Teaching Consent to Kids: The Book List for Every Age (Plus Adults)

by Uncategorized
Consent Books for Kids and Adults

Teaching Consent to Kids: The Book List for Every Age (Plus Adults)

If you’re wondering how to teach consent to your kids—or realizing you never learned it yourself—you’re not alone.

Most of us weren’t taught true embodied consent growing up. We learned to hug relatives whether we wanted to or not. We learned that other people’s comfort mattered more than our body’s signals. We learned to override our “no” to be polite.

And now we’re parenting a generation that deserves better.

Teaching consent early isn’t just about preventing harm—though it does that. It’s about raising kids who:

  • Listen to their body’s signals instead of overriding them
  • Respect other people’s boundaries automatically
  • Communicate clearly about what they want and don’t want
  • Grow into adults who practice healthy, enthusiastic consent

This matters for desire gaps too. When adults struggle with mismatched desire in relationships, it’s often because we never learned embodied consent—how to say no without guilt, how to say yes with real enthusiasm, how to respect our partner’s boundaries without taking it personally.

If you’re teaching your kids consent while navigating a desire discrepancy yourself, you’re doing double duty: breaking the cycle for them AND learning it yourself.

How to Use This List

For parents: Choose books appropriate for your child’s age and read them together. Use them as conversation starters. Model the principles in your daily interactions.

For adults who never learned this: I strongly recommend reading The Art of Receiving and Giving by Dr. Betty Martin, plus the teen books listed below. They explain consent, boundaries, and body autonomy in clear, accessible language—exactly what many of us missed growing up.

Note: These books focus on body autonomy, boundaries, safe touch, and consent education. They’re written for different developmental stages and cover everything from “you get to choose who touches you” to comprehensive guides on relationships, sexuality, and consent.

Consent Books for Kids – By Age

For Toddlers and Preschoolers (Ages 2-5)

Focus: Body awareness, personal boundaries, and understanding that their bodies belong to them

  • C is for Consent by Eleanor Morrison (Ages 3-5) – A simple introduction to asking for permission and body autonomy
  • Will Ladybug Hug? by Hilary Leung (Baby-Preschool) – A board book about asking friends if they want to hug or do something else
  • Yes! No!: A First Conversation About Consent by Megan Madison – Simple language and illustrations to teach personal boundaries
  • My Body! What I Say Goes! by Jayneen Sanders – Teaches body safety, safe/unsafe touch, and the power of saying “no”
  • Don’t Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller – Emphasizes asking for permission before touching
  • No Means No! by Jayneen Sanders – About an empowered girl who uses her voice to set boundaries
  • Bodies Are Cool by Tyler Feder – Celebrates body diversity and self-acceptance

For Early School Age (Ages 5-8)

Focus: Relationships, feelings, safe touch, and personal space

  • Don’t Hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It) by Carrie Finison – A fun story about respecting personal preferences for physical touch
  • Let’s Talk About Body Boundaries, Consent and Respect by Jayneen Sanders – Understanding personal space and consent
  • Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson – Teaches that not everyone enjoys the same kind of affection
  • Miles Is the Boss of His Body by Samantha Kurtzman-Counter – Explores personal safety and boundaries
  • The Every Body Book by Rachel Simon – A comprehensive, LGBTQ+ inclusive guide to bodies and sex

For Tweens and Teens (Ages 9+)

Focus: Puberty, sexual health, and navigating relationships with respect

  • Consent (for Kids!) by Rachel Brian – Comic-book style guide to boundaries and respect for elementary/middle schoolers
  • Sex Is a Funny Word: A Book About Bodies, Feelings, and You by Cory Silverberg – Comprehensive, inclusive book about sex and bodies
  • It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health by Robie H. Harris – Classic, comprehensive guide for preteens and teens
  • A Quick & Easy Guide to Consent by Isabella Rotman & Luke Howard – Graphic novel approach to navigating consent in relationships
  • Wait, What?: A Comic Book Guide to Relationships, Bodies, and Growing Up by Heather Corinna & Isabella Rotman – For preteens and young teens
  • The Big Questions Book of Sex and Consent by Donna Freitas – Covers consent, LGBTQ+ identities, and sexuality (5th grade and up)
  • Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan – Candid, inclusive guide for teens

For Older Teens (Ages 12+)

Focus: Sexual assault awareness, rape culture, navigating complex consent scenarios, and activism

  • Real Talk About Sex and Consent: What Every Teen Needs to Know by Cheryl M. Bradshaw – A conversational guide to the legal, emotional, social, and physical aspects of consent, showing that this issue is more complicated than just “yes” or “no”
  • In Case You’re Curious: Questions About Sex From Young People With Answers From the Experts by Molly Alderton – An inclusive, down-to-earth guide to sexuality, safety, and consent from the experts at Planned Parenthood
  • You Too? 25 Voices Share Their #MeToo Stories – Twenty-five real stories from different perspectives, all sharing the common thread of sexual harassment and assault
  • Be Strong, Be Wise: The Young Adult’s Guide to Sexual Assault and Personal Safety by Amy R. Carpenter – Psychotherapist and trauma expert Amy Carpenter provides information young people need to keep themselves safe while still having fun
  • No More Excuses: Dismantling Rape Culture by Amber J. Keyser – A thoroughly researched yet passionate guide to the state of rape culture and what individuals and society can do about it

For Adults

Focus: Learning consent skills you never got, understanding giving and receiving dynamics

If you’re realizing you never learned true embodied consent yourself, start here:

  • The Art of Receiving and Giving: The Wheel of Consent by Dr. Betty Martin – This book completely changed how I understand consent. Betty breaks down the difference between giving what YOU want to give versus giving what you think you should give, and receiving what you actually want versus what you think you’re supposed to want. If you struggle with people-pleasing, guilt around saying no, or feeling disconnected from your own desires in touch and intimacy, this book gives you a framework to practice something different. It’s based on touch exercises but applies to all consent dynamics in relationships.

Note for adults: Many of the teen books listed above are also excellent for adults who never received comprehensive consent education. I particularly recommend Real Talk About Sex and Consent, In Case You’re Curious, and Let’s Talk About It for clear, accessible explanations of concepts you may have missed.

Why Embodied Consent Matters

Most consent education focuses on asking and getting a “yes.” That’s important—but it’s not enough.

Embodied consent means:

  • Checking in with what your BODY wants, not just what you think you should want
  • Learning to notice your body’s signals instead of overriding them
  • Practicing saying no without guilt and yes with real enthusiasm
  • Respecting that everyone’s body autonomy is more important than anyone’s desire for affection

This is what most of us never learned. And it’s why so many adults struggle with desire discrepancies, people-pleasing, and disconnection in relationships.

You can’t teach what you don’t practice.

If you’re saying yes to sex you don’t want, or sulking when your partner says no, or forcing your kids to hug relatives—your kids are learning those patterns from you.

The good news? You can learn embodied consent at any age. And when you do, everything changes—for you AND for what your kids learn.

Need Help Learning This Yourself?

If you’re realizing you don’t actually know how to practice embodied consent in your own relationship—you’re not alone.

I work with couples navigating desire discrepancies using somatic, body-based methods. I teach embodied consent: moving from knowing intellectually to actually practicing it in your body and relationship.

When you’re ready: Book a free consultation

Related Resources

Share This Resource

Know a parent who could use this list? Share this page with them. Teaching consent to the next generation starts with us learning it ourselves.

Why Do I Want Sex So Much (Or So Little)? Understanding Your Desire

by Uncategorized

If you’re dealing with a desire discrepancy, you probably think you know what you want: more sex, or less sex.

But here’s what I’ve learned after years of working with couples—there’s so much more under the surface. And that information is gold for figuring out the way forward together.

Most higher-desire partners think they just want sex. Most lower-desire partners think they just don’t want sex. But when I start asking deeper questions, what emerges is so much more nuanced, so much more useful, and so much more addressable than “I want it” or “I don’t want it.”

So as we head into a new year, I want to walk you through the questions both partners need to ask themselves. These aren’t the end of your exploration—they’re the starting point. But they’re powerful starting points that can shift everything.

Special Note: Some of the questions that I’m starting with here – “What do you want when you do want sex?” and “What do you not want when you don’t want sex?” – are highlighted in the wonderful Emily Nagoski’s latest book, Come Together: The Science (and Art!) of Creating Lasting Sexual Connections. I highly recommend it—Emily’s work is de-shaming, science-based, and genuinely helpful. It won’t solve your desire gap on its own, but it’s a valuable addition as you do the deeper work, and will give you some great perspective. 

If you’re working with a good coach or therapist, they are always going to ask some version of these questions. It’s because we know that helping you dig deeper into what YOU, as the unique individual you are, actually want, beyond orgasm is critical.

Seriously, these questions are KEY. What you actually are seeking in desire (or lack of it) has so many layers. Truly understanding the deeper layers of what you want or don’t want is absolutely fundamental to having a great sex life. Chances are you’ll need professional support to uncover all of those layers, but the questions here will get you started if you really take the time to reflect. 

For Higher-Desire Partners: What Do You Really Want When You Want Sex?

If you’re the higher-desire partner, I want you to pause and really think about this. When you want sex, what are you actually wanting?

And before you answer “sex” or “an orgasm,” let me push you further. Because here’s the thing: if all you wanted was an orgasm, you could take care of that yourself. So what is it you’re really seeking?

The Questions to Explore

Are you seeking to feel wanted or desired?

Is it the validation that your partner finds you attractive? Is the wanting itself what you’re craving—the feeling of being pursued, needed, chosen? For many people, the desire to be desired is actually stronger than the desire for the physical act itself.

Are you trying to feel worthy or loved?

Have you tied your sense of worthiness to whether your partner wants to have sex with you? Is sex the primary way you know you’re loved? If your partner says yes to sex, does it mean you’re valuable? If they say no, does it mean you’re not?

This is really common, and it puts enormous pressure on both of you. Your worth as a human being cannot hinge on whether your partner wants sex in any given moment.

Are you using sex for emotional regulation?

Are you using sex to manage stress, anxiety, or difficult emotions? Is it a distraction from worries or feelings you don’t want to deal with? Do you feel calmer, more grounded, more settled after sex?

There’s nothing inherently wrong with this—sex can be soothing and connecting. But if it’s your only or primary tool for managing difficult emotions, that’s a problem. Your partner will feel the weight of being responsible for your emotional well-being, and that pressure kills desire.

Are you seeking reassurance that your relationship is okay?

When your partner says yes to sex, does it mean everything is fine between you? When they say no, does it trigger panic that the relationship is failing? Are you using sex as a barometer for relationship health?

If sex is your primary measure of whether things are okay, every “no” becomes an existential threat. And that creates massive pressure for your partner to say yes just to keep you from spiraling.

Are you craving physical sensation and connection?

Do you genuinely crave the feeling of someone else’s skin on yours? The physical closeness, the touch, the intimacy of bodies together? Is it about sharing pleasure, experiencing sensation, feeling connected through your body?

Is it about expressing or receiving love?

Is sex how you show love or how you feel most loved? Is it your primary love language? When you’re having sex with your partner, do you feel like you’re giving them a gift of love, or receiving one?

Why This Matters

Once you know what you’re really seeking, two important things happen:

  1. You can find other ways to meet that need when sex isn’t available.

If you need reassurance, you can ask for it directly: “I’m feeling disconnected—can we talk?” If you need physical touch, you can ask for non-sexual affection. If you need to feel desired, you can explore what else makes you feel that way—compliments, eye contact, your partner initiating conversation or dates.

  1. You understand the pressure you might be putting on your partner.

If you’re using sex to manage your anxiety, your partner feels that. If you can’t feel worthy or loved any other way, that’s a lot of responsibility to put on someone else’s libido. Many people don’t want to have sex with someone who needs it for emotional regulation or validation—it feels like too much pressure, like their body has to be a tool for someone else’s well-being.

I’m not saying these needs are wrong. They’re human. But if sex is the ONLY way you’re meeting these needs, that’s a problem for both you and your partner.

Your Action Step

Sit with this question: What do I really want when I want sex?

Get out a piece of paper or open a notes app. Write down everything that comes up. Be honest. Don’t judge yourself. Just get curious.

You might discover:

  • “I want to feel like my partner still finds me attractive”
  • “I want reassurance that we’re okay”
  • “I want to feel calm and grounded”
  • “I want to connect and feel close”
  • “I want to feel desired and pursued”

All of these are valid. The goal is just to know what’s really driving your desire so you can work with it consciously instead of unconsciously putting pressure on your partner.

For Lower-Desire Partners: What Are You Really Trying to Avoid?

Now, if you’re the lower-desire partner, understanding what you want and what you don’t want is equally important. It’s essential to know what you DO want when you actually do want sex. So ask yourself all the same questions above. But for you, we also really want to know this: What are you trying to avoid when you don’t want sex?

This is where the gold is. Because most people focus on “why don’t I want sex?” But that’s often the wrong question. The better question is: “What is it about sex—or the context around sex—that I don’t want?”

The Questions to Explore

Are you avoiding specific physical sensations?

Which sensations specifically? Penetration? Certain kinds of touch? Speed? Pressure? Does something hurt? Feel uncomfortable? Overwhelming? Boring?

Have you actually tuned in to what your body is experiencing during sex, or are you just checked out? Many people have been having sex while dissociated for so long that they don’t even know what they’re actually feeling.

Are memories intruding?

Do past experiences come up during sex? Are there associations with sex that feel unsafe or uncomfortable? Does sex trigger anxiety or trauma responses?

Even if you don’t have clear traumatic memories, your body might be responding to things your conscious mind doesn’t remember. Pay attention to what comes up.

Are you dealing with judgments about yourself?

Are you thinking “I should be into this” or “What’s wrong with me?” Are you worried about how your body looks, smells, sounds? Are you performing instead of feeling? Are you watching yourself from outside your body, critiquing your performance?

Are you dealing with judgments about your partner?

Are there resentments that come up during sex? Do you feel pressure, obligation, or guilt? Are you angry or hurt about something unrelated to sex that makes being vulnerable and intimate feel impossible?

Are certain emotions arising that you want to avoid?

What feelings come up when your partner initiates? Dread? Guilt? Pressure? Anxiety? Do you feel like you’re failing or disappointing them? Do you shut down emotionally to get through it?

Is it about lack of context or safety?

Does the timing feel wrong? The environment? Your stress level? Do you need more emotional connection first? Is your nervous system not in a place where pleasure is even possible?

Maybe you need to feel seen and heard in conversation before you can be vulnerable physically. Maybe you need to not be exhausted. Maybe you need the house to be clean, the kids to be asleep, and your to-do list to be manageable.

Is it the obligation or expectation?

Does sex feel like a chore, a duty, something you “should” do? Are you saying yes when your body is saying no? Has sex become associated with pressure instead of pleasure?

If you’ve been having obligation sex, your body has learned that sex equals discomfort and disconnection. Of course you don’t want it.

Why This Matters

When you know what you’re actually avoiding, you can:

  1. Communicate it to your partner.

“I’m not avoiding sex with you, I’m avoiding [the specific thing]” is so much clearer and less hurtful than “I just don’t want sex.” It helps your partner understand this isn’t about them or their desirability.

  1. Start addressing the actual problem.

If it’s physical discomfort, you can work on that—different positions, more foreplay, lubricant, pelvic floor therapy. If it’s emotional safety, you can build that through communication and rebuilding trust. If it’s context, you can change that—different timing, different setting, different approach.

  1. Reclaim your own desire.

When you remove what you’re avoiding, space opens up for what you actually want. Your authentic desire has room to emerge. You might discover you do want sexual connection—just not the kind you’ve been having.

Also Important: What DO You Want?

It’s equally useful to explore: When you DO want sex, what is it you’re wanting?

Connection? Pleasure? Playfulness? Feeling desired? Feeling powerful? Losing yourself? Finding yourself? Feeling alive in your body?

Knowing what lights you up helps you communicate that to your partner and create more of it. You can start building a sex life based on what you actually want, not what you think you should want.

Your Action Step

Sit with this question: What am I really trying to avoid when I don’t want sex?

Get specific. Write it down. Be brutally honest with yourself. No shame. Just curiosity.

You might discover:

  • “I’m avoiding the pressure I feel to perform”
  • “I’m avoiding physical sensations that hurt or feel uncomfortable”
  • “I’m avoiding feeling like my body is just a tool for someone else’s needs”
  • “I’m avoiding the guilt and inadequacy I feel when I can’t get aroused”
  • “I’m avoiding touch because every touch has become a potential initiation”

All of these point to real, addressable problems. Once you know what you’re avoiding, you can start working on it.

The Power of Better Questions: Stop Asking Yourself Crappy Questions

Here’s something really important about how your brain works: it will seek answers to whatever questions you ask it.

If you ask yourself “Why am I so stupid?” your brain will give you five reasons you’re stupid. If you ask “Why am I such a terrible partner?” your brain will compile evidence for that too.

Your brain isn’t trying to hurt you—it’s just doing its job. It’s a pattern-finding machine. You give it a question, it finds patterns and answers.

So if you’re asking yourself crappy, disempowering questions, you’re going to get crappy, disempowering answers. And then you’ll feel terrible because your brain just confirmed all your worst fears about yourself.

Examples of Crappy Questions

  • Why am I so broken?
  • What’s wrong with me that I don’t want sex?
  • Why can’t I just be normal?
  • Why am I so needy/frigid/demanding/difficult?
  • Why doesn’t my partner want me anymore?
  • Why can’t I do anything right?

These questions are shame-based, judgment-filled, and disempowering. And they make you feel like garbage.

Ask Better Questions Instead

What if, instead, you asked yourself curious, judgment-free, empowering questions?

Examples of better questions:

  • What do I really want when I want sex?
  • What am I trying to avoid when I don’t want sex?
  • What would help me feel more connected to my body?
  • What do I need to feel safe enough for desire to emerge?
  • How can I honor both my needs and my partner’s needs? (Pro tip: this does not mean having sex when you don’t want to – your partner doesn’t need sex, but they may have an emotional need for connection that you can honor)
  • What’s one small thing that would make physical affection feel better to me?
  • What does my body need right now?
  • How can I show up more authentically in this relationship?

The difference: These questions are curious. They’re open. They assume you’re capable of figuring things out. They don’t start from a place of shame or brokenness—they start from a place of “there’s something to learn here.”

And when you ask yourself these kinds of questions, your brain goes to work finding useful answers instead of just confirming your worst beliefs about yourself.

An Invitation for 2026: Ask Better, More Empowering Questions

As we head into the new year, here’s what I want you to commit to: Ask yourself more curious, judgment-free, empowering questions.

Step 1: Awareness

Take a moment right now and write down:

  • What are the crappy, disempowering questions I regularly ask myself?
  • How do I feel when I ask myself these questions?

Just notice. Don’t judge yourself for judging yourself (that’s meta-judgment and it doesn’t help). Just observe the pattern.

Step 2: Replacement

For each crappy question you identified, write a better version:

  • Instead of “Why am I so broken?” → “What do I need to heal?”
  • Instead of “What’s wrong with me?” → “What’s really going on for me?”
  • Instead of “Why doesn’t my partner want me?” → “What does my partner need to feel closer to me?”

Step 3: Practice

This won’t happen overnight. You’ll catch yourself asking crappy questions—we all do. When you notice it, pause:

  • “Oh, there I go again asking myself why I’m so [whatever].”
  • “What’s a better question I could ask instead?”
  • Reframe in real time.

Over time, this becomes a habit. And it changes everything.

The Big Takeaway

These questions aren’t the end—they’re the starting point.

For higher-desire partners: Understanding what you really want when you want sex helps you find other ways to meet those needs and removes pressure from your partner.

For lower-desire partners: Understanding what you’re really trying to avoid when you don’t want sex helps you address the actual problem instead of just feeling broken.

For everyone: Asking yourself better questions—curious, judgment-free, empowering questions—will give you better answers and help you feel better too.

When both partners do this work—when you both get curious about yourselves without judgment—you create the foundation for real conversation, real understanding, and real change.

You’re not broken. Your relationship isn’t doomed. You’re just asking questions that haven’t served you yet.

Let’s ask better questions together.

Related Posts

Listen to the Podcast Episode

This post is based on an episode of The Desire Gap Podcast. Listen to the full episode for even more depth and examples.

***

Dr. Laura Jurgens is a Master Certified Intimacy & Relationship Coach specializing in desire discrepancies. She helps individuals and couples shift from blame and shame to curiosity and authentic connection using somatic, body-based methods.

Top 10 Mistakes People Make with a Desire Discrepancy . . . (and What to Do Instead)

by Libido MismatchUncategorized

After years of working with couples on mismatched desire—and recording 100 episodes of my podcast on this exact topic—I’ve noticed something: the same patterns show up over and over again.

These aren’t random mistakes. They’re strategies that make perfect sense in the moment. You’re scared. You’re desperate to fix things. You’re using the only tools you know. But here’s the problem: these well-intentioned strategies backfire. They make the desire discrepancy worse instead of better.

I’ve made most of these mistakes myself. So if you recognize yourself in several of them—or all of them—don’t panic. You’re not broken. You’re human. Recognizing the pattern is actually the first step toward changing it.

Here are the 10 biggest mistakes I see people make when dealing with a desire discrepancy:

1. Trying to Fix Your Partner Instead of the Dynamic

When there’s a desire discrepancy, it’s tempting to locate the problem in one person—usually the partner who wants less sex. You’re sending articles about “how to boost libido,” making doctor’s appointments, suggesting supplements.

The problem: You’re treating your partner like a broken appliance instead of recognizing you’re both caught in a relationship pattern. This creates shame, resistance, and defensiveness—the exact opposite conditions needed for desire.

What to do instead: Approach it as “our desire gap” not “your low libido problem.” Ask: “What’s happening in our dynamic that’s making desire harder for both of us?” Recognize you’re both suffering in different ways.

Read the full post: How to Stop Trying to Fix Your Partner and Start Fixing the Dynamic →

2. Having Obligation Sex to Keep the Peace

If you’re having sex when you’re not remotely turned on—lying still, waiting for it to be over, thinking “I’ll just get it over with”—your body is registering every time you cross your own boundaries.

The problem: Obligation sex teaches your nervous system that sex equals pressure and discomfort. It builds resentment, can create physical pain, and makes future desire even less likely. Research shows women who have duty sex report increased emotional detachment and higher rates of sexual dysfunction.

What to do instead: Honor your “no” while staying engaged. Say what IS available: “Sex isn’t on the table right now, but I do want to connect—how about we cuddle and talk?” Your boundaries matter.

Read the full post: Why Obligation Sex Is Harming Your Relationship (And What to Do Instead) →

3. Taking Rejection Personally

When your partner says no to sex and you spiral into “they don’t love me” or “I’m undesirable,” you’re making their experience all about you. This creates MORE pressure for them to say yes next time just to manage YOUR feelings—which kills their authentic desire even more.

The problem: I’ve seen cases where the entire desire discrepancy was caused by one partner catastrophizing about occasional rejections. The sulking and emotional withdrawal shut their partner’s libido down completely.

What to do instead: Practice the radical idea that their “no” is about them, not you. Their lack of desire in this moment means their body isn’t saying yes right now for THEIR reasons—stress, fatigue, needing connection first. Ask with genuine curiosity: “What’s going on for you right now?”

 

4. Believing Scheduling Intimate Time Means You’ve Failed

When you were dating, you were scheduling your dates—scheduling to be available to spend the night, bringing your toothbrush. You were scheduling sex. We just called it dating.

The problem: Holding onto the idea that “good sex” only happens spontaneously ignores how responsive desire works and how busy adult life is. Research shows scheduled intimacy can actually be BETTER because it allows for anticipation and removes surprise pressure.

What to do instead: Schedule intimate time—but don’t schedule specific activities. Schedule sexy time, connection, maybe making out. Maybe that’s all your partner’s up for, and that’s okay. Treat it like prioritizing connection, not another to-do list item.

 

5. Being Defensive About Sexual Feedback

When you can’t hear feedback without getting hurt or defensive, your partner stops trying to guide you. Sex stays mediocre forever.

The problem: Your partner says “I love when you slow down” and you hear “you’re bad at sex.” You get defensive, hurt, or shut down. Partner stops giving feedback because it’s not worth the emotional fallout. The best lovers aren’t naturally talented—they’re the ones who can HEAR what their partner needs.

What to do instead: Receive feedback as a gift. Your partner is giving you the instruction manual. When they say what they like, they’re not saying everything else was wrong—they’re showing you what makes it even BETTER. Get genuinely curious: “Tell me more about what you like.”

 

6. Making Every Touch Sexual

When every hug, kiss, or back rub becomes an attempt to initiate sex, your lower-desire partner stops wanting ANY touch. They can’t relax into affection because they’re always wondering “Is this going to turn into a request for sex?”

The problem: Physical touch becomes stressful instead of connecting. You’re training your partner to avoid you. They tense up when you touch them, bracing for initiation.

What to do instead: Rebuild non-sexual touch deliberately. Touch your partner with zero expectation: 20-second hugs, hand-holding, shoulder rubs with clothes on. Make a promise and keep it: “I’m just going to hold you—this isn’t going to turn into anything.” When touch becomes safe again, desire often returns.

 

7. Chasing Your Partner

The more you pursue, the more they retreat. It’s physics, not love. When you chase someone for sex, you create pressure. Pressure is the antithesis of desire.

The problem: You pursue harder → they withdraw further → you feel more rejected → they feel more pressured. You’re initiating constantly, bringing up your sex life all the time. They start avoiding being alone with you, going to bed at different times. You feel like you’re begging; they feel hunted.

What to do instead: Step back and give space. You can’t want something that’s chasing you. Stop initiating for a defined period (discuss this with your partner). Focus on your own wholeness instead of making your partner responsible for your emotional well-being through sex.

 

8. Not Knowing or Listening to Your Own Body

If you don’t know what feels good to you, you can’t communicate it to your partner. Many of us spend decades not knowing what actually turns us on because we’ve been trained to ignore our bodies.

The problem: You have sex but aren’t sure if you liked it. Partner asks “Does this feel good?” and you don’t actually know. You go through motions hoping to feel something. Without body awareness, desire has nowhere to land.

What to do instead: Start slowing down—way down, like 10% of your normal speed—during any sexual experience. Notice: What do I actually feel? What sensations am I having? Practice listening to your body in non-sexual contexts first: Am I hungry? Tired? What does tension feel like? Build the skill of interoception.

 

9. Expecting Only Spontaneous Desire to Be “Real”

If you believe desire should always strike out of nowhere, you’re missing how most people actually experience desire, especially in long-term relationships.

The problem: Responsive desire means arousal emerges AFTER physical connection begins, not before. Expecting spontaneity sets up responsive-desire partners to feel “wrong” or broken, when they’re actually completely normal. Research shows 70%+ of people experience desire this way.

What to do instead: Honor responsive desire as completely legitimate. “I wasn’t thinking about sex until we started kissing, and THEN I got really into it” is normal and valid. Create conditions where responsive desire can emerge: emotional connection, feeling safe, time to warm up. Stop waiting to “be in the mood”—sometimes it comes after you start.

 

10. Believing Someone Is Broken

If you believe the lower-desire partner is “broken” and needs fixing, or the higher-desire partner is “too needy,” you create shame. Shame shuts down vulnerability, communication, and connection.

The problem: Mismatched desire is THE most common sexual challenge in long-term relationships. Research suggests it’s present in 80% of long-term relationships at some point. It’s not evidence of dysfunction—it’s evidence you’re human.

What to do instead: Normalize the gap. Neither partner is broken. Both experiences are valid. The work isn’t about fixing anyone—it’s about learning to honor both sets of needs, create safety, and build a sex life that works for both of you.

 

What Now?

Pick one mistake. Just one. The one that feels most relevant, most urgent, or most like “oh, that’s exactly what I’m doing.” Don’t try to fix everything at once.

Click through to read the full post on whichever mistake resonates most. Each one includes deeper insights, specific examples, and actionable steps you can take today.

And if you’re tired of being stuck in these patterns—if you want personalized help figuring out what YOUR relationship specifically needs—I offer free consultation calls. We’ll talk about what’s going on for you, and I’ll tell you honestly whether I think I can help.

Your desire gap is not evidence that someone is broken. It’s not proof your relationship is doomed. It’s a common challenge that has solutions—but those solutions require you to stop doing the things that backfire and start doing things differently.

Listen to the full episode: This post is based on Episode 100 of The Desire Gap Podcast, where I dive even deeper into each of these mistakes with real examples from my coaching practice.

Related resources:

Dr. Laura Jurgens is a Master Certified Intimacy & Relationship Coach and host of The Desire Gap Podcast. She specializes in helping couples navigate desire discrepancies using somatic and body-based methods, serving both partners equally without blame or shame.