Get Your Marriage On! with Dan Purcell

300: What's the Difference Between "Having Sex" and "Making Love"?

April 10, 2026·51 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

This episode is a special one—episode 300. That feels really meaningful to me. I'm grateful you listen, share the podcast, and care enough about your marriage to keep showing up for these conversations. I really do celebrate you and your commitment to building a strong, intimate, passionate marriage. For this milestone episode, I wanted to do something a little different. So I turned it into a personal research project around a question I've been pondering for a long time: 👉 What's the difference between having sex… and making love? In this episode (Part 1), I reached out to trusted experts and mentors to hear their perspective—and what they shared genuinely changed how I think about intimacy in marriage. You'll hear from: Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife on desire, freedom, and why we lose "aliveness" in long-term relationships Dr. Chelom Leavitt on emotional connection as the strongest predictor of sexual satisfaction Adam & Karissa King on moving from transactional sex to truly knowing and being known This isn't just about sex. It's about: Meaning Connection Desire And the kind of intimacy that makes a marriage feel alive again Don't miss Part 2 (Episode 301), where we continue this conversation with three more voices and perspectives. More about our guests: Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife is the author of a book, That We Might Have Joy, she offers amazing online courses, and has an exciting in-person events coming up this summer.  Dr. Chelom Leavitt is a world-renowned sex researcher and has many helpful resources on her website about mindfulness in sexuality, relationships, teaching kids about sex, and more. Adam and Karissa King, better known online by the brand Dear Young Married Couple, teach courses, host a podcast, and provide many resources, especially for newly married couples. They are also in the process of releasing a new book.   Resources and Events: We invite you to explore our Get Your Marriage On coaching program. Get ready for our men's and women's groups starting up again in May!   Disclaimer: The opinions and values expressed by guests on the Get Your Marriage On! podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and values of the host. Appearance on the podcast does not imply an endorsement of the guest or their products by Get Your Marriage On or its host. While we work hard to bring you quality and valuable content, listeners are encouraged to use their own best judgment in applying the information or products discussed on this podcast.

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