{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Sex After Menopause: Why Midlife Couples Struggle with Mark Platten","description":"  In this episode of The Better Sex Podcast, I talk with men\u2019s work leader and founder of the Integral Man Institute Mark Platten. Mark shares how his decades of work guiding men through rites of passage\u2014and his lived experience walking alongside his wife through menopause\u2014led him to focus on the often-overlooked transition midlife couples face when bodies, identities, and sexual dynamics begin to shift.   Throughout the conversation, Mark and I explore how menopause and andropause reshape intimacy in long-term relationships, why so many couples feel blindsided by these changes, and how unspoken expectations about sex can quietly erode connection. Along the way, we talk about the archetypal transitions men move through in midlife, the emotional impact of hormonal changes for both partners, and why so many couples find themselves struggling to navigate this phase without guidance.   Mark shares insights from his work with men about upgrading the \u201ctools\u201d we bring into relationship as we age\u2014moving from youthful patterns of fixing, performing, or proving ourselves into deeper connection, communication, and vulnerability. We also discuss how honest conversations about desire, aging bodies, and shifting needs can open the door to a richer and more intimate phase of relationship after menopause.   This conversation offers a grounded and compassionate look at a stage of life that many couples experience but rarely talk about\u2014and how facing it together can deepen intimacy rather than end it.   Connect with Mark   Website:  &amp;nbsp;https:\/\/integral-man-institute   Gift:  5 Conversations All Midlife Couples Need to have   -https:\/\/integral-man-institute.mykajabi.com\/Conversations-for-Midlife-Couples&amp;nbsp;   Connect with Deborah   Skool:  https:\/\/www.skool.com\/better-sex-9290   YouTube  https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@deborahkat9349   Instagram  https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/deborahtantrakat\/   Podcast Feedback  DeborahTantraKat@Gmail.com&amp;nbsp;   Book a breakthrough session with Deborah   \u2028https:\/\/app.acuityscheduling.com\/schedule.php?owner=11737312&amp;amp;appointmentType=60692935&amp;nbsp;   \u2028Sex and Relationship tips direct to you Inbox  \u2028https:\/\/deborahkat.us5.list-manage.com\/subscribe?u=428b26a12a8810bb5012792c3&amp;amp;id=ff89fb0d94 ","author_name":"The Better Sex Podcast ~ Unfiltered Conversations","author_url":"http:\/\/deborahkat.com\/better-sex-podcast","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/40376510\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/199425795"}