Sexology

Welcome to Episode 481 of the Sexology Podcast! I'm thrilled to have Gigi Engle join me today as she talks about kink, how it's frequently misinterpreted, and how people can explore their desires with open communication, curiosity, and safety. Gigi and I discuss what kink actually entails and why it is much more expansive than the preconceived notions that many people have about it. She describes how the term "kink" serves as a catch-all for a variety of relational and sensory experiences, ranging from more symbolic forms of erotic expression to power dynamics and sensation play.  Gigi Engle is a COSRT-registered, MNCIP, ACS, CSE, CSC, GSRD-accredited, award-winning author, certified sex & relationships psychotherapist, and sex educator. She works clinically as an associate clinician at The Therapy Yard, where she specializes in supporting GSRD (Gender, Sexuality, and Relationship Diverse) clients, including members of the LGBTQIA+ community, kinky folx, and people in polyamorous and open

Welcome to Episode 480 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Dr. Taylor P. Kohn who speaks to me about the impact of GLP-1 receptor agonists on sexual health and erectile function. In this episode, we discuss the growing curiosity around GLP-1 medications and whether they influence erectile dysfunction, libido, and overall sexual performance. Dr. Kohn shares insights from his large claims database study examining young men without diabetes who initiated GLP-1 treatment. We also talk about reassuring findings, including the low overall rate of new erectile dysfunction diagnoses, while also unpacking the difference between correlation and causation. Dr. Taylor P. Kohn, MD, M.Phil. is an Assistant Professor in the Scott Department of Urology at Baylor College of Medicine, specializing in Male Infertility and Sexual Dysfunction. Dr. Kohn began his academic career at Baylor University where he developed a love for biomedical research. In 2013, he was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholarshi

Welcome to Episode 479 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Zach Brittle who speaks to me about negative sentiment override and how relationship dynamics shape our erotic connection. In this episode, Zach and I discuss how the emotional tone of a relationship deeply influences intimacy inside and outside the bedroom. We look at the concept of Negative Sentiment Override, a term from John Gottman’s research, and discuss how couples can find themselves stuck in patterns where even neutral moments feel charged with criticism or defensiveness. Zach has been teaching, coaching, mentoring and counseling couples for nearly 20 years. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Washington and a Certified Gottman Therapist (CGT) and Relational Life Therapist. He is the host of Marriage Therapy Radio and the author of the best selling relationship guide The Relationship Alphabet and the Marriage Therapy Journal. His writings and insights have also been featured in Vanity Fair, Men’s Health,

Welcome to Episode 478 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by EJ and Tarah Kerwin who speak to me about sex and parenting, how becoming parents reshaped their intimacy, desire, and how they maintain their emotional connection to each other. In this episode, EJ and Tarah speak to me about what it was like to go from a playful, spontaneous sex life to feeling completely overwhelmed after the birth of their twins; navigating sleep deprivation, and the resurfacing of past trauma. They also talk openly about the grief that can accompany shifts in identity, libido, and partnership, and how isolating that transition can feel when couples are not talking about it. EJ and Tarah Kerwin are the founders of Relationship Renovation and hosts of the Relationship Renovation Podcast, where they share raw honesty, humor, and decades of combined experience as relationship coaches to help couples deepen intimacy, build emotional safety, and navigate the complexities of long-term partnership. Known for their

Welcome to episode 477 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Laurie Gerber, who speaks to me about how to communicate about sex, sexual preferences, and talking about difficult topics like STIs with more confidence and clarity. In this episode, Laurie and I discuss why silence is one of the biggest obstacles to fulfilling sexual and romantic relationships. Laurie shares powerful insights from her work with clients, especially around why sex is a key differentiator between friendship and romantic partnership, and why ongoing conversations matter more than crisis-driven ones. Laurie Gerber is the creator of Master the Art of Love, an online digital course for women over 50 who are ready to date like they mean it. She’s the host of the podcast “Love at Any Age,” through which she coaches the audience, based on the wholehearted belief that everyone deserves healthy, lasting love, and it’s never too late. For over 20 years, first as President of the Life Coaching division at Handel Group® and

Welcome to Episode 476 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Ally Iseman, who speaks to me about desire discrepancy, long-term intimacy, and how travel can become a powerful doorway back to erotic connection. In this episode, Ally and I discuss one of the most common struggles couples bring into therapy: loving their partner while feeling disconnected from sex and intimacy. We talk about why desire naturally shifts over time, how novelty + security can feel like they are pulling in opposite directions, and why sexless periods are often symptoms rather than the core issue. Ally Iseman is a non-monogamy educator, erotic lifestyle consultant, and ICF-certified relationship coach who has spent over a decade helping individuals, couples, and moresomes create authentic, fulfilling relationships on their own terms. As the founder of Passport 2 Pleasure, an inclusive relationship education platform, Ally champions open communication and conscious connection within sex-positive and non-traditiona

Welcome to Episode 475 of the Sexology Podcast! Today, I am excited to be joined by Caitlin V, who speaks to me about erectile unpredictability, performance anxiety, and supporting men’s sexuality through a holistic, shame-free lens. A quick note for my single listeners in California, if you're craving intentional, psychologically grounded ways to meet people. We have a beautiful offering coming up through LALOVELAB.com; a company I co-created with my colleague Dr. Richard Espinoza. Our next matchmaking event is Saturday February 7th at 4:00pmhosted at the Craft Contemporary Museum in LA. It's thoughtfully curated experience designed by us to help you connect with intention, not apps. In this episode, Caitlyn and I discuss how many men are struggling with sexual performance earlier in life and why this is not a personal failure or a flaw. We also talk about how cultural expectations, lack of accurate sex education, and constant exposure to unrealistic sexual imagery can shape anxiety around erections,

Welcome to Episode 474 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Amy Quinn and Malia Carvallo, who speak to me about healing sexuality, pleasure, and connection through embodiment, community, and altered states of consciousness. A quick note for my single listeners in California, if you're craving intentional, psychologically grounded ways to meet people. We have a beautiful offering coming up through LALOVELAB.com; a company I co-created with my colleague Dr. Richard Espinoza. Our next matchmaking event is Saturday February 7th at 4:00pmhosted at the Craft Contemporary Museum in LA. It's thoughtfully curated experience designed by us to help you connect with intention, not apps. In this episode, we explore how pleasure and erotic energy can be deeply healing when approached with intention, safety, and compassion. Amy and Malia share their personal journeys into healing work, including dolphin-assisted experiences, somatic practices, and psychedelic-informed therapy.Amy Ruffolo Quinn

Welcome to Episode 473 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Dr. Nicole Thompson, who speaks to me about psychedelic-informed sexuality, chemsex, and harm reduction in erotic spaces.A quick note for my single listeners in California, if you're craving intentional, psychologically grounded ways to meet people. We have a beautiful offering coming up through LALOVELAB.com; a company I co-created with my colleague Dr. Richard Espinoza. Our next matchmaking event is Saturday February 7th at 4:00pm hosted at the Craft Contemporary Museum in LA. It's thoughtfully curated experience designed by us to help you connect with intention, not apps. In this episode, we discuss how psychedelics intersect with sexuality, pleasure, and relationships, beginning with a reframe of what we even mean by “drugs” and altered states. We also talk about how substances such as MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine can act as non-specific amplifiers, and why intention, set, and setting matter so deeply when people

Welcome to Episode 472 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Anya Laeta, August McLaughlin, Bel Di Lorenzo, Dr. Elliot Justin, Dr. Evan Goldstein, Dr. Maria Sophocles, Nicoletta Heidegger and Suzannah Weiss as part of this special episode on setting goals for sexual health in 2026. As we move into the new year, I want to slow things down a bit and move away from rigid resolutions that are often rooted in pressure, shame, or performance. In this episode, I’m bringing together voices you already know and trust to help reframe sexual health goals as supportive practices rather than benchmarks to pass or fail. Throughout this episode, we discuss your capacity for pleasure, enhancing communication, and letting go of narrow definitions of what sex is supposed to look like. We also look at nervous system safety, pelvic floor health, pleasure practices, sex technology, and intimacy in midlife. This episode aims to remind you that great sex isn’t about fixing yourself; it's about developing s

Welcome to Episode 471 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Ita O’Brien, who speaks to me about intimacy coordination, embodied consent, and creating safety and authenticity in intimate storytelling.In this episode, I sit down with Ita to discuss what an intimacy coordinator actually does and why this role has become so essential in film, television, and theatre. We talk about how intimacy coordination brings structure, clarity, and care to intimate scenes, not only to protect performers, but to serve the story, the characters, and the creative vision. Ita O’Brien is an intimacy coordinator and movement director for film, television, and theater. For more than a decade, she has been developing “intimacy on set” guidelines: best practices for working on scenes with sexual content and nudity in film, TV, and theater. O’Brien pioneered the role of intimacy coordinator, which is used in production companies including HBO and Netflix. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Gu

Welcome to Episode 470 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Margeaux Feldman, who speaks to me about trauma, chronic illness, intimacy, and pleasure, inspired by their book Touch Me. I’m Sick.In this episode, we discuss the personal and academic journey that led them to write Touch Me. I’m Sick., which began as a PhD dissertation and evolved into a deeply human book about sickness, trauma, disability, and love. Margeaux shares how their own experience with chronic illness shifted their work away from purely academic analysis and toward something more accessible, relational, and rooted in lived experience. Margeaux Feldman is a writer, a public educator, and an artist. They hold an MFA in Creative Writing from CalArts and a PhD in English Literature and Sexual Diversity Studies from the University of Toronto. Margeaux's first book Touch Me, I'm Sick: A Memoir in Essays was just published with Beacon Press. They also created the popular meme account @softcore_trauma on Instagram,

Welcome to Episode 469 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Laura Federico and Morgan Miller who speak to me about cycle tracking, hormones, and the mind body connection in sexuality and health. In this episode, we discuss what inspired Laura and Morgan to write their book “The Cycle Book” and how their personal and professional experiences shaped their approach. We talk about the profound gaps in education around hormones, menstruating bodies, and sexual health, and how this lack of information often leaves people feeling confused, dismissed, or disconnected from their own bodies. Laura Federico is a psychotherapist and AASECT-certified sex and relationship therapist in private practice, and Morgan Miller is a certified professional midwife, lactation consultant, activist, and birth center founder in private practice. Developed by Laura & Morgan, The Cycle Book helps you find clarity, the right treatment, and real relief, so you can finally feel like yourself again. We’re in the mi

Welcome to Episode 468 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Dr. Alyssa Yee, who speaks to me about the realities of vulvar and vaginal pain, the challenges of diagnosis, and how partners can offer meaningful support. In this conversation, we discuss the wide range of painful symptoms many vulva owners experience, from burning and sharp stinging at the vestibule to deeper pelvic discomfort that can appear during or after sexual activity. Dr. Yee helps clarify how conditions such as vestibulodynia, hormonal disruptions, pelvic venous disorders, and endometriosis often go unrecognized or are dismissed in medical settings, leaving patients feeling isolated and unsure where to turn for help. Dr. Alyssa Yee is a Sexual Medicine Physician and Reconstructive Urologist who completed her clinical fellowship at San Diego Sexual Medicine in 2021-2022 under the mentorship of Dr. Irwin Goldstein. In her fellowship, she was awarded the SMSNA Foundation Research grant to investigate the pathophysiology

Welcome to Episode 467 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Suzannah Weiss who speaks to me about understanding and addressing the orgasm gap in long term relationships.In this conversation, we look at why orgasm inequality persists even among couples who consider themselves progressive, communicative, and sexually informed. We discuss how cultural narratives, media scripts, and outdated beliefs continue to shape expectations around women’s pleasure, often leaving vulva owners feeling inadequate or unseen in intimate relationships. Suzannah Weiss is a writer, sexologist, and psychotherapist in Los Angeles. She is the author of Eve's Blessing: Uncovering the Lost Pleasure Behind Female Pain and Subjectified: Becoming a Sexual Subject. She runs a psychotherapy practice focused on sex and couples' therapy and neurodiversity. She is also a certified sex educator, sexual assault counselor, and birth doula.In this episode, you will hear: ·      Understanding the Origins of the Orgasm

Welcome to Episode 466 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I am excited to be joined by Jessica Fern who speaks to me about consensual non-monogamy, secure attachment, and the inner work required to build healthy open relationships.In this conversation, Jessica shares her personal journey into non-monogamy and the ways her clinical work pushed her to explore the topic more deeply. We talk about emotional exclusivity, the origins of Polysecure, and how people can distinguish between personal triggers, relational dynamics, and the messages they have absorbed from society. Jessica offers thoughtful insights on insecurity, jealousy, and the importance of intentional repair when conflict arises. Jessica Fern holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution, is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, a trained Internal Family Systems (IFS) practitioner, and an integrative therapist drawing on 25 years of experience in somatic, narrative, psychotherapeutic, and spiritual healing modalities. She is the internationally rec

Welcome to Episode 465 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I’m excited to be joined by Jessica Baum, who speaks to me about how attachment styles shape our sexual connection and intimacy within long-term relationships. In this episode, we explore how attachment theory helps us understand why so many couples struggle with maintaining desire over time. We discuss how patterns rooted in early childhood, such as anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment, influence not only our emotional connection but also our erotic lives. Jessica explains how couples often repeat familiar relational scripts, sometimes mistaking intensity or chaos for passion, and how real intimacy requires safety, awareness, and conscious effort.Jessica Baum is a licensed psychotherapist whose journey began with a lifelong curiosity about the “Whys” of life, why we feel, connect, and experience the world the way we do. This passion led her to specialize in trauma, attachment theory, and interpersonal neurobiology. Jessica believes that connecti

Welcome to Episode 464 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I’m excited to be joined by Riana Milne, who speaks to me about emotional disconnection, communication breakdowns, and their impact on sexual desire in relationships. In this episode, Riana and I explore how emotional safety and communication are at the heart of sexual connection. We discuss why unresolved conflicts and stress responses, like fight, flight, or freeze, can suppress desire, and how couples can learn to reconnect through conscious communication and emotional regulation. Riana Milne MA is a Certified, Global Life and Love Trauma Recovery Coach, a Cert. Clinical Trauma & Addictions Professional, a Certified Mindfulness Coach, #1 Bestselling Author, the Host of her Podcast called Lessons in Life & Love'', an Educational Speaker, and Licensed Mental Health Counselor for over 21 years living in Palm Beach County, Florida. Riana specializes in helping those who have had past Childhood or Love Relationship Trauma to Heal, Transform &

Welcome to Episode 463 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I’m excited to be joined by, Hily Dating App's sexologist and sexuality educator, Dr. Mindy DeSeta, who speaks to me about flirting, sexting, and the art of digital consent in modern dating.In this conversation, we discuss how to move from casual conversations to more intimate ones, without it feeling awkward or forced. Dr. DeSeta shares how flirting and sexting are forms of vulnerable communication, not just sexual expression, and why pacing, consent, and emotional awareness are vital. We also touch upon the nuances of reading digital signals, how to avoid common mistakes like jumping ahead too soon, and what healthy, sexy communication looks like in both text and real life. Dr. Mindy DeSeta has a Doctorate in Clinical Sexology and is a Board Certified Sex Therapist and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She has been in private practice since 2017 when she founded her concierge and bespoke mental health practice, Insight Counseling Center Miami. From

Welcome to Episode 462 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I’m excited to be joined by Ali Mezey, who speaks to me about ‘The Heart Sexuality Split’, a powerful framework she uses to help clients understand how love, desire, and trauma shape our most intimate connections.In this conversation, we explore the concept of ‘The Heart Sexuality Split’, how many people find themselves loving but not desiring their partners. Ali explains her Personal Geometry model, which uses physical mapping to externalize inner dynamics, offering profound insight into where we may feel emotionally blocked or disconnected. She also shares her own story of growing up in a sexualized environment, the early disconnection between heart and body, and her journey toward reintegrating love, desire, and authenticity.Ali Mezey is a Body Therapist, Family Constellation Work Facilitator, Sexologist and Media Maker with over 40 years of experience. Ali has worked in renowned rehab centers in Los Angeles for sex, drug, and alcohol addiction. She dev