Claim OwnershipCharting Toward Intimacy
Subscribed: 130Played: 4,091
Subscribe
© 2026 Charting Toward Intimacy
Description
Looking for answers to the questions you don't want to Google? Not sure where to get help when your sexual life is on the rocks and everything the secular culture has to offer is only making things worse? Welcome to Charting Toward Intimacy where you learn to actually enjoy and desire good, holy sex with your spouse.
Hosted by Ellen Holloway, Catholic Sex and Intimacy Coach.
268 Episodes
Reverse
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes challenge the belief that husbands should always be the pursuers in marriage and explain why wives are also called to pursue. They discuss the spiritual roots of this dynamic, the fear of rejection that can hold women back, and the resentment that often keeps intimacy stalled. ___________________________________ Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books! Reach out...
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway explores how to prevent scheduled sex from turning into checkbox sex. She breaks down the real reason scheduled intimacy can start to feel like a burden and teaches you how to rewire your mindset so that sex becomes something you joyfully anticipate. Using relatable analogies and spiritual reflection, Ellen offers practical tools to bring excitement, connection, and intentionality back into your intimate life. _________________...
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes explore the deep and often hidden impact of resentment in marriage. They discuss how unspoken feelings of unfairness and unmet expectations can slowly erode intimacy, especially in the bedroom. Through personal stories and spiritual insights, they reveal how resentment may be the true barrier to connection, not libido or effort. You’ll learn practical ways to root it out, start healing, and truly love both yours...
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway unpacks the moral and theological considerations of stopping sex due to pain. She explains why halting the act isn’t sinful when the intention was to complete it, and emphasizes the importance of addressing the root causes of painful sex. Ellen also discusses the pain-fear-tension cycle, the potential consequences of delaying a stop, and how healing involves both pelvic floor therapy and mindset work. __________________________...
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes unpack the spiritual battle at the heart of intimacy, the impact of Satan’s lies on couples striving for holiness, and why struggle may actually signal sanctity. The conversation includes practical encouragement, spiritual tools like the St. Michael Prayer, and the importance of inviting God into every part of your marriage. ___________________________________ Did we mention a book on this week's ep...
Join us in Want it and Enjoy it an 8 week group coaching program for Catholic women to reignite desire, pleasure, and joyful sex. Can't wait to see you inside! In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway explores why simply learning about intimacy doesn't automatically lead to change in your sex life. She explains how desire and pleasure are rooted in the nervous system, why emotional safety is essential, and how true transformation requires more than just information. Ellen a...
Join our email list and be the first to know about the new coaching program launching January 19, 2026. In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway addresses the common feeling of wanting to enjoy sex but not knowing how. She explores the physical, emotional, and mental roadblocks that prevent pleasure, from lack of arousal to Catholic guilt around desire. Ellen explains why pleasure is part of God’s design and not a selfish pursuit, and she offers practical steps to beg...
Make sure you're on our email list to be notified when the new program is available! In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway addresses one of the most common struggles Catholic wives face: not wanting sex. She explains the five most common desire blocks and how to identify which one may be affecting you. Ellen also teaches the three foundational pillars that create real, lasting sexual desire. If you've been stuck in cycles of obligation or shame, this episode offers a cle...
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes to explore the overwhelming experience of feeling "touched out." They dive into why this sensation happens, why husbands often don’t understand it, and how to clearly communicate your needs without causing disconnection. Practical tools like grounding techniques, body-awareness exercises, and the “10-minute unwind” are shared to help you shift from sensory overload to sexual readiness. ____________________...
In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway unpacks how disappointment can sabotage your sex life. She explores why unmet expectations, like not receiving the Christmas gift you hoped for, often lead to resentment and sexual withdrawal. Ellen offers practical mindset shifts and clear communication strategies to help you avoid turning sex into a transactional exchange. This episode equips you to protect intimacy in your marriage and show up fully, even when things don't go as p...
Please rate and review Charting Toward Intimacy on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes explore the common belief that NFP is the problem in Catholic marriages. They share personal experiences and discuss how the true issue is often a lack of non-sexual intimacy. The conversation offers practical tools for cultivating emotional closeness and connection outside the bedroom, helping couples reconnect and feel united, even d...
Please take a moment to rate and review Charting Toward Intimacy! It helps other women find the podcast and transform their marriages. In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway explores the Feast of the Immaculate Conception through a powerful and rarely considered lens: the sanctity of the sexual union that conceived Mary. She reflects on how Anne and Joachim’s openness to grace reveals God's profound affirmation of the dignity of sex within marriage. ________________...
Please rate and review Charting Toward Intimacy! It helps other women find the podcast and benefit from it! In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway dives into the damaging expectation that your husband should be able to read your mind (especially when it comes to emotional and sexual needs). She explores why this belief undermines true intimacy and reframes what genuine, loving actions look like in marriage. Ellen breaks down the importance of asking clearly for what you...
The course or guide mentioned in this episode is no longer sold, but the help you’re looking for is still available. If you want support improving your sex life while staying faithful to Catholic teaching, I invite you to explore Want It and Enjoy It, my current program for Catholic wives. In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes explore the difference between eroticism and holy sex, drawing insights from Dr. Gregory Popcak's book Holy Sex. They ...
The course or guide mentioned in this episode is no longer sold, but the help you’re looking for is still available. If you want support improving your sex life while staying faithful to Catholic teaching, I invite you to explore Want It and Enjoy It, my current program for Catholic wives. In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway dives into the struggle of making time for sex in the midst of a packed, modern-day schedule. She challenges the cultural norm of constant busynes...
The course or guide mentioned in this episode is no longer sold, but the help you’re looking for is still available. If you want support improving your sex life while staying faithful to Catholic teaching, I invite you to explore Want It and Enjoy It, my current program for Catholic wives. So many Catholic women secretly struggle with body image, but few realize how deeply it’s sabotaging their desire for intimacy. In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen unpack how negative thoughts about your bo...
When sex is completely off the table and there’s no end in sight, it can leave you feeling isolated, frustrated, and unsure of what God is doing in your marriage. In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway helps you understand how long term abstinence, whether from a high risk pregnancy, illness, or painful sex, can become an unexpected path to deeper connection. Learn how to find peace in God’s plan, grow closer to your husband without physical intimacy, and hold onto ...
The course or guide mentioned in this episode is no longer sold, but the help you’re looking for is still available. If you want support improving your sex life while staying faithful to Catholic teaching, I invite you to explore Want It and Enjoy It, my current program for Catholic wives. You’re married now, so why do you still feel guilty wearing that flattering dress? In this episode, Ellen and Kathleen talk about what modesty really looks like after marriage, how purity culture messages c...
The course or guide mentioned in this episode is no longer sold, but the help you’re looking for is still available. If you want support improving your sex life while staying faithful to Catholic teaching, I invite you to explore Want It and Enjoy It, my current program for Catholic wives. In this episode, Ellen Holloway talks about why so many Catholic women struggle with sexual desire and what to do about it. She explains the difference between spontaneous and responsive desire and how un...
The course or guide mentioned in this episode is no longer sold, but the help you’re looking for is still available. If you want support improving your sex life while staying faithful to Catholic teaching, I invite you to explore Want It and Enjoy It, my current program for Catholic wives. Sex is messy, and that is completely normal. In this episode of Charting Toward Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and co-host Kathleen Chovanes get super practical about what to do after sex. From preventing UTIs, m...
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States