Talk with Tara | Divorce, Dating & Women’s Midlife Reinvention

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 AuerbachElana 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 Journeyhttps://guide.surethingexperiment.com/wild-sensual-self
How to buy the bookYou 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 ElanaVisit 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.
 
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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
Emailtalkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com
SubstackMy 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.comand 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 talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com. Ladies, I need your support. This is such a labor of love. 
In this episode, former top model turned spiritual mentor Eden Amadora shares the real story behind life on the runway and what it took to walk away from glamour and chaos to reclaim her voice, heal from a toxic relationship, and embody authentic feminine power. We dig into what Kundalini energy really is, how to tell the difference between a spiritual emergency and awakening, and why balancing feminine and masculine energies creates genuine confidence, boundaries, and self trust.
Eden explains inner union in practical terms, how music supports the nervous system, and what modern priestess work looks like for everyday women who want purpose, presence, and love without losing themselves.
If this conversation resonates, please follow the show, share it with a friend, and send your comments or guest ideas to talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com.
Contact Tara at talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com and on Instagram at @talkwithtarapodcast.
Connect with Eden at edenamadora.com and on Instagram at @edenamadora.
 Ruby Circle Information here: https://discover.priestesspresence.com/etm-ruby/
Listen to Eden on Spotify here https://open.spotify.com/artist/00uncuCapC5VnWNUnwo6MM and hear her single Angel Wild here https://open.spotify.com/album/6NFtbWTOR7VM7w9kvcubyj.

Please support the show by commenting on your plafrom of choice, following me on Instagram @talkwithtarapodcast and sharing your thoughts with me at talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com - Your support helps me bring more bold conversations your way. 
Welcome back to Talk with Tara. In this episode, I dive into money after divorce and how to rebuild wealth in midlife with financial pro Katy Song, CFP and MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Katy brings over 17 years of experience helping women and families take control of their financial futures with confidence.
We talk about creating a shame-free money plan, building an emergency fund in a high-yield savings account, the truth about Roth IRA vs traditional 401k, how ETFs like the S&P 500 and QQQ fit into long-term investing, and how to budget without deprivation. We also get real about overspending, housing decisions after divorce, negotiating during mediation, and breaking free from fear or scarcity mindsets around money.
If you’re navigating divorce, separation, or any midlife transition, this conversation will give you practical steps to rebuild your finances, protect your credit, and grow wealth so you can live with more freedom and less stress.
 
Connect with Katy Song:
Website: katysong.com
Email: katy@katysong.com
Instagram: @katysongmoney

Dating in midlife can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to. In this solo episode of Talk with Tara, I’m sharing everything I’ve learned about navigating online dating with confidence, safety, and success.
From overcoming the fear of being alone to handling ghosting with grace, I open up about my own experiences, unfiltered truths, and strategies that actually work. You’ll hear how to spot red flags, protect your privacy, attract high-value partners, and most importantly rediscover yourself along the way.
If you’re ready to stop settling and start dating smarter, this episode is your ultimate playbook.
Follow me on Instagram: @talkwithtarapodcast
Email: talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com
Share this episode with a friend who’s ready to reclaim her dating confidence

In this episode I get real with Christine Marie Mason on the beauty and grief of midlife. Christine is so wise and inspiring. She's a six-time founder and CEO, futurist, healer, and advocate for women’s wellness and liberation. Christine is the founder of Rosebud Woman, co-founder of a meditation center and medicinal farm in Hawaii, and author of nine books, including her latest, The Nine Lives of Women.
Together, we explore the sensual, sexual, and spiritual journey of women across every life stage. Christine shares her insights on tantra, feminine energy, intimacy, and purpose, while offering guidance on how to embrace midlife as a time of renewal and creativity. We dive into friendship, community, grief, reinvention, and how women can flourish physically, emotionally, and spiritually at every age.
From discovering Dharma to reconnecting with pleasure and power, this conversation is a roadmap for living fully, loving deeply, and aging vibrantly.
Connect with Christine Marie MasonWebsite: ChristineMarieMason.comRosebud Woman: rosewoman.com
Connect with Host Tara PoulinEmail: talkwithtarapodcast@gmail.com or @talkwithtarapodcast on IG
 
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