Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - One of my group members is struggling after discovering his wife’s year-long affair, which began after he pressured her to watch pornography with him and she became addicted herself. They are seeing a counselor locally. What resources would you recommend to help them navigate betrayal, addiction, and rebuilding their marriage? - I have a hard time stopping things when they begin getting too sexual. I want to date and eventually get married, but I have a hard time trusting myself and setting reasonable boundaries without scaring off every guy. Do men really want a woman who won’t be sexual? - I worry my past sexual behaviors or compulsions will prevent me from experiencing healthy intimacy. How can I reconcile my history while moving forward in sexual wholeness? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - Since discovery, I’ve worked hard to heal my sexuality and past trauma, as well as the impact of my husband’s addiction. I fight against resentment while still longing for emotional closeness with him, which often leads to wanting sexual intimacy too. I’m unsure if these desires are healthy or normal. Is this normal? - After 37 years of marriage, I discovered my husband had an emotional affair for two months. Though he’s remorseful and loving me more than ever, I’m devastated, struggling to trust, and questioning God. I want to heal and move forward—how can I restore peace and trust in my heart? - I am looking for some resources or guidance on navigating betrayal trauma and having a new baby. The feeling of baby blues on top of trauma from a recent disclosure of sexual addiction from my husband is overwhelming. If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - My husband and I are 3.5 years post-discovery, yet he still avoids taking ownership for issues tied to his long-term sexual addiction unless pressured. As Christians, I feel truth-telling should be shared, not one-sided, and I’m troubled this wasn’t addressed earlier in our counseling. How can I move forward? - After 27 years of marriage, I discovered my husband’s long-term emotional and physical infidelities, causing severe trauma. Therapy didn’t address full disclosure, boundaries, or cessation of contact with his affair partners. He avoids discussing the past and blames me for focusing on it. How can I truly move forward and heal? - After 30 years of marriage, I’ve discovered my husband secretly recorded us having sex despite my boundaries, causing deep feelings of violation and exploitation. He shows little affection and hasn’t sought help, while I’m in counseling and a recovery group. Is it reasonable for me to feel done with the marriage? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you! Find this and all episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@_UnfilteredPodcast/videos

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - What books would you recommend reading to help me understand sex and orgasm? - After 18 years of marriage and repeated betrayals by my husband, I’ve been divorced for two years and abstinent, yet I struggle with a strong sexual desire I’m unaccustomed to outside marriage. How can I navigate these desires faithfully while waiting for a godly partner? - I keep having dreams about sex and cheating on my husband. I wake up feeling guilty. Is this a reflection of my character, and is there a way to make the dreams stop? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: My husband’s parents are loving and generous, but since D-Day, he hasn’t been honest with them about his actions or the consequences. He was fired and had to hire a lawyer due to his acting out behaviors. I’ve become his secret keeper, which leaves me resentful and conflicted. How much truth should I share with his parents without oversharing but so they know it’s gone beyond porn use? I’m almost finished with my first Betrayed & Beyond group, and while the community has been incredibly helpful, I’ve also felt isolated. Few seem to understand the added burden of legal issues from a spouse’s acting out. What support exists for those of us navigating court or jail situations while choosing to stay? In the midst of the betrayal, how do you hold on to hope that this too shall pass? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: Does PD counseling include diving into family of origin trauma such as enmeshment between a parent and a child? Through my healing I’ve learned a lot about attachment styles. My young adult daughter doesn’t have an obvious attachment style and doesn’t seem interested in pursuing life outside of our home. Why do you think this is? Recently discovered our teenage daughter is reading smut. We have had ongoing conversations about how our sexuality is a gift from God. Our kids are also aware of my husband’s struggle and that we’re 5 years into this process. How would you approach the conversation to not shame her? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - In a dating context, how much recovery should my boyfriend have from sexual addiction prior to us stepping into marriage? - I’m leading an Authentically You group, and several young women are sharing about their fiancés’ struggles with porn. They seem determined to marry despite hidden worries. I know the heartbreak and struggle that likely awaits these young women. As someone whose husband is in long-term recovery, I feel torn—should I directly warn them not to marry without real help and sobriety? - I’m in my late 20s and dating someone who’s been in recovery for sexual addiction through groups and counseling. I’ve also been through Betrayal & Beyond. Despite his efforts, he hasn’t maintained consistent sobriety, and I feel heartbroken and powerless. I want to believe in his healing, but should I keep dating him or step back for my own healing? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: More women are coming to group with strangulation trauma as part of the abuse they’ve gone through. I recently had a woman in group who had experienced this and ended up with a blood clot in her neck that could have been life threatening. How do we learn more/have better awareness around this? What is the best way to handle spiritualizers in your group—especially if they are spiritualizing the situations of other group members in group conversations. It can be difficult to navigate those conversations in a group setting. In group, I’ve heard others talk about emotional affairs—how do you define an emotional affair? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - Even though I'm faithful to my husband, and love him dearly, I lust and fantasize and my maladaptive daydreaming is out of control. How do I navigate these waters? Is this past trauma and my need for control? Where do I start with healing? - I stopped my own porn use three years ago after finding out about my husband’s addiction, but I never really addressed it or worked through it — I just buried it. What steps should I take now to deal with the patterns and wounds that may still be affecting my mental health and my relationship with him? - Why do I want to masturbate after being hurt by my husband? Do I have an addiction or is it a hurt cycle I am going through? Is it because he hurt me and I don't want to have sex with him and am trying to get my own needs met? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - How do I not hate or resent my husband when I grieve the inability to try to have more children because we have a sexless marriage due to the trauma of his addiction? - Can you speak to sexual anorexia after betrayal? It's been 5 years since my husband and I have had sex. He thinks I should be willing to try, but I recoil every time he touches me. I can barely kiss him. I've been through B&B three times (as a leader twice). He has been through Seven Pillars five times, and has been a leader for 4 or 5  years. I discovered his betrayal in 2013. - My husband is well on his way to recovery and I am so grateful for all his work, but I’m realizing I need more help myself. Now that he has made me the desires of his sexual pleasure, I find that I am more cautious and suspicious of his sexual advances. I’m always analytical about where his needs are coming from. What should I do? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - I’ve felt the harm of purity culture, but I’m confused by the reaction against it—where modesty seems dismissed altogether. I see Christian women dressing in ways that feel extreme, and I wonder if immodesty reflects deeper heart issues. Is there still space to talk about healthy modesty without sounding judgmental? - I was told having expectations is wrong, but I disagree. I don’t expect perfection—just honesty, fidelity, empathy, and repentance without blame. My husband says I expect too much, but aren’t these just the basics of a healthy marriage? Where’s the line between reasonable expectations and unrealistic standards? - My husband and I have been in recovery for years. I’m the higher drive spouse, wanting intimacy more often, but I’ve stopped initiating because I feel rejected or like a burden. When he finally is in the mood, I freeze and feel disconnected—even when it’s genuine. Why do I shut down in the moments I actually crave most? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - I was married for 30 years and I didn’t understand the depth of my husband’s porn addiction until about 8 years ago. He refused to seek help and he recently passed away, so I am doing this recovery alone. About 9 months ago, I found him at his place of business, deceased, in front of his computer masturbating to porn. I have signed up for Betrayal & Beyond. I am wondering if my situation is unique and if this group has anything that touches on my particular trauma? - Eighteen months ago, I learned my husband had a two-year affair—with a woman I considered a close friend. We’re healing, and I’ve forgiven him, but I can’t move past her betrayal. Why aren’t there more resources on forgiving and healing from infidelity when the other woman was also a trusted friend? - My husband has not been officially tested, but we wonder if he is high functioning autistic. In what ways does neurodiversity affect the addict's healing process? Are there practical ways to modify or approach support if this is part of the picture? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - I am single right now, but every time I get in the shower I think about when I get married and if my husband will want to take a shower with me. I don't want my husband in the shower. So how would I tell him no without hurting him? - I'm a follower of Christ. I was sexually abused several times as a child, I struggled with same-sex attraction most of my life, and I am still single. How do I engage my sexual desires at this stage in a healthy way, knowing that I want to honor God above all? - I am 47 years old and single. I’m having a lot of anxiety about the idea of having sex when I’m married. I want to be married, but I’m afraid sex will hurt, I won’t know how to act, and I don’t even want to have an orgasm. How do I handle all of these thoughts and fears? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - After 9 years of repeated porn discoveries in my marriage, we're now heading into an intensive with a polygraph. It’s our first time using one, and I feel lost on what to ask. What questions truly bring clarity and healing? What are the top questions a betrayed spouse should ask when preparing for a polygraph? - After years of betrayal, broken promises, and failed recovery attempts, I separated from my husband and began the divorce process. Now he says he wants to reconcile—but I still see addiction, denial, and little change. I love him, but I feel unseen, blamed, and unsafe. Am I holding onto hope, or just delaying the inevitable? - We’ve been in recovery since 2013 with every tool imaginable, yet my husband never stays sober longer than three months. I carry the emotional weight, manage our home and kids, and suffer the consequences of his choices. I'm exhausted, angry, and feel stuck. I want to leave. Why am I the one paying for his addiction and failures? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: My husband and I have been in recovery through PD since late 2024, navigating sobriety, betrayal trauma, and rebuilding intimacy. While I’m seeking emotional safety, he reacts with blame when having sex is paused. I’m craving emotional connection before sex, not withholding love. Am I in the wrong to not have physical intimacy until I feel safe? How can healing happen when emotional safety feels out of reach? I feel frustrated by my husband's lack of romance after betrayal. If he pursued me once, why not now—especially after I've chosen to forgive him? I was the one hurt, so why am I still waiting to be pursued? Will he ever learn? My husband watches women as they walk by, and when called out about it, he lied. Though he later admitted lying about it, I was told this was growth. I’m also encouraged to “reframe” his behavior as him choosing me—but that feels like spiritual bypassing. Am I reframing, or just gaslighting myself to cope with pain? Any insights would be helpful. If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - I find myself constantly chasing relationships, even unhealthy ones, just so I don’t feel alone. I know it’s not good for me, but the fear of being without someone feels unbearable. How do I start breaking free from this cycle of needing to be wanted? - When I’m in a relationship, I have obsessive thoughts that I can’t shut off. I wait by my phone for my boyfriend to respond, and I want to be texting him all of the time. But when I’m in person with him, I find myself almost sabotaging the relationship and feeling uncomfortable if things feel like they are getting serious or deep. - I relapsed with a guy last weekend, and now I feel like I have no right to share the gospel or be a witness to others. I feel ashamed, afraid, and hopeless. If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - My husband and I are a few months into recovery after he disclosed years of hidden porn use. While he believes he’s walking in victory, I’m unsure how to distinguish true healing from another “purge” phase, given his past cycle. With new safeguards in place, how can I know if real heart change is happening—not just behavioral control? - I’m healing from betrayal in my marriage and making real progress, but I struggle deeply with attending church. Knowing how widespread porn use is—and seeing how the church often stays silent—leaves me angry and grieving. My husband’s unchecked sin in leadership broke my trust in the church. How do I reconnect with a spiritual community that now feels unsafe? - My husband has been in recovery from porn addiction for nearly three years and has faithfully attended a support group for over a decade. Now he feels ready to step back, saying he no longer needs it and wants more time with our family. While I understand, the idea of him not being in a group makes me uneasy. How do I know it’s truly safe for him to stop? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - I just finished Sexual Integrity 101 and want to join Betrayal & Beyond. There are no local groups and a 10-month virtual commitment feels impossible. My husband, a former pastor, abandoned me and our four kids after a devastating affair. I’m doing the work alone while he moves on. I feel forgotten. How do I heal when reconciliation isn’t an option? How do I help my kids heal when I feel so broken? - My husband has struggled with same-sex attraction and sexual acting out throughout our 30+ year marriage. Despite counseling and periods of change, he’s continued hiding his behavior. We've had almost no intimacy, and I’ve found overwhelming proof of his ongoing actions. I’m pursuing divorce, but I wonder—am I wrong to believe SSA is a separate issue that truly needs addressing? - We just went through disclosure. My husband confessed to fantasizing and masturbating to images of my best friends, my sister, and several women I know. My best friend whom he has had the most fantasy about is someone I do everything with. Our kids are best friends, our families do everything together, and now I am at a loss. Throughout this process my friends have been such a big support system and now I can't even share with them. Are these types of fantasies normal? I clearly can't trust him with the women who are closest to me. If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - My husband makes me feel small and unwanted. I started fantasizing about the characters in one of my favorite shows. I find myself wishing I were married to a man like that. Whenever I’m not watching my show, I hate my reality and life, but I also do not want to get divorced. What should I do? - How do I know if my struggle is just about sex, or if it's actually about something deeper, like needing love or validation? - I’ve tried everything! I confess, read my Bible, have accountability software, pray without ceasing … can I ever break free from my porn addiction? Why do I keep going back to porn, even when I feel disgusted with myself afterward? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on Unfiltered, email us at unfiltered@puredesire.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening to Unfiltered: Real Talk about Sex and Love, with Ashley and Heather. On today’s episode, we answer the following questions: - I’m reentering dating after ending a relationship with a man who had unresolved pornography struggles and resisted accountability. Now seeking a God-honoring, healthy marriage, I’m wondering how to graciously approach conversations about sexual history and porn use when dating. What level of recovery should be present before considering a relationship safe and spiritually healthy? - My question is about dating someone who has disclosed that he has a porn and masturbation addiction. We are older and both divorced. He has been open and honest about it. He’s in counseling and wants victory. Part of me wants to run the other way and sever the relationship; part of me wants to wait and see what happens. Am I delusional to think the relationship could work? - It feels rare to find women who still practice abstinence, even among Christians. Many seem to be sexually active outside of marriage or already have children. With today’s culture and values shifting, especially among attractive women, I wonder—do women who value abstinence and wait for marriage still exist in this day and age? Where are they?