Sex and Psychology Podcast

Juliana Hauser, a licensed marriage and family therapist and nationally recognized expert on relationships, shares invaluable insights. She discusses effective ways to make new friends and maintain strong romantic connections without losing sight of your individuality. Tips for better online dating are provided, along with strategies for enhancing communication skills with partners. Hauser emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance and cultivating supportive 'bliss buddies' to enrich personal well-being in the new year.

Cate Osborn, a certified sex educator and mental health advocate with ADHD, dives into the often-overlooked intersection of ADHD, intimacy, and relationships. She discusses why ADHD can lead to both lower and higher sexual desire and how it affects orgasm. The conversation uncovers gender differences in experiences and the challenges of online dating, emphasizing rejection sensitivity. Cate also highlights how BDSM can enhance focus for those with ADHD, offering practical tips for improving relationships and navigating intimacy.

Over the last couple of decades, holiday movies have increasingly centered around love and romance, and they’re growing massively in popularity. In this episode, we’re going to dive into the rise of romance-themed holiday media and how this intersects with cuffing season, or the increased tendency for people to partner-up during the winter months. I am joined once again by Dr. Paul Eastwick and Dr. Eli Finkel. Dr. Eastwick is a Professor at the University of California, Davis, where he studies romantic attraction and close relationships. Dr. Finkel is a professor at Northwestern University and author of the bestselling book The All-Or-Nothing Marriage: How the Best Marriages Work, which we discussed back in Episode 45. Together, they co-host the Love Factually podcast. Some of the specific questions we answer in this episode include: Why is so much holiday media focused on themes of love and romance? What’s the science behind “cuffing season?” Is it a good or bad thing that holiday media focuses so much on romance? Is Die Hard really a Christmas movie? You can check out the Love Factually podcast website to learn more.  Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology. *** Thank you to our sponsors!  Passionate about building a career in sexuality? Check out the Sexual Health Alliance. With SHA, you’ll connect with world-class experts and join an engaged community of sexuality professionals from around the world. Visit SexualHealthAlliance.com and start building the sexuality career of your dreams today. The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University has been a trusted source for scientific knowledge and research on critical issues in sexuality, gender, and reproduction for over 75 years. Learn about more research and upcoming events at kinseyinstitute.org or look for them on social media @kinseyinstitute. *** Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, or Bluesky to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram. Listen and stream all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Google, or Amazon. Subscribe to automatically receive new episodes and please rate and review the podcast! Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.

“Sentient object romance” is an increasingly popular erotica genre in which humans get ravished by inanimate objects that come to life. Some of the most wonderfully absurd titles I’ve seen in this area include “Glazed by the Gay Living Donuts” and “This Pumpkin Spice Latte Gets Me Off.” In today’s show, we’re going to explore the appeal of sentient object romance with an author who has published dozens of books in this area. I am joined by Chuck Tingle, a USA Today bestselling author, two-time Hugo Award finalist, and Bram Stoker Award nominee. He is a mysterious force of energy behind sunglasses and a pink mask. He is also an anonymous author of romance, horror, and fantasy. Chuck writes to prove love is real, because love is the most important tool we have when resisting the endless cosmic void. Some of the topics we dive into include: What do people find appealing or arousing about sentient objects? Why are some people attracted to objects in real life? How does attraction to objects intersect with neurodiversity? What’s the political subtext behind sentient object romance? You can check out Chuck’s website to learn more about his work, and check out all of his books here. Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology. *** Thank you to our sponsors!  Maintain your intimate health with NeuEve. Check out NeuEve’s array of science-backed products created by an OB/GYN for promoting vaginal wellness. Visit neueve.com/justin to learn more and save 5% off of your order! *** Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, or Bluesky to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram. Listen and stream all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Google, or Amazon. Subscribe to automatically receive new episodes and please rate and review the podcast! Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.

In this discussion, Tom Bruett, a licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of the Queer Relationship Institute, sheds light on the surprising prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) among gay men. The conversation delves into performance anxiety and its effect on sexual health, while also tackling how recreational drugs can influence sexual functioning. Bruett offers practical strategies for improving erectile function and re-evaluates perceptions around premature ejaculation in different contexts, fostering a deeper understanding of queer sexual wellness.

In this engaging discussion with Tom Bruett, a licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of the Queer Relationship Institute, listeners gain insight into the unique dynamics of gay men's relationships. They explore the various stages queer relationships undergo and tackle topics like 'daddy issues' and the challenges of moving past the honeymoon phase. The importance of understanding attachment styles is emphasized, alongside tips for finding gay-affirming therapists. Prepare for a thoughtful dive into relationships crafted for queer experiences!

Jessica van Meir, a PhD candidate at Harvard Kennedy School and co-founder of MintStars, explores the alluring world of financial domination. She discusses the psychological reasons behind findom, highlighting how it intertwines with themes of power, control, and modern economic issues. Jessica explains the rise in popularity of these relationships amid financial crises and how they reflect and challenge traditional gender dynamics. Listeners are invited to rethink perceptions of findom alongside its implications for financial independence and societal norms.

Dr. Bernadette Barton, Professor of Sociology and Director of Gender Studies at Morehead State University, explores the intricacies of today's highly pornified culture. She discusses the rise of raunch culture, its impact on women's sexuality, and the contradictory existence of both raunch and purity cultures. The conversation delves into the transformation of porn accessibility, the need for comprehensive sex education, and the importance of porn literacy for youth. Barton critiques the societal norms that shape our understanding of sexuality in a hypersexualized world.

Sugar dating typically involves an older, wealthy person who financially supports a younger, attractive partner in exchange for companionship and intimacy, and sometimes sex. In today’s episode, we’re going to explore the growing popularity of sugar dating and the unique grey area that it occupies in between traditional dating and sex work. My guest is Dr. Bernadette Barton, a Professor of Sociology and the Director of Gender Studies at Morehead State University. Barton is co-editor of the new book Sex Work Today: Erotic Labor in the 21st Century. Her research and teaching explore contemporary issues of gender, sexuality, religion, culture, happiness, and the sex industry. Some of the specific questions we answer in this episode include: What are some common examples of sugaring arrangements? How is sugar dating different from traditional dating? Is sugar dating sex work? What’s the legal status of sugar dating? Who holds the power in sugar dating relationships? You can get 30% off  Sex Work Today when you input code NYUP30 at checkout on nyupress.org. Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology. *** Thank you to our sponsors!  Maintain your intimate health with NeuEve. Check out NeuEve’s array of science-backed products created by an OB/GYN for promoting vaginal wellness. Visit neueve.com/justin to learn more and save 5% off of your order! *** Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, or Bluesky to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram. Listen and stream all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Google, or Amazon. Subscribe to automatically receive new episodes and please rate and review the podcast! Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.

Join Dr. Paul Eastwick, a UC Davis professor studying romantic attraction, and Dr. Eli Finkel, a Northwestern University professor and author, as they dissect the truths and myths of romantic comedies. They explore whether love at first sight really exists and challenge the idea that opposites attract. Discover how films misrepresent intimacy and the complexities of relationships. With insights from iconic movies like 'When Harry Met Sally,' they emphasize the need to recognize both the charming and misleading aspects of cinematic love.