Survey studies find that about 1 in 5 people say they’re been in some type of sexually open relationship before. Despite how common consensual non-monogamy is, research, data, and information on it is pretty limited. And, oftentimes, it’s not addressed at all in psychology training programs. So, for today’s episode, we’re going to explore what you need to know about sexually open relationships. I am joined by Dr. Michelle Vaughan , an Associate Professor in the School of Professional...
Jul 08, 2022•49 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast Everyone has an “attachment style,” which refers to the way that you tend to interact and connect with others in intimate relationships. Psychologists have found that attachment styles are reliable predictors of so many different things in our sex and love lives, from the content of our sexual fantasies to how we respond in conflict situations to our reasons for pursuing sex. A better understanding of your own (and your partner’s) attachment style can potentially help you to cu...
Jul 05, 2022•37 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast Men who have sex with men often identify themselves in terms of sexual positions, such as top, bottom, or versatile to reference the role they prefer to take during anal sex. But what if none of those terms describe you? Today’s episode is all about the growing number of gay and bisexual men who identify as “sides,” or people who aren’t into penetrative anal sex. I am joined by Dr Joe Kort, the clinical director and founder of The Center for Relationship and Sexual Health in Ro...
Jul 01, 2022•40 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast College students tend to be stereotyped as a pretty horny bunch who are hooking up every chance they get. But are today’s college students really having more sex than ever? That’s what we’re going to be exploring in this show. Are they as sexually active as popular media depictions suggest? How is the sex that they’re having changing? And what do college students today need to know about navigating and cultivating healthy sexual and romantic relationships? I am joined by Dr. Nicole McNicho...
Jun 28, 2022•48 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast Bestselling author Lisa Taddeo has put women’s stories front and center in all of her books. Her work explores how women navigate sexual desire, sexual trauma, and sexual double standards–and it is utterly fascinating and captivating. For today’s episode, I sat down with Lisa to talk about these prominent themes in her writings and what they tell us about women’s sexuality. Lisa’s first nonfiction book, Three Women , was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller and is curr...
Jun 24, 2022•35 min•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast Why are we attracted to some people, but not to others? The answer to this question is surprisingly complex, but research has uncovered a set of scientifically-backed principles that can pretty reliably facilitate sexual and romantic attraction. This episode will help you to better understand those “laws” of attraction, including how you can leverage them to enhance your own appeal to others. Sexuality educator Ashley Weller returns for this show. Ashley is a professor at Chapman Uni...
Jun 21, 2022•46 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast In the classic film When Harry Met Sally, Meg Ryan famously said, “Most women at one time or another have faked it.” And she was right. But it turns out that women aren’t the only ones who do this. Fake orgasms are surprisingly common across genders. So why do so many people feign the peak of pleasure? And is pretending to climax a good thing or a bad thing? That’s why we’re going to be talking about today. I am joined by Ashley Weller, a professor at Chapman University in Sout...
Jun 17, 2022•42 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast Human beings spend about one-third of their lives asleep. We do this because sleep is an essential body function. When we don’t get enough sleep, we suffer in a lot of ways–and that includes our sex lives. That’s why today’s episode is all about the important connection between sex and sleep. As you’ll learn, getting better sleep is one of the keys to having better sex. But it’s also the case that having a great sex life can help you get better sleep. The conn...
Jun 14, 2022•42 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast It is hard to believe, but we have reached episode 100 of this podcast! So how do you celebrate 100 episodes of a sex show? I’ve put together a compilation featuring some of the most fascinating and mind-blowing facts about sex we’ve covered so far. Specifically, we’re going to revisit my interviews with Hallie Lieberman ( Episode 21 ), Dr. Ina Park ( Episode 39 ), Dr. Lisa Dawn Hamilton ( Episode 53 ) and Dr. Nicole Prause ( Episode 60 ). Some of the things we cover in this ep...
Jun 10, 2022•35 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast When you go out on a date with someone, who should pay for it? When two people of the same sex or gender go out, they’ll often split the bill—but when it’s a man and a woman, more often than not, the man pays. So there’s still a lot of chivalry present in dating between men and women, despite the fact that we have increasingly moved away from traditional gender roles and norms in many ways. So what’s up with that? How do men and women really feel about this issue? And how can be bett...
Jun 07, 2022•40 min•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast The impact of religion on our sex lives is complex—it is neither uniformly negative nor positive. The way that religion affects sexuality really depends upon how sexuality is situated within a given religion. But when religiosity and sexuality conflict, how do you navigate this? That’s what we’re going to be talking about today. How do sex therapists balance religious and sexual identity in the therapeutic process when conflicts arise? Is it possible to resolve this in a way that doe...
Jun 03, 2022•33 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast When you’re feeling that intense passion in the early stages of a relationship, having great sex is usually pretty easy. However, those feelings don’t tend to stick around very long. It’s normal for passion to begin fading after a year or two. But it doesn’t have to disappear entirely. It’s very much possible to get the spark back–and keep it going–with a little bit of effort. So let’s talk about how to do it! For today’s episode, I am joined...
May 31, 2022•42 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast Masturbation is something that most people do, but many of us have a complicated relationship with it. For example, some people are under the impression that masturbation is an unhealthy or even “addictive” activity. Given that we’re in the midst of Masturbation Month, now seems like the perfect time to set the record straight on solo sex and tell you what you really need to know about it. My guest today is Dr. Eric Sprankle, an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and th...
May 27, 2022•39 min•Ep 96•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever fantasized about being ‘forced’ to have sex? If so, you’re not alone. Fantasies about being taken against one’s will (also known as ‘ravishment fantasies’ and ‘consensual non-consent fantasies’) are actually quite common. But just how many people report having had them? And why? That’s what we’re going to be exploring in today’s episode. I’ll be sharing five examples of forced sex fantasies that have emerged in my research to illustra...
May 24, 2022•33 min•Ep 95•Transcript available on Metacast As someone who studies the science of sexual fantasies, every time I think I’ve heard it all, I discover something new. Human beings are endlessly inventive and flexible when it comes to their sexuality, which means that our fantasies are sometimes truly fantastical and may reflect things that wouldn’t even be physically possible in reality. While these fantasies may strike many people as “strange” or “weird,” however, a deeper analysis of them reveals that th...
May 20, 2022•24 min•Ep 94•Transcript available on Metacast When it comes to sex, we could all benefit from a few pointers because great sex is usually something we have to figure out on our own. On previous episodes of the show, we’ve talked about things like expanding your definition of sex, learning how to communicate what you want, and building up your sexual self-confidence. We’re going to take it a step further today and talk about some of the finer details. We’re going to explore how you can get even more pleasure from several specific...
May 17, 2022•38 min•Ep 93•Transcript available on Metacast One of the keys to great sex is being in the right headspace and allowing yourself to be totally immersed in the experience. If you’re not fully into it, it’s easy for your mind to start wandering and to get distracted. Divided attention can make it hard to stay aroused and to reach orgasm. So how can you get in the right mental space for great sex? That’s what we’re going to be talking about today. We’re going to be discussing a mental state called flow and share practical tips for getting into...
May 13, 2022•37 min•Ep 92•Transcript available on Metacast Relationships are hard for everyone, but they can be especially hard when you’re living with a mental health issue such as depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Psychological struggles can heighten the anxiety around sex, dating, and intimacy in ways that can make relationships feel inherently unsatisfying, even hopeless. But there is hope! Today, we’re going to explore how mental health issues can pose unique relationship challenges, but also consider practical tips and...
May 10, 2022•49 min•Ep 91•Transcript available on Metacast Until very recently, the sight of a penis in film or on television was a rarity. And when it happened, it was a big deal. The promise of even a fleeting glimpse would overshadow everything else. For example, remember when Gone Girl came out? It seemed like all anyone could talk about was Ben Affleck’s member. Today, however, penises seem to be popping up everywhere, and Hollywood keeps upping the ante. Case in point: there’s a scene in Euphoria featuring nearly 30 dongs. So what̵...
May 06, 2022•41 min•Ep 90•Transcript available on Metacast Sexual difficulties are common, and they can be highly distressing. They don’t have to mean the end of your sex life, though. Fortunately, most difficulties can be resolved and you can get back to having satisfying sex. However, people often don’t know where to begin when it comes to dealing with sexual difficulties, from telling a partner about it to finding a solution. So, let’s talk about it! I am joined today by Dr. Natalie Rosen, an Associate Professor in the Departments o...
May 03, 2022•32 min•Ep 89•Transcript available on Metacast During pregnancy and parenthood, it’s not uncommon for sex to decrease and/or become less pleasurable. When this happens, it can potentially spill over and create broader relationship and intimacy issues. So how can you maintain satisfying sex lives and relationships during the transition to parenthood? Let’s talk about it! This episode is all about common sexual questions and concerns that arise during pregnancy and parenthood and how you can keep the spark alive once kids enter the pictu...
Apr 29, 2022•36 min•Ep 88•Transcript available on Metacast Relationships can be a source of tremendous joy. But they can also be a source of tremendous pain, especially when they come to an end that we just weren’t ready for. When a valued relationship suddenly ends and that parter disappears from your everyday life–whether through death, divorce, or breakup–the resulting grief can make it difficult to move on, especially in terms of your intimate life. When is the right time to start dating or having sex again? What if you haven’t bee...
Apr 26, 2022•44 min•Ep 87•Transcript available on Metacast When people think about what their sex lives will look like as they get older, they usually don’t see much to look forward to. They tend to think about problems that might arise and how sex may become more challenging. However, this line of thinking is all wrong. Sex can actually get better with age. In fact, many seniors report that they’re having the best sex of their lives! And many of the tools and strategies that they’re using can be helpful at any age for reigniting passion, im...
Apr 22, 2022•36 min•Ep 86•Transcript available on Metacast For decades, social scientists warned that living together before marriage increased the odds of later divorce. However, this runs contrary to conventional wisdom. In fact, most American adults today think that cohabiting first should actually strengthen marriages by serving as a compatibility test. So what’s the deal? Is living together before marriage a good or bad idea? Let’s explore what the science really says and discuss practical tips and considerations for partners looking to...
Apr 19, 2022•37 min•Ep 85•Transcript available on Metacast People’s sexual identities and behaviors don’t always line up in the way that you might expect. For example, a lot of people who identify as heterosexual or straight report having had partners of the same sex or gender. And there are a lot of different reasons for this! My guest today has identified at least six different types of people who identify as heterosexual, but engage in same-sex behavior. So, we’re going to break it down for you. I am joined by Dr. Arielle Kuperberg, an Associat...
Apr 15, 2022•25 min•Ep 84•Transcript available on Metacast Many of us feel sexually insecure in some way. For example, you might be concerned about your body shape or size, the appearance of your genitals, and/or your sexual skills or performance. We are often our own harshest critics, and this can be incredibly detrimental to our sex lives. Insecurity can make it difficult to relax during sex, to experience pleasure, and even to experience desire for sex. So how can you overcome sexual insecurity and build up sexual self-confidence? That’s what w...
Apr 12, 2022•54 min•Ep 83•Transcript available on Metacast Human beings have been practicing birth control for thousands of years. Today, there are dozens of different contraceptives available, many of which are highly effective and increasingly convenient to access. However, there’s still room for improvement, and the future of birth control promises to be fascinating. It’s becoming increasingly high-tech, and an equivalent of the birth control pill for men appears to be on the horizon. So let’s talk about it! My guest today is Dr. Je...
Apr 08, 2022•37 min•Ep 82•Transcript available on Metacast There is a huge industry built around making women feel insecure about their genitals in order to sell them so-called “feminine hygiene products.” They’ve convinced many women that their vaginas and vulvas are “dirty” and in need of constant cleaning. But is it even healthy to use these products? And what do you really need to know when it comes to maintaining vaginal health? I spoke with a gynecologist to find out–and to bust some common myths about vaginas a...
Apr 05, 2022•33 min•Ep 81•Transcript available on Metacast We’re going back to the brothel in today’s episode! This is the second part of a two-part series of interviews I conducted in a sex club in Amsterdam during a recent study abroad course I taught for sex therapists. We invited several folks who work in the sex industry to come speak with us in small groups, and it was absolutely fascinating! In this episode, you’ll be hearing from a Dutch sex educator (Anna Jansen) who teaches teachers how to talk about sex, as well as a social ...
Apr 01, 2022•35 min•Ep 80•Transcript available on Metacast I taught a study abroad course on sex and culture in Amsterdam a few months ago for a group of sex therapists and, as part of that class, we visited a brothel. To be clear, we didn’t go for sex–we went for sex education! We invited several people who work in the sex industry in some way to come speak with us in small groups. In this episode and the next, I’m going to be sharing some of the fascinating things we learned. In today’s episode, you’ll be hearing two inte...
Mar 25, 2022•45 min•Ep 79•Transcript available on Metacast 
