1. Let's Talk Relationships, Love and Sex the Day on Valentine's Day. Whether you're newly single, back in the dating world, or just trying to figure out what actually makes a relationship last, this episode is packed with game-changing insights. I sit down with dating and relationship coach Debra Mansfield to talk about what truly attracts a partner, why chemistry isn’t personal, and how to build real connection.
2. We’re breaking down dating mistakes, the right time to have the talk about exclusivity, and whether sleeping together too soon really ruins your chances. Plus, we dive into the power of feminine energy, why men need to feel like the hero, and how to approach dating with confidence (hint: ditch the impossible checklist).
3. If you’re ready to level up your love life, this one’s for you.
4. Check out Debra’s masterclass at loveanddatingmasterclass.com
5. https://loveanddatingmasterclass.com/
6. https://www.instagram.com/loveanddatingcoach/
7. Follow me on Instagram: @talkwithtarapodcast and Facebook: Talk with Tara
8. Follow Talk With Tara for my next episode on raw, unfiltered conversations on life, love, and everything in between!

What happens when love is solid… but the bedroom feels like roommates? In this New Year episode of Talk with Tara, I’m joined by Elana Auerbach, author of The Sure Thing: A Pleasure Practice to Revive the Spark in Your Relationship (releasing February 3, 2026). Elana shares the deeply personal story behind her “Sure Thing” a simple weekly ritual that helped her and her spouse release shame, reduce pressure, and rebuild intimacy after years of struggle.

We talk about the real midlife stuff: resentment, busy schedules, body changes, and how desire can disappear when life becomes all logistics. Elana breaks down the difference between sex vs. intimacy, why “being in the mood” isn’t the point, and how creating a consistent pleasure practice can bring tenderness, connection, and even emotional openness back into your relationship.

You’ll also hear about the surprising inspiration for the title (hello, Shabbat + “double mitzvah”), why pleasure can be a form of activism, and how small “love ripples” can shift your relationship and maybe your whole world.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to revive intimacy when you’re stuck in a rut (or feeling like roommates)

• The difference between intimacy and sex — and why intimacy takes courage

• How to talk about fantasies without shame or fear of judgment

• How body image and aging affect desire (and what to do about it)

• Why a weekly ritual works better than pressure, quotas, or “date night”

• “Solo Sure Thing” ideas for singles (or anyone rebuilding self-connection)

• How pleasure, connection, and self-love create ripple effects beyond the bedroom

About Elana Auerbach Elana is a mentor, activist, mother, and founder of Sensual: A Woman’s Journey Into Sensuality. Her work blends embodiment, spirituality, and practical tools to help people reconnect to desire, intimacy, and aliveness without the shame or pressure. Find out more about Elana here: https://surethingexperiment.com/

Special Valentine’s Gift (for listeners!) Here is the link for your listeners to get a special gift for V-Day: HELLO Wild Sensual Self Guided Journey https://guide.surethingexperiment.com/wild-sensual-self

How to buy the book You can purchase The Sure Thing in two ways:

• Directly from Elana’s website: Sure Thing Experiment (you’ll also find bonus resources and updates there)

• On Amazon: Search The Sure Thing by Elana Auerbach

Connect with Elana Visit Sure Thing Experiment and join her email list for upcoming events, including her Sure Thing Spring 2026 Challenge (a weekly online cohort to help you start your practice). She’s also on Instagram and Facebook as Elana Auerbach.

Contact / bookings (Talk with Tara) For guest pitches, partnerships, or questions, email me at talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com.

If you loved this episode, please follow the show, subscribe, and leave a review — it helps more women find Talk with Tara.

What if you don’t love being single, but you still want to love your life? In this episode of Talk With Tara, Tara sits down with Dr. Karen Gail Lewis (relationship, marriage, and family therapist; author of With or Without a Man) to talk about the real emotional challenge many women face: living in the uncertainty of whether you’ll meet the right partner—and building a fulfilling life anyway.

You’ll hear practical, therapist-backed advice on dating after divorce, the pressure of a “married society,” and why being single can feel like an ambiguous loss. Dr. Lewis shares how to stop the spiral of “what’s wrong with me?”, rethink your dating “list,” and focus on what you actually need in a healthy relationship. Tara and Dr. Lewis also dive into why weekends can feel lonely, how to plan a rich social life, and the underrated importance of friendship, community, and physical touch for mental health and well-being.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What “ambiguous loss” means for single women and how to live with uncertainty

• How to stop self-blame and boost confidence, self-worth, and emotional resilience

• A smarter way to evaluate dating criteria (and the real reason “tall” or “wealthy” ends up on lists)

• The question to ask on a first or second date to spot emotional availability

• How to handle online dating realities without losing hope—or yourself

• Why strong female friendships can be the foundation for healthier romantic relationships

• Tips for weekends, loneliness, and building a full life with or without a partner

If you’re navigating midlife dating, single again after divorce, or simply trying to feel more empowered in your relationship choices, this episode is for you.

Follow me on Instagram @talkwithtarapodcast and please subscribe to keep my show going! You can also email me at talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com

Please follow Talk With Tara and rate and review the show wherever you listen. Your support helps more women find these conversations about love confidence and reinvention.

In this episode I sit down with certified wellness coach and professional matchmaker Erica Botoff to talk about what really works in midlife dating. We get honest about how to rebuild confidence after divorce why feminine energy matters more than a perfect body and how successful women can stop leading with their masculine on dates and still keep their power.

I ask Ericka what men actually look for beyond looks how to prepare for a first date so you feel like a ten the biggest mistakes women make on dates and why kindness and self respect are non negotiable. We talk about anxious attachment what to do when he does not call back when to talk about commitment and sex and how to be clear about what you want without scaring someone off.

If you are a woman in midlife who wants a real partner not just another situationship this episode will help you get honest about your standards your style and your self worth so you can attract a man who is truly ready to love you.

To learn more about working with Ericka Bothof as a matchmaking client or as a free confidential candidate you can connect with her on Facebook under the name and send her a direct message.

Follow me on Instagram at @TalkwithTarapodcast. You can also reach me directly at talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com. Let's Talk!

Before we dive in I have a quick favor to ask. Please follow Talk With Tara wherever you listen, leave a review, and follow me on social. It truly helps this show grow and keeps it possible for me to keep creating these conversations for you.

In this episode I am bringing back one of my favorite formats, the Dear Tara segment. I answer real questions from women just like you about holidays, loneliness, dating, and finding love in midlife.

I talk about what to do when your kids are with your ex for the holidays and you are home alone, how to tell if you are lonely for a partner or simply missing your old life, and how to enjoy the holidays without a romantic partner without feeling like the whole season is incomplete. We get into the big one too, whether it is too late to find real love in your fifties, and why you can sometimes feel even lonelier after a party or a date than you did before you went.

I also share a bit of my own story. I went to film school, earned an MFA in screenwriting, optioned a screenplay, and then walked through a very painful time in Los Angeles that led to years of writer block. Now I am writing again and working on a very juicy fiction book on my new Substack, and I would love for you to read the first chapters and tell me what you think.

If you want to send in your own Dear Tara question or be part of the online group I am planning for women in transition you can get in touch with me here

Instagram @talkwithtarapodcast

Email talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com

Substack My writing and book chapters are on my Substack, just look for Talk With Tara or follow the link in my Instagram bio.

Thank you for listening and for supporting the show by following, reviewing, and sharing it with a friend.

If you’re listening and this episode hits home, it would mean so much if you could follow Talk With Tara on your favorite podcast app, leave a quick rating and review, and share this episode with a friend who needs it.

I’d also love to hear from you, email me at talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com and come say hi or tag me on Instagram at @talkwithtarapodcast

In this episode, I’m sitting down with integrative health and mind–body practitioner Alisha Slaughter to talk about something so many of us quietly carry: trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and the way it all shows up in our bodies—especially in midlife.

I share why I’m seeing words like trauma, somatics, and nervous system healing come up over and over again with my own listeners and friends, and Alisha helps us unpack what those terms actually mean in real life. We talk about how trauma doesn’t just live in our memories, it lives in our bodies—and why so much of what we haven’t processed can rise to the surface when our hormones, identities, and lives are all shifting at once.

Alisha explains the difference between PTSD and complex trauma (CPTSD), how early childhood experiences and lack of attunement can wire our nervous systems for constant scanning and people pleasing, and why no one’s trauma can really be “compared” to someone else’s. We also get into attachment styles, corporate trauma, grief, and those subtle but powerful ways our bodies say, “I don’t feel safe.”

From there, we move into somatic healing, what it is, how it works, and simple ways to start.

Alisha share how to notice where activation lives in your body (like my stomach clenching when a certain email hits my inbox).

She also shares why gut health is foundational for hormones, mood, and inflammation.

If you’re feeling exhausted, frayed, or like everything is hitting you at once in this season of life, this episode will help you put language to what you’re feeling and offer gentle, doable steps to start creating more safety, self-compassion, and support in your own body.

Connect with Alisha, she offers a free 30-Minute Wellness Strategy Call: Book via her website to explore what’s going on in your body and walk away with three personalized wellness actions.

Website: myalchemy.life

Instagram: @wellnesswithalicia

Email: myalchemylife@gmail.com

Please follow the show and leave a quick rating/review—it helps more women find this podcast. Questions or topic ideas? Email talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com and follow @talkwithtarapodcast on Instagram.

In this solo episode, I share my midlife dating practice, how to show up on first dates with confidence, curiosity, and high-value boundaries. You’ll get the exact questions I ask (beyond “What do you do?”), how I lean into feminine energy without people-pleasing, why taking it one date at a time saves your sanity, and how to stop chasing the wrong men by raising your standards. I cover listening like a pro, pacing intimacy, saying no to last-minute plans, and keeping your life full (friends, hikes, joy) so you’re choosing from wholeness, not scarcity.

Please subscribe and comment to keep this show going and email your thoughts to https://open.spotify.com/artist/00uncuCapC5VnWNUnwo6MM and hear her single Angel Wild here https://open.spotify.com/album/6NFtbWTOR7VM7w9kvcubyj.