Dr. Jasmonae Joyriel - Ignite Anew

Moving Forward With Confidence: Redesigning Dating After Divorce

Divorce changes the blueprint of your life. The future you once imagined with certainty is gone, leaving a blank page you didn’t ask for. After the dust settles and the friendships, coffee spots, and play dates have been divvied up, the question creeps in… What would it mean to risk intimacy again? If you’re noticing […]

Toxic Relationship Signs: How to Spot, Understand, and Choose Change.

Couple in a bedroom with one partner visibly distressed and the other turned away, representing conflict and emotional disconnection in a relationship.

The word toxic gets thrown around a lot. Every conflict, every disagreement, every behavior we don’t like can quickly earn the label. But real toxicity isn’t about everyday human flaws. So what makes it cross the line? It’s about how those flaws are handled, or avoided. Eventually they corrode trust, intimacy, and the integrity of […]

When Saying Yes Isn’t Mutual: Navigating Consent and Connection in Relationships—Insights from Austin’s Relationship Expert

Close-up of two hands forming a heart shape with their fingers in warm sunlight, symbolizing mutual consent and connection.

We often talk about the power of saying yes in relationships. Yes to intimacy, yes to sexual connection, yes to exploring new pleasures. But not enough people talk about the equally vital power of saying no, especially a no that protects the relationship rather than distances it. This isn’t the dismissive “no” we fear. This […]

We Feel Like Roommates, Is My Relationship Dead?

Couple embraces outdoors, sharing a quiet moment of closeness—symbolizing reinvesting in connection when partners feel like roommates

At some point, almost every couple asks this question, usually in the middle of a quiet night, scrolling their phones on opposite sides of the bed. The quiet panic no one talks about… At some point, almost every couple asks this question, usually in the middle of a quiet night, scrolling their phones on opposite […]

Are You Ready To Date After Your Divorce? Here Are Signs and Red Flags To Look Out For

A couple shares a kiss in a snowy forest surrounded by tall pine trees. They’re bundled in winter coats, scarves, and hats, smiling as the man playfully dips the woman backward in the snow. The scene feels romantic, cozy, and joyful, capturing the warmth of connection on a cold winter day.

Divorce doesn’t just close a chapter. It rewrites the story you thought you were living. It shifts the way you see yourself, how you relate to others, and what you expect from love. And once the dust settles, the question many people quietly ask themselves is: Am I truly ready to let someone in again? […]

Creative Austin Date Nights to Reignite Your Relationship

Neon pink sign in Austin reading “Taquero Mucho” with a glowing taco illustration, creating a playful and romantic ambiance — perfect for a fun date-night vibe.

Something that couples often struggle with the longer they’re together is how to stay connected, have fun, and continue to deepen their intimacy. Date nights have completely stopped. And it’s one of the first things I tackle in couples therapy. After the initial limerence phase (that head-over-heels, butterflies-in-the-stomach season) passes, and the realities of career […]

Why Your Sex Life Needs an Erotic Pantry

A stylish couple in an intimate, playful pose—she stands confidently with her leg on his lap while he gazes up at her with desire. The image evokes connection, confidence, and curiosity, reflecting the themes of erotic exploration and reigniting passion from The Erotic Pantry blog.

Imagine walking into your kitchen hungry, only to find… two sad options: a box of stale crackers and the same can of soup you’ve eaten three nights in a row. What are the chances that this picture is your erotic pantry, too? This is what many people’s sex lives feel like.A couple of go-to moves, […]

Hate The Relationship With Your Parents? How to Deal With Difficult Parents

An emotional scene in a warm, modern living room showing tension between an adult daughter of color and her older mother. The daughter, appearing sad and frustrated, looks down with furrowed brows and crossed arms, while the mother stands behind her with an angry, judgmental expression. The image captures the strain and distance between them.

It’s that time of year again, when commercials tell us family equals comfort, but your stomach gets tied in knots at the thought of going home and seeing your parents. While everyone else seems to be planning matching pajama photos and nostalgic movie nights, you’re quietly debating whether it’s worth the emotional hangover that comes […]

How to Reconnect When You Feel More Like Roommates Than Lovers

Couple hugging and kissing ear, smiling and holding each other as they reconnect after feeling distant in their relationship.

The relationship isn’t dead. You’re just…disconnected. You didn’t wake up one morning and decide to stop feeling close and start feeling like roommates. It happened gradually. One rushed morning. One missed kiss goodbye. One “we’ll talk about it later” that never happened. Over time, the things that once made you feel alive together faded into […]

Three Signs You Shouldn’t Have Sex Right Now (Even If You Love Them)

Too often, we focus on all the reasons we should be having sex. We study how to set the mood, find new positions, and bring back the spark when things start to fizzle. But I’m a firm believer that the best sex often starts with saying no. Before we can fully make space for the […]