The Partnership Lab

The Partnership Lab

di Max & Roz

Sessualità Relazioni

Stagione 1

Inside the Women's Pleasure Retreat: Fear, Desire, Firsts.... And a Pussy Snorkel??🤿

FIELD NOTES: What does it actually feel like to step into something new—for the first time, for real? In this episode of The Partnership Lab, the research phase turns into lived experience. Roz returns from a women’s pleasure retreat, and together we unpack what actually happened—not just the events themselves, but the emotional, mental, and relational impact of stepping outside the familiar. From fear and self-reflection to desire, communication, and first physical experiences, this episode captures what it looks like when theory becomes reality. Not perfectly. Not cleanly. But honestly. This isn’t the idea of it anymore. This is what it feels like. In This Episode Inside the women’s retreat: setting, structure, and first impressions Acknowledging fear—and what happens when you say it out loud Desire vs. anxiety: learning to listen to what you actually want Left brain vs. right brain: fear, control, and curiosity Using your inner critic as a tool instead of a barrier Consent frameworks (FRIES) and what “enthusiastic” really means Practicing “the ask” and how to clearly communicate desire First experiences: flogging, sensual touch, and group dynamics Overstimulation, boundaries, and learning your limits in real time Discovering unexpected turn-ons (and surprises along the way) What it felt like to be home vs. away—for both Roz and Max Jealousy, anxiety, and communication gaps from the partner perspective What we’d change next time (especially around communication) Contact us at with comments, questions, stories, advice, encouragement, or whatever else you want to send: thepartnershiplabpodcast@gmail.com Suggested resources mentioned in the episode: Expansive Connection — https://www.expansiveconnection.com/ Sapio Tours — https://sapiotours.com/ Monogamish Marriage Podcast — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-monogamish-marriage/id1586549659 BDSM Test — https://bdsmtest.org/ How to Build a Sex Room — https://www.netflix.com/title/81220971 Erotic Blueprint Quiz — https://missjaiya.com/ Where Should We Begin? (ice breaker card game) - Esther Perel Beyond Anxiety — Martha Beck The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk Roz's Strappy Red Outfit from Garden Party (you're welcome) - https://a.co/d/0bnYwcer Disclaimer These conversations reflect our own observations and experiences and are not professional or institutional advice. They do not reflect the thoughts or opinions of employers, family, or guests, nor imply their approval of the content shared.

We Haven't Done Anything Yet... So Why Does This Feel So Hard 😏

PROTOCOL ENTRY: What does it actually look like to prepare—mentally, emotionally, and relationally—before taking your first step into something new? In this episode of The Partnership Lab, we’re in the research phase. Before anything happens, before any lines are crossed, before any real-world experiences—we’re doing the work. Roz is preparing for a women’s retreat focused on pleasure, desire, and self-discovery, and together we walk through what that preparation actually looks like in real time. From homework assignments and self-reflection exercises to a live hall pass conversation, this episode captures the questions, boundaries, and emotions that come up before taking a first step. This isn’t a recap. This is the lead-up. In This Episode What we’ve been up to since Episode 1 Roz’s upcoming women’s retreat and what drew her to it The “homework” assignments leading up to the retreat Erotic blueprints and BDSM test results A real-time hall pass conversation (before anything happens) Boundaries, communication, and how we’re approaching this intentionally Excitement, fears, and what we’re both feeling going into it Contact us at with comments, questions, stories, advice, encouragement, or whatever else you want to send: thepartnershiplabpodcast@gmail.com Suggested resources mentioned in the episode: Expansive Connection - https://www.expansiveconnection.com/ Sapio Tours - https://sapiotours.com/ Monogamish Marriage Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-monogamish-marriage/id1586549659 BDSM Test - https://bdsmtest.org/ How to Build a Sex Room - https://www.netflix.com/title/81220971 Erotic Blueprint Quiz - https://missjaiya.com/ Roz's Walk-On Music:https://music.apple.com/us/album/stand-out/1452864288?i=1452864786 https://music.apple.com/us/album/high-hopes/1361152002?i=1361152303 Max's Walk-On Music (Secret Show Note Easter Egg):https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-man/1440900336?i=1440900406 Disclaimer These conversations reflect our own observations and experiences and are not professional or institutional advice. They do not reflect the thoughts or opinions of employers, family, or guests, nor imply their approval of the content shared.

From "I'd Be Too Jealous" to "Let's Make a Podcast!" 🎙️

How does a long-term, monogamous relationship turn into a conversation about opening up? In this first episode of The Partnership Lab, we share how we got here - from growing up with traditional views on sex and relationships, to reconnecting after years together, and beginning to explore consensual non-monogamy .... before anything has actually happened. We talk about the messages we were given about sex, what out early relationships looked like, and how a single conversation eventually turned into months of reflection, research, deeper intimacy and communication. We're still in the "research phase", and that's exactly the point. This podcast is about exploring our relationship, and how we relate with others, in real time. We'll share what we're learning along the way with curiosity, communication, and intention. In This Episode How we met and built our 20+ year relationship together What we were taught (and not taught) about sex, monogamy, and relationships How life's stressors weakened our connection, and how we've recaptured that spark The first conversation about opening up, including whose first reaction was "I'd be too jealous", and how their perspective shifted over time What we're exploring next Contact us at with comments, questions, stories, advice, encouragement, or whatever else you want to send: thepartnershiplabpodcast@gmail.com Suggested resources mentioned in the episode: The Monogamish Marriage - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-monogamish-marriage/id1586549659 Naughty Gym - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naughty-gym-show-building-stronger-non-monogamous-relationships/id1701360007 Hacking Love - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hacking-love-deepening-commitment-through-open-relationships/id1770657936 Disclaimer These conversations reflect our own observations and experiences and are not professional or institutional advice. They do not reflect the thoughts or opinions of employers, family, or guests, nor imply their approval of the content shared.

The Dream That Gave Us The Ick 🤢

Bonus: The Dream That Gave Us the Ick After a long and heavy Toronto recap, we’re back with a shorter bonus episode about something that started as a random dream and turned into a surprisingly useful conversation. Max had a lifestyle dream that felt a little too real: a house party, a card game, someone from his past, Roz disappearing without a check-in, and a wave of jealousy that stuck around even after waking up. So we used it the way we use most things in this experiment — as data. In this bonus episode, we talk about what the dream revealed about jealousy, communication, compersion, context, partner vetoes, and why headspace matters. We also wander into Love Is Blind, laughter as a compatibility test, listener feedback, making local lifestyle friends, horror movies after becoming parents, and what we’re building for listeners as we keep learning in real time. These conversations reflect our own observations and experiences and are not professional or institutional advice. They do not reflect the thoughts or opinions of employers, family, friends, or guests, nor imply their approval of the content shared.

The Lifestyle Glossary Pt. 1 🤓

What exactly is a soft swap? What’s the difference between a hotwife and a stag/vixen dynamic? And why does everyone keep talking about unicorns? In this bonus episode, we start building a shared vocabulary for the lifestyle by breaking down some of the most common terms you’ll encounter in swinging, ENM spaces, dating apps, and lifestyle communities. Using our best understanding (and a healthy amount of curiosity), we walk through: soft swap vs full swap same room vs separate room play parallel play hotwife dynamics stag/vixen relationships cuckolding bulls and unicorns We also talk about why communication matters so much, how different communities use these terms differently, and why learning the language can make exploring these spaces feel a lot less intimidating. This isn’t meant to be the definitive dictionary—just two curious scientists trying to make the terminology a little less overwhelming. And yes… somehow we also end up talking about Love Is Blind. Resources Mentioned: Feeld glossary - https://feeld.co/glossary Polyamory For Dummies - https://a.co/d/0gHXL7DA Join the Conversation Got a term we should cover next? Think we butchered one of these definitions?thepartnershiplabpodcast@gmail.com

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