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Fostering Emotional & Physical Intimacy
Elizabeth Fedrick
May 29, 2024
Tips from Dr. Liz
One of the most common barriers so many couples face… That dreaded lack of intimacy. But what a lot of people don’t realize… is that this is often the result of a lack of safety and emotional connection… not necessarily due to a lack of lust or chemistry (though this can certainly play a role). You see, there is a direct correlation between emotional and physical intimacy… |  |
So, when one is lacking in either quantity or quality… the other one frequently suffers as well.
Often one partner struggles to feel connected because of a lack of emotional intimacy… and the other partner struggles to feel connected due to a lack of physical intimacy.
And so, they end up in this vicious cycle where each partner is so focused on what they are not receiving… that they don’t stop to consider what they are also not providing.
This lack of consideration for your partner’s intimacy needs (whether emotional, physical, or both)… often contributes to your partner also struggling to show up for your intimacy needs.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with desiring any type of intimacy from your partner… but what is important to realize is that intimacy is defined as a sense of closeness, connection, and safety.
It is really hard to want to be intimate in any way with someone who we do not feel safe with or close to.
Recognizing how these two types of intimacy are so deeply intertwined… allows you to become aware of what efforts need to be put into creating more safety and connection…
Which ultimately helps you to work towards fostering deep and sustainable physical and emotional intimacy.
Recommended Resource
We’re Not Really Strangers, Couples Edition
How well do you know your partner? How well do they know you? The Couples Edition of the We’re Not Really Strangers card game digs even deeper with over 100 questions and three carefully crafted levels of questions and wildcards. Whether you just made it official, or you’ve been together forever, this edition is meant to show how well you already know each other and reveal the layers you never knew existed.
Click the button below to buy now!
Relatable | Relationships Unfiltered Episode 37
Dr. Liz hangs out with Whitni Miller, Pleasure Coach, to break down the five types of intimacy. Dr. Liz and Whitni discuss emotional, physical, intellectual, experiential, and spiritual intimacy, including what each type of intimacy consists of and different ideas about how to engage in each. They explore the importance of having various types of intimacy in your relationship to create the highest levels of closeness and connection. Dr. Liz and Whitni also get very relatable by sharing about their own favorite types of intimacy.