Authentic Intimacy

How to Have Tough Conversations

How to Have Tough Conversations

(Presione aquí para leer en español)  If you listen to our podcast, Java with Juli, you know that I don’t like small talk. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been able to acutely sense unspoken tension in a room. I’m anxious when I have a conflict with a friend or...

Where Do You Run When Marriage Gets Lonely?

Where Do You Run When Marriage Gets Lonely?

It’s one thing to be lonely when you are single, wondering if and when God will ever bring the right guy. It’s another matter for your heart to ache with loneliness when the “right guy” is living in your home and sleeping in your bed. If this is your reality, please...

Beyond a Happy Marriage

Beyond a Happy Marriage

Within the past month, I’ve been accused of two things that seem to be mutually exclusive. A few women have made comments like, “Why don’t you ever challenge the men? Why is it always the woman’s responsibility to build a healthy marriage?” And men have written me...

#264: You (Too) Can Help #MeToo

#264: You (Too) Can Help #MeToo

What can you do to make sure the voices of sexual abuse victims continue to be heard following the #MeToo movement? How...

Webinar: Surprised by the Healer

Webinar: Surprised by the Healer

You may have heard Juli say, "We are all sexually broken." So how do we get "fixed?" Pursuing healing may involve counseling, God's Word, and having trustworthy friends around you, but ultimate healing comes when we encounter the Healer Himself. Join Dr. Juli Slattery...

Drowning in Shallow Christianity

Drowning in Shallow Christianity

I recently met with a friend who shared openly with me about her struggles in marriage. “It’s like living with a robot! He doesn’t seem to know how to connect emotionally. Am I supposed to live the next thirty years with this man? Does God really want me to be so...

Sex is the Icing on the Cake

Sex is the Icing on the Cake

Growing up, I was never much of a cook. With three sisters and a mother who all cook and bake masterfully, I had no reason to learn how. As a wife and mother, I reluctantly accepted my role as the family chef. A few years ago, I attempted to bake a homemade cake for a...

A Perfect Marriage

A Perfect Marriage

Mike and I recently attended a wedding. The bride was stunning, and the groom gleamed with pride. Not a dry eye in the place. Weddings are beautiful—not just because of the music, flowers, dresses, and tuxes, but also because they represent young, unblemished love....

Webinar: Overcoming Barriers in the Bedroom

Webinar: Overcoming Barriers in the Bedroom

Do you hate sex? Are you too tired, never in the mood, or is sex too painful? Maybe there’s too much tension in your marriage to desire any sexual intimacy with your husband. Dr. Juli Slattery will be teaching on overcoming barriers in the bedroom and sharing things...

A Secret for the Guys

A Secret for the Guys

Every day we hear from men who desperately want help and encouragement for their wives. Most commonly, they complain that their wives are not interested in sexual intimacy. Many of these messages end with pleas like “Help me! What can I do to help her understand my...

#256: Who Is Jesus to You?

#256: Who Is Jesus to You?

Every sexual question is a spiritual question. Every sexual opinion you hold comes from a foundation of who Jesus is to you. In the...

Your Sexual Differences Can Make You Better Lovers

Your Sexual Differences Can Make You Better Lovers

Have you ever wondered why God made you and your husband so different? For many years, I thought that might be my first question to God when I got to heaven. The differences between me and my husband, particularly in the bedroom, were driving us both crazy. Sexual...

Webinar: Tackling Shame

Webinar: Tackling Shame

One of the most common themes in the questions we receive at Authentic Intimacy is shame. What is it? Where does it come from? How do I get rid of it? Can God really forgive every sin? If so, why do I still have so much shame? In this webinar, we address these issues...

Is There Really a 7-Year Itch?

Is There Really a 7-Year Itch?

My husband and I are leading a Bible study with mostly newlywed couples. After a few weeks, we noticed how often we referred to the seven-year-something . . . itch? pit? slump? The other couples in the group started nervously teasing about what terrible blockade may...

#252: Finding Your Voice

#252: Finding Your Voice

Sexual abuse. Fame. Infidelity and divorce. Five-time Grammy award winner Sandi Patty has walked through them all. How has she come...

When Your Child Has Been Sexually Abused

When Your Child Has Been Sexually Abused

The headlines are filled with horrific accounts of childhood sexual abuse. Behind every headline are children and their parents, families grasping for help and hope through devastating news. We have received many emails from parents who recently discovered that their...

#250: Healing After Abortion

#250: Healing After Abortion

It’s time to let women know there is healing after abortion.  While Christians rightly proclaim the sanctity...

Webinar: Keeping the Romance Alive

Webinar: Keeping the Romance Alive

This is a webinar for you and your spouse! Dr. Juli Slattery is joined by her husband, Mike. Mike and Juli talk through practical advice and honest barriers when it comes to keeping the romance alive in your marriage along with answering your questions in a live...

Manhood on a Razor’s Edge

Manhood on a Razor’s Edge

Last week, I spent $44 at Costco on Gillette razor blades for my husband. When I heard Gillette had just released a controversial video on toxic manhood, I wondered if I would regret my purchase. Having just watched the Gillette commercial, I couldn’t be more...

Webinar: Tools You Need for Healthier Relationships

Webinar: Tools You Need for Healthier Relationships

You have a lot of relationships in your life: parents, family, friends, colleagues, and your spouse. These relationships have huge effects on your emotional health, day to day living, and often your interaction with God. What percentage of your relationships are...

#169: Your Wounded Heart

#169: Your Wounded Heart

It wasn’t that bad. What happened to you definitely wasn’t as bad as other abuse stories you’ve heard and read about. It’s...

Your Husband Needs You Too

Your Husband Needs You Too

I vividly remember life as it was about 15 years ago. A newborn, a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old, all boys. Most mornings, I woke up to someone crying or pleading for breakfast. From the time my feet hit the ground until I went to bed, someone needed me. I was acutely...

Webinar: His Brain, Her Brain

Webinar: His Brain, Her Brain

Our world is always telling us men and women are not different, but is that true? In this webinar, Dr. Walt & Barb Larimore will discuss how gender differences don't just exist--they are an important part of who God created us to be. You'll also learn how the...

Have You Forgotten Who God Is?

Have You Forgotten Who God Is?

In the process of teaching about biblical sexuality, I have at times taken a critical look at traditions Christians have long held as truth. For example, you may have heard a recent Java with Juli episode exploring the missteps and harmful messages of the conservative...

I Don’t Trust Myself

I Don’t Trust Myself

A few days ago, I rushed to see Toni (the lady who cuts my hair) in the middle of the work day. I got there with just a few minutes to spare after getting off a conference call. Someone else was sitting in Toni’s chair. “I’ll just wait in the lobby until you’re done,”...

Pure Sadness and a Better Way Forward

Pure Sadness and a Better Way Forward

I recently read a very sad book, Pure by Linda Kay Klein. This book keeps popping up in my newsfeed which tells me that people want to talk about it. The subtitle of the book hits precisely why this book caused my heart to ache: “Inside the evangelical movement that...

Webinar: Sexuality and Parenting

Webinar: Sexuality and Parenting

How do you teach your kids about God's design and purpose for sexuality? How do you relate to your kids when today's sexual culture is so different from the sexual culture of your own childhood? During this webinar, Dr. Juli Slattery explains what it looks like to...

Your Spouse Doesn’t Complete You

Your Spouse Doesn’t Complete You

When is the last time you felt disappointed by your marriage? Notice that I asked when, not if. Disappointment is a normal part of any relationship, but it hits us particularly hard in marriage. We live in a day and time when marriage is presented as an answer for...

#229: Sex, Teens, & Parenting

#229: Sex, Teens, & Parenting

Your daughter is sexting her boyfriend. Your son sees porn on a friend's phone. Now that you've yelled, confiscated their devices...

Webinar: Female Friendships—the Good AND the Bad

Webinar: Female Friendships—the Good AND the Bad

We can all agree that having female friends is a great gift in life, but why can they cause so much difficulty? Dr. Juli Slattery hosts this webinar with one of her favorite friends, Erin Smalley! These two share the value in friendship, be honest about why it can be...

Loving a Broken Man (Or Woman)

Loving a Broken Man (Or Woman)

Gary Thomas has been a guest on Java with Juli multiple times and also joined us for our webinar "Having a Mission-Focused Marriage." He is a bestselling author and international speaker whose ministry brings people closer to Christ and closer to others. He unites the...

#48: My Controlling Spouse

#48: My Controlling Spouse

If you are fearful or hesitant to share your true thoughts with your spouse, you may be in an unhealthy pattern with a controlling spouse. What are the red flags, and how can you change things? Very few couples know how to address this issue, but it can be a fatal...

Sexual Pleasure Isn’t Shameful

Sexual Pleasure Isn’t Shameful

God cares about your sex life. It may seem weird to see the words God and sex in the same sentence. Sometimes when I teach women on this topic, they have a visceral reaction to the concept of God knowing about their sex lives. Psalm 139 tells us that God is always...

Webinar: Rethinking Sexuality: God’s Design and Why It Matters

Webinar: Rethinking Sexuality: God’s Design and Why It Matters

We believe every Christian needs to be equipped with a Biblical understanding of sexuality. Not just, "Don't do it until your married,"but a full, practical, and Biblical narrative that we know, live out, and teach others. Dr. Juli Slattery invites you to join her for...

Webinar: Fighting Masturbation and Fantasy

Webinar: Fighting Masturbation and Fantasy

Every day we receive questions from men and women around masturbation and fantasy. Is masturbation a sin? How do I know when I've "crossed the line" into sinful sexual fantasy? How do we differentiate between healthy sexual desire and sinful lust? What if I'm single?...

#224: Sexuality & Surrender

#224: Sexuality & Surrender

Laurie daily submits her same-sex sexuality to the Lordship of Christ while married to her best friend, Matt. ...

The “Why” for Every Question About Sexuality

The “Why” for Every Question About Sexuality

When children reach the age of two, they begin asking a question they never stop asking. Why? If you are parenting a young child, you are faced with endless why questions. Why do I have to go to bed so early? Why do I have to eat brussel sprouts? Why do you have to go...

#217: Finding Hope After Betrayal

#217: Finding Hope After Betrayal

The man who vowed to love, cherish and protect you is cheating, lying and hiding. Now what? In this episode, Dr. Juli Slattery is...

#206: BONUS! Rebel Parenting

#206: BONUS! Rebel Parenting

Ryan Dobson admits he was a rebellious kid. These days, as a husband and father, he’s a different kind of rebel....

#210: Enjoying Intimacy in Your Golden Years

#210: Enjoying Intimacy in Your Golden Years

It’s no secret that aging changes us. Our bodies don’t work the way they used to.  Sex doesn’t work the way it used to.  What once happened easily is now difficult and awkward.  Is it time to close the chapter on sex? Not so fast! Join Juli and her guests as they...

Does Your Husband Need Sex?

Does Your Husband Need Sex?

Until recently, it has been part of the Christian marriage narrative that men need sex. Christian marriage books over the decades have repeatedly claimed that sex is a primary need for guys in marriage. In many marriages (but not all), husbands would eagerly nod their...

Parenting as a Team

Parenting as a Team

When I look at the home my husband grew up in and compare it to how I was raised, it’s a wonder we ended up together. Our backgrounds are so completely opposite that no marriage counselor in her right mind would have suggested that we marry. Once we said, “I do,” Mike...

Webinar: Guilt & Motherhood: When You Think You’re Messing It Up

Webinar: Guilt & Motherhood: When You Think You’re Messing It Up

Practically every mother wrestles with guilt because there is no such thing as a perfect mom. We instinctively know that the choices we make will impact our children's lives. How can we parent our kids without being paralyzed by the guilt of our mistakes and fear of...

#207: Making Motherhood Meaningful

#207: Making Motherhood Meaningful

Hey moms, do you feel like you’re missing out on life while staying at home with kids? Are you exhausted, unsure of yourself, or...

The Great Danger: He Can Have My Body, But…

The Great Danger: He Can Have My Body, But…

Jerusha Clark wrote the following guest blog as a follow up to her and Juli's conversation on Java with Juli. Jerusha and her husband Jeramy have been sharing their journey of marriage and parenting for many years, encouraging others with what God is teaching them.You...