Sex and Psychology Podcast

In this enlightening discussion, Dr. Eric Sprankle, an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and licensed sex therapist, dives deep into the cultural phenomenon of No Nut November, exploring its origins and motivations. He debunks myths about masturbation, including outdated beliefs about its health effects and the misconception that abstinence boosts testosterone. Through engaging stories, he illustrates the ridiculous historical 'cures' for masturbation and advocates for a healthier view, emphasizing open communication in relationships to embrace self-pleasure.

Ever since people started having sex, they had kinky sex. While kink itself is not new, kink practices have certainly changed over time, as have people’s opportunities to explore and experiment with kink. This is especially true in the modern digital era. In today’s show, we’re going to talk about how technology has opened up new ways for people to explore their kinks, whether technology itself is making us kinkier, and where kinky interests come from in the first place. I am joined once again by Liam Wignall, a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Brighton. He specialises in research on kink/BDSM, looking at the impact of internet and community engagement on identity formation. His book, Kinky in the Digital Age, explores how kinky gay and bisexual men navigate kink in contemporary times with an in-depth analysis of the pup play subculture. Some of the topics we explore include: How is kink defined? How far can we trace back the kinky history of the queer community? How has the mainstreaming of kink (i.e., the Fifty Shades phenomenon) changed the research on kinky sex? Why at a time when heterosexuals are more openly embracing kink do we see a lot of LGBTQ+ people trying to hide it? Why has kink suddenly become controversial at LGBTQ+ pride events? Is technology making us kinkier? You can check out our article on Liam’s recent publication here, and connect with him on Twitter/X here. You can also get 30% of Liam’s book Kinky in the Digital Age through Oxford University Press with discount code: ASPROMP8 Thank you to our sponsors!  The Handy is a Scandinavian pleasure device like no other: it’s an adult toy for anyone with a penis that enables new sexual experiences through interactive technology. The Handy can be synched with online content from multiple adult websites to offer immersive experiences, meaning that what you see is what you feel. To learn more visit thehandy.com and get 10% off your purchase with discount code sexandpsych.  Are you 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. Watch for presentations and papers from Kinsey Institute faculty and students at this month’s meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, which will be held in New Orleans. Learn 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 Reddit 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.

Liam Wignall, Senior Lecturer, discusses the link between neurodiversity and kink in pup play. Topics explored include the appeal of pup play to neurodivergent individuals, the prevalence of neurodivergence in the population, and why there is little research on neurodiversity and sexuality.

Delve into a study on women's experiences with anal touch, including their preferences and dos and don'ts. Explore concepts like anal shallowing and anal pairing for increased pleasure. Discuss the importance of sexual communication and education, as well as how women's pleasure evolves throughout different stages of life. Discover tips for anal sex, including the use of lubrication and practicing safe sex.

Explore the science of squirting in this episode as Dr. Devin Henssel discusses the definition, origin, and prevalence of squirting. Discover the differences between squirting and female ejaculation, the various ways women experience squirting, and the prevalence of this phenomenon. Challenge societal taboos and misconceptions surrounding squirting while embracing diverse experiences.

Polyamorists tend to be stereotyped and portrayed in the popular media as pretty liberal bunch. However, it turns out that they’re actually quite diverse in their political views. This isn’t surprising when you start to trace the history of the modern polyamory movement in America, because what we see is that it actually has strong libertarian roots. In today’s show, we’re going to explore the fascinating (and surprising) intersection between polyamory and politics, including how libertarian science fiction writers in the 1960s helped turbocharge interest in polyamory. I am joined once again by Christopher Gleason, who lectures at Kennesaw State University and is the Director of Academic Programs at the Georgia Coalition for Higher Education in Prisons. He lives in Atlanta and his latest book is titled American Poly: A History. Some of the topics we explore include: Who was Robert Heinlein, and what impact did his sci-fi book Stranger in a Strange Land have on American polyamory? Ayn Rand is an author known for shaping right-wing thought, but her work was influential to polyamorists during the sexual revolution. What’s the story there? How did a return to sexual conservatism in the 1980s lead to an organized polyamory movement? Why is there a heated debate in the poly community about whether polyamory is about sex versus connection and spirituality? Are individuals on the political left more likely to embrace polyamory as an identity than those with other political views? To stay connected, you can find Christopher on Instagram @christophermgleason Thank you to our sponsors!  Are you 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. Support sex science by becoming a friend of the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University. Visit kinseyinstitute.org to make a donation to support ongoing research projects on critical topics. You can also show your support by following the Kinsey Institute on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. *** Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit 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 engaging conversation, Christopher Gleason, a lecturer and director at Kennesaw State University, delves into the evolution of polyamory in America. He discusses how the term emerged in the 1990s and traces its roots back to 19th-century countercultural movements. The transformative impact of the 1960s sexual revolution and the internet in shaping modern polyamorous communities is highlighted. Gleason also explores how media portrayals have shifted from stigma to acceptance, influencing societal attitudes toward ethical non-monogamy.

As I look back on all of the amazing guests and conversations we’ve had on this show, I’ve begun to curate a list of ”essential listens.” These are the shows that are often a sexual revelation because they get people to think about or understand their own sexuality in a new way. One of these essential listens is my “sex on the brain” interview with award-winning author Emily Nagoski from episode 48. Emily wrote the bestselling books Come As You Are and The Come As You Are Workbook. She is also coauthor of Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. Emily’s new book, Come Together, is currently available for preorder. In our original conversation, we explored the brain mechanisms that underlie sexual response in a way that can help people to better understand their own sexuality—and why it might be really different from that of their partner. Some of the topics we discussed include: What is the Dual Control Model of Sexual Response and why is it crucial to understanding our own sexuality? Why do many people (but especially women) sometimes experience a disconnect between genital arousal and psychological arousal? What’s the difference between spontaneous desire and responsive desire? How can a better understanding of how our brains work unlock sexual pleasure? To learn more, listen to our full conversation in episode 48 and check out Emily’s website. Thank you to our sponsors!  Are you 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. *** Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit 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.

I’ve received countless emails from people who have discovered that their partner has a kink they didn’t previously know about—and, now, they’re not sure what to do because they’re not into it. So what do you do when you’re a vanilla person and it turns out that your partner has a kinky streak? The fact that you both want different things from sex doesn’t have to mean the end of your relationship, so let’s talk about how to make it work. I am joined once again by Stefani Goerlich, award-winning author of The Leather Couch: Clinical Practice with Kinky Clients. Stefani is also a Certified Sex Therapist and organizer of the upcoming Securing Sexuality conference. Her latest book is titled With Sprinkles on Top: Everything Vanilla People and Their Kinky Partners Need to Know to Communicate, Explore, and Connect. Some of the topics we explore include: For people who are worried that they’re “too vanilla,” what do they need to know? How can people better navigate the strong feelings they might have when discovering a partner’s kink? When partners have different fantasies and desires, how do you find common ground? How can opening up a relationship help partners bridge a sexual desire discrepancy? Is it always possible to make things work when partners want very different things from sex? To learn more, check out Sefani’s website. Thank you to our sponsors! Expand your sexual horizons with Beducated! Featuring more than 100 online courses taught by the experts, Beducated brings pleasure-based sex ed directly into your bedroom. Enjoy a free trial today and get 40% off their yearly pass by using my last name – LEHMILLER – as the coupon code. Sign up now at: https://beducate.me/pd2341-lehmiller Support sex science by becoming a friend of the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University. Visit kinseyinstitute.org to make a donation to support ongoing research projects on critical topics. You can also show your support by following the Kinsey Institute on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. *** Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit 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.

From the rise of online dating, to internet porn, to sexting and cybersex, our intimate lives are increasingly digital. Although it’s undoubtedly great that we have these new ways to connect and explore our sexuality, we now need to content with a host of novel challenges, especially around issues of privacy and safety. Any time we explore our sexuality online, we’re leaving a digital trace. So who has access to this information? How do we keep it secure? Today, we’re going to talk about how to leverage technology to enhance our intimate lives while also staying safe. I am joined by Stefani Goerlich, award-winning author of The Leather Couch: Clinical Practice with Kinky Clients. Stefani is also a Certified Sex Therapist and organizer of the upcoming Securing Sexuality conference. Her latest book is titled With Sprinkles on Top: Everything Vanilla People and Their Kinky Partners Need to Know to Communicate, Explore, and Connect. Some of the topics we explore include: Why is cybersecurity such an important topic to discuss in relation to online sexuality? What are some ways that technology can give our sexual and intimate lives a boost? What can we be doing better to ensure our privacy and security in digital spaces? How can we minimize some of the risks around AI and sexuality? What kinds of challenges has the move to a digital economy created for sex workers, educators, and therapists? To learn more, you can check out Sefani’s website. Also, if you’re looking for a “USB condom” (i.e., data blocker) like Stefani recommends, see here. Thank you to our sponsors!  Are you 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. *** Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit 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.