Getting Close

If you’ve turned off the news and feel guilty about it, this episode’s for you.
In today’s episode, you and I are getting close with Brian Derrick. We discuss the complexities of political engagement, why we’re all politically burnt out, why liberals keep losing, and how to turn politics from a hobby to an actionable lifestyle.
Brian Derrick is a political strategist, activist, and Founder and CEO of Oath – a civic tech platform transforming political giving. He has consulted on campaigns from city council to president – most notably for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Marti Gould Cummings (NYC City Council). Derrick is also a leader in the nonprofit sector.
In this episode, we explore:
* Why you need to fight with your friends
* When it’s okay to stop injesting the news.
* Why your state senate donation matters more than your presidential one
* How to tell if you’ve turned politics into a hobby
* The real reason liberals keep losing.
Before You Go
* Please subscribe, rate, and review the show!
* And share it with someone who you think might enjoy it. That’s the best way you can help us grow!
Links!
Follow Brian: https://www.instagram.com/brianderrick_
Check Out Oath: https://app.oath.vote/
Follow Aidan: https://www.instagram.com/aidanwharton
Follow Getting Close: https://www.instagram.com/gettingclosepod
Follow on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gettingclosepod
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction to Political Engagement
(02:17) Understanding Political Burnout
(06:03) The Role of Data in Politics
(10:16) Taking Action Beyond Knowledge
(14:10) Navigating News Consumption
(19:54) Long-Term Political Planning
(24:32) Building Coalitions Through Disagreement
(27:23) Navigating Difficult Conversations
(30:21) The Importance of Engaging in Disagreements
(33:42) Deciding to Win: Taking Action in Politics
(37:04) Leveraging Resources for Political Change
(41:21) Finding Hope in Local Elections
(45:36) Cultivating Positivity in Political Discourse
(47:05) The Role of Voting in Civic Duty
(49:24) Curiosity and Connection in Community
(52:40) Empowerment and Enacting Change


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gettingclosepod.substack.com/subscribe

If you’re feeling overstimulated and disconnected, this episode’s for you. In it, we connect with Keanu Jackson, a sex therapist, to explore the complexities of desire, consent, and online sexuality in our modern world.
Keanu Jackson is a Brooklyn, NY-based Sex Therapist, Content Creator, & Founder of Homebody Psychotherapy, a therapy practice that centers on supporting queer folks in building more nurturing relationships with their bodies. Keanu uses his experiences as a queer, Black man, sex worker, and survivor as a bridge to support others on their healing journeys.
In this episode, we explore:
* How to reconnect with your body through curiosity
* Why sexual liberation might mean having less sex.
* What you consent to by entering gay spaces.
* How race impacts sexual dynamics and what we can do about it.
* Keanu’s surprising recommendation for safer sex.
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction to Connection and Self-Discovery
(01:52) The Impact of Personal Loss on Relationships
(06:06) Exploring Sexuality and Identity in 2026
(08:50) Understanding Consent in Modern Culture
(12:08) Navigating Boundaries and Personal Safety
(14:59) The Intersection of Digital Presence and Sexuality
(20:59) Racism and Its Impact on Sexual Identity
(26:24) Navigating Sexual Spaces: Race and Entitlement
(30:12) The Importance of Acknowledging Racial Dynamics
(33:54) Unspoken Assumptions in Queer Spaces
(36:46) Building Self-Security and Curiosity
(41:10) Exploring Sexual Compatibility and Connection
(47:29) Curiosity in Black Diasporic Sexual Practices
(50:40) Creating Community and Connection
Before You Go!
* Please subscribe, rate, and review the show!
* And share it with someone who you think might enjoy it. That’s the best way you can help us grow!
Follow Along!
Follow Keanu: https://www.instagram.com/homebodypsychotherapy
Follow Aidan: https://www.instagram.com/aidanwharton
Follow Getting Close: https://www.instagram.com/gettingclosepod
Follow on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gettingclosepod


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gettingclosepod.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s episode will change how you communicate. How do I know? Because it changed how I did.
In this episode, I sit down with Ruffus, affectionately known on socials as the Poly-Kink Therapist, to discuss communication, sexual agency, and the vital lessons we can learn from the kink community.
If you’ve ever had scripts in your head that tell you what you can and can’t ask for, what is and is not allowed, get ready to finally claim your power and transform the way you communicate with me and Ruffus.
We explore:
* How to reclaim your agency through better communication
* How to create a container conversation and why it will change your relationships forever.
* The three things you must ask about when opening your relationship.
* How the pup community can teach us to be more accepting.
* How to navigate differences in sex or libido.
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction to Vulnerability and Connection
(02:24) Navigating Difficult Conversations
(06:50) Understanding Kink and Agency
(10:38) Finding Community and Safety
(14:55) Unlearning Expectations in Relationships
(19:12) Creating a Safe Container for Conversations
(27:19) Navigating Communication in Relationships
(29:44) Exploring Kink and Freedom
(31:39) The Journey of Self-Discovery in Kink
(36:23) Understanding Consent and Expectations
(40:48) Navigating Sexual Incompatibilities
(44:32) The Importance of Communication in Non-Monogamy
(49:59) Common Kink Misunderstandings and Mistakes
(52:48) Community and Acceptance in Kink Spaces
Follow Along
Follow Ruffus: https://www.instagram.com/thepolykink.therapist
Follow Aidan: https://www.instagram.com/aidanwharton
Follow Getting Close: https://www.instagram.com/gettingclosepod
Follow on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gettingclosepod


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gettingclosepod.substack.com/subscribe

If you have a little voice in the back of your mind saying, you should really break that habit, this episode is for you. We all have coping mechanisms that help us get through the day, but when do we know if those coping mechanisms have turned into unhealthy patterns, and if so, how can we break them?
In this episode, my husband Casey (and y’all’s most requested return guest) sits back down with me for a deeply intimate and vulnerable conversation about his last year breaking patterns of addiction.
We unpack:
* How to let go of the patterns that no longer serve you
* The differences between habits, coping mechanisms, and unhealthy patterns
* Why your journey with substances doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
* How to support a partner who is dismantling their relationship with substances
* How to find joy in sobriety through new rituals and experiences.
* The most surprising things we’ve both learned as we stopped drinking.
Chapters
(00:00) Introduction to Connection and Coping Mechanisms
(02:54) Celebrating Six Months Alcohol-Free
(05:40) Understanding Patterns vs. Habits
(10:04) Exploring Early Coping Mechanisms
(16:44) The Impact of Substances on Life
(21:54) Navigating Social Drinking and Isolation
(26:38) Navigating Loneliness and Community Needs
(28:05) The Journey to Sobriety: A Personal Reflection
(31:51) Breaking Patterns: The Role of Substances in Coping
(36:01) Emotional Breakthroughs: The Impact of Isolation
(39:46) Supporting Partners Through Change
(43:02) Surprising Positives: Finding Joy in Sobriety
(45:58) Messages of Hope: Embracing Change and Growth
(50:17) Curiosity and Connection: Engaging with Community
Follow Along!
Follow Casey: https://bit.ly/3NY8jya
Follow Aidan: https://bit.ly/4sRSpoX
Follow Getting Close: https://bit.ly/4jW9Ro8
Send us a comment or question at: [email protected]!


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gettingclosepod.substack.com/subscribe

If you’ve ever sat in an awkward silence, wondering what to ask next, or left a conversation wishing you’d known how to go deeper, this episode will change how you talk to people.
In this episode, Eric Williams joins us to explore what separates a good question from a bad one, why our digital world is making us worse at curiosity, and how the way you ask questions shapes everything from your first date to your longest relationship.
Eric Williams is the host of That’s A Gay Ass Podcast and has interviewed icons like Dan Savage, Lisa Rinna, and Kathy Griffin. He’s also a solo performer in the middle of touring his solo show, Why All The Drama? He also just happens to be one of the most gifted conversationalists I know.
We unpack:
🟡 What actually makes a good question and why it matters
🟡 Why you think you’re asking enough questions, but you aren’t.
🟡 The surprising link between asking good questions and being good in bed.
🟡 What questions actually sustain a long term relationship.
🟡 The one question everyone in an open relationship needs to ask.
If you’ve ever sat in that awkward silence wondering what to say next, this one’s for you.
Follow Along
Follow Eric on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericwillz
Follow Eric on Substack:
Follow Aidan: https://www.instagram.com/aidanwharton
Follow Getting Close: https://www.instagram.com/gettingclosepod



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gettingclosepod.substack.com/subscribe