Many long-term couples struggle with intimacy, but few talk about it openly. A woman who calls herself an “intimacy therapist” says she hears the same story again and again from married clients.

Olivia Bentley, from Idaho, says she earns more than $500,000 a year by having sex with married men. She says she has spent about 15 years in the industry and learned skills while working at Nevada’s Moonlite BunnyRanch, a legal brothel. She also says she has a master’s degree in education, but no formal counseling credentials.

Bentley claims married couples seek her out when their sex life has faded or stopped. She says some wives give their husbands permission through a “hall pass,” and some even ask her to demonstrate sex acts with their husbands. Other partners prefer not to be involved but still want to know who she is.

The pattern she says she sees most often is a marriage that becomes low or no intimacy after a few years, leaving one partner unhappy and looking for answers.

For couples who want to improve their connection without outside help, she encourages regular exercise. She also recommends stretching and yoga, saying they can help people feel better in their bodies and support libido. She points to research suggesting exercise may raise sex drive in both men and women.

What do you think helps couples protect intimacy as a relationship gets older?