What if the fastest path to honest intimacy starts with a character, a costume, and permission to play? We sit down with clinical sexologist and author Dr. Stephanie Hunter Jones to unpack how role play, cosplay, and power dynamics can help couples move beyond shame, reconnect with desire, and build durable trust. You’ll hear how stepping into a role creates enough distance from self-judgment to try new scripts, feel new sensations, and communicate needs without flinching.We talk through the nuts and bolts of power dynamics in long-term relationships and how they quietly shape arousal, initiation, and resentment. From sexual anorexia as a form of control to erectile dysfunction’s emotional roots, we explore the biology-psychology-relationship triad and offer practical next steps: assessment, slow experimentation, grounding exercises, and gentle, pressure-free touch. For listeners exploring open relationships, Stephanie outlines how to pace the transition with boundaries, check-ins, and a clear sense of why now. Along the way, we return to a core truth: penetration and orgasm are a small slice of intimacy. Play, curiosity, and self-worth do the heavy lifting. Connect with Stephanie’s work, including Beyond the Costume and resources at StephanieHunterJones.com, and remember—authenticity often starts with a little make-believe.Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review so more people can find frank, stigma-free sex and dating education.Send us a textSupport the showThanks for listening!Check out this site for everthing to know about women's pleasure including video tutorials and great suggestions for bedroom time!!https://for-goodness-sake-omgyes.sjv.io/c/5059274/1463336/17315Take the happiness quiz from Oprah and Arthur Brooks here: https://arthurbrooks.com/buildNEW: Subscribe monthly: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1805181/support Email questions/comments/feeback to [email protected] Website: https://straightfromthesourcesmouthpod.net/Instagram: @fromthesourcesmouth_franktalkTwitter: @tamarapodcastYouTube and IG: Tamara_Schoon_comic