novels detailing an S&M (sadomasochism) sexual relationship. But I breezed through the simple book with a yawn. Not because I have experienced such a tangled and titillating sexual relationship in real life, but because, well, the whole scenario was rather textbook to me. Yes, I studied this stuff in...

Read More »
206.
3 Things You Should Know Before Sleeping with Her
Lauren Hostert

Lauren Hostert

A healthy sex life is massively important to any relationship but initially instigating it can be tricky. Women more so than men can feel pressured if they think sexual expectations are introduced too early in the relationship, but waiting runs the risk of her feeling like you aren't attracted to her. Here are a few suggestions to help you find the right balance between too soon and never. 1. Talk about it. If...

Read More »
207.
Does Great Sexual Chemistry Mean You Will Stay Together?
Dr. Wendy Walsh

Dr. Wendy Walsh

Bad news folks. Hot sex is one of the worst false advertisements out there. It gives new lovers the delusion that they have found the perfect relationship. When sex drives are in sync and dopamine is flooding through neurotransmitters, idealistic thoughts cloud judgments. Lovers can’t quite help but believe that this relationship will last forever. Within weeks women hear wedding bells and imagine a romantic...

Read More »
208.
How to Make Love: Sex Tips for Women
Sam Stieler

Sam Stieler

Sex is a delicate topic. If you want to know how to please your man beyond all reason, and if you aren’t scared of a little "real talk," then read on and learn why most sex tips for women never seem to deliver the goods. Your pleasure = his pleasure. What do men want most between the sheets? Is it a woman who has read every Cosmo article on how to please her man? Wrong. How about a woman who knows every...

Read More »
209.
How to Get a Girl to Have Sex
Lauren Hostert

Lauren Hostert

Sex. Doin' it. The beast with two backs. Whatever euphemism you choose, sex is a hugely important part of a relationship. Stereotypes might lead us to believe that instigating sex is typically a male role, but maybe your lady friend just isn't getting the right signals to let her inner vixen out. No one wants to feel like they're the one always cajoling their partner into sex, so here are a few tips to help you...

Read More »
210.
How to Bond with Your Girlfriend
Lauren Hostert

Lauren Hostert

While growing up, fairy tales can give us a distorted view of relationships. The prince and the princess leave the ball or hop into their magic pumpkin and ride away into the sunset. That's the end, the credits roll, and we never find out if Cinderella and her prince root for the same sports team. Sorry Prince Charming, but the difficult part of a relationship isn't getting the girl — it's what to do once you're...

Read More »
Amber Brooks

By: Amber Brooks

Editor-in-Chief

Amber Brooks is the Editor-in-Chief at DatingAdvice.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being "boy crazy," but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating and relationship expert. As an English major at the University of Florida, Amber honed her communication skills to write clearly, knowledgeably, and passionately about a variety of subjects. Now with over 1,800 lifestyle articles to her name, Amber brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to DatingAdvice.com. She has been quoted by the Washington Times, Cosmopolitan, The New York Post, and AskMen, among others.

See Amber's full bio »

Share the Knowledge!

Our dating experts work hard to show you the best dating sites. Want to show your appreciation? Share this page!