Lisa Said “I do” at 49 because she gained deeper self-awareness and the emotional maturity to choose the best partner. Here’s her story.

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Lisa Cheek said “I do” for the first time at 49. She is an author and former film and television editor known for her humorous, candid writing about relationships and identity. Her debut memoir, Sit, Cinderella, Sit, received much acclaim. Her latest  memoir, THE BIG DAY: Saying I Do, Only To Discover I Didn’t, is a funny and vulnerable look at love, marriage, and the complicated question of whether to stay or walk away. She lives in  Los Angeles with two dogs, two cats, and her husband, Big Johnson.

In this episode:

• The difference between chemistry and true compatibility
• Why we attach to certain types before doing the inner work
• How to become aligned with the right people
• Why it’s never too late to go on your last first date

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What does low desire really mean for people over 50? Is it low libido or something else? Learn more in this episode with Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus.

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Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus is a nationally recognized sex therapist, author, educator, and sexual health advocate. Formerly the Clinical Director of a leading sexual health center, she is the author of Satisfaction Guaranteed and was profiled in The New York Times Magazine as “The Orthodox Sex Guru.” She is known for her warm, candid, and practical approach.

In this episode:

• The biggest myths people believe about low desire and low libido
• Why low desire is rarely just psychological or physical
• How hormones, medications, and medical conditions quietly affect someone’s sex life
• Why therapy or medicine aren’t always enough on their own, and how combining the two helps
• Practical, science-backed strategies that can help people reignite intimacy at any age or stage of a relationship

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Four gentle strategies for introverts to help you enjoy online dating at your own pace, including how to recharge after dates and turn small talk into real conversation.

If you recharge in quiet moments and feel most like yourself in calm settings, you might be reluctant to date online. Online dating can be the perfect way for you to meet someone. A little advanced preparation will make it more enjoyable. I’m sharing how to make online dating work if you’re an introvert.

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What if jealousy could actually strengthen your relationship? That’s what we explore in this episode of Last First Date Radio.

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Did you know that jealousy can strengthen a relationship? That’s what my guest, Ally Iseman, believes. She is an award-winning creator, author, Certified Relationship Coach and Kink Aware Professional who specializes in modern relationship design, unlocking erotic jealousy, and consent and communication. She has been featured in The New York Times, LADbible, Cosmopolitan, AskMen, and more. Ally works with couples and individuals all over the world who are at transition points in dating and relationships. Whether they want to open their relationship to include more people, explore play parties together, or just open up more authentically to each other about their kinks and curiosities, Ally helps them open up without breaking up. 

In this episode:

• Is jealousy nature or nurture?
• How understanding jealousy can be beneficial to our relationships
• What jealousy tells us about ourselves and our partners
• Why some people get more jealous than others

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Do you have a pattern of over-functioning in your relationships? Do your partners under-function? Let’s break this pattern now!

Debbie came to a session excited and a little unsettled. She had been dating Alan for a few months, and everything about him felt different from what she was used to. He texted back. He made plans. When he said or did something that landed wrong, he apologized and corrected course without being asked twice or getting defensive.

That should have felt like relief. Instead, it felt unfamiliar enough to make her a little nervous.

Debbie’s last long-term relationship was with a man I’ll call Richard. She did most of the emotional heavy lifting in that relationship: she planned, reached out first, smoothed things over, and read his moods so she could adjust hers. 

Over time, that became her definition of what it takes to keep a relationship together…until she broke up with him. So when her new boyfriend started initiating dates and planning ahead on his own, part of her was waiting for the other shoe to drop, and another part was uncomfortable with him initiating everything.  She was ready to start managing things the way she always had, but she didn’t want to go there.

This is one of the most common places I see clients get stuck. They finally meet someone secure, and their nervous system, trained by an old relationship, doesn’t know what to do with the calm. 

Here is what we worked on, and what I want to offer you if you see yourself in Debbie’s story.

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Should I stay or should I go? How do you know if you should leave a relationship? We dive deep in this episode of Last First Date Radio.

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Wondering if you should stay or leave a relationship? My podcast guest Francesca Zoia, is a relationship and self-love coach that helps women in long-term relationships feeling confused and stuck in the “should I stay or leave” mental loop, figure out whether they’re in the right relationship. 

In this episode:

• How to know if you should stay or leave
• Why it’s so hard to leave a relationship
• How to tell the difference if a relationship needs work or it’s over
• How to deal with family and friends who don’t support your decision to stay or leave

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