Sex and Psychology Podcast

What does it really mean to have an orgasm? Different people—and even different scientists—define “orgasm” in different ways, which makes this a surprisingly difficult subject to study scientifically. So how do you measure when someone has an orgasm in a research lab? For this episode, I spoke to an orgasm researcher who has figured out how to do it. Her methods and findings are absolutely fascinating and will change everything you think you know about orgasms!

My guest today is Dr. Nicole Prause, a licensed psychologist and sex researcher who founded the sexual biotechnology company Liberos. She is a former Kinsey Institute trainee and has published an extensive body of research on the neuroscience and psychophysiology of sex.

Some of the topics we explore in this episode include:

• What technology do you need to study orgasms scientifically?
• Orgasms have both a physiological and a psychological component—but they don’t always line up in the same way for everyone. So what does it mean when someone experiences one but not the other?
• What does it actually mean to have multiple orgasms? Are we talking back-to-back orgasms with continued sexual stimulation? Can you take breaks? How much time can pass between each orgasm for it to count as “multiple?”
• Is there really a gender difference in the ability to have multiple orgasms? (The answer may surprise you!)
• Some people get sick every time they orgasm. What causes this post-orgasmic illness syndrome?
• Are there really different “types” of orgasms, or are all orgasms technically the same process?
• What happens inside the brain during an orgasm?
• For people who have trouble orgasming, what can they do about it?

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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: LEGIT Audio (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.

A lot of people have ideas about sex therapy that are totally wrong. For example, some people seem to think that the therapist is going to be having sex with you, or that they’re going to watch you have sex. This could not be further from the truth! So let’s talk about what sex therapy is and isn’t. In this show, we’re also going to explore who sex therapy is for, how long it typically lasts, how well it works, and much more.

I am joined once again by Dr. Jennifer Vencill, an assistant professor, board certified clinical health psychologist, and AASECT certified sex therapist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Vencill’s first popular press book is titled DESIRE: An Inclusive Guide to Navigating Libido Differences in Relationships, which she co-authored with Dr. Lauren Fogel Mersy.

Some of the topics we discuss include:

• What are some common things people get wrong about sex therapy?
• When someone visits a sex therapist for the first time, what might that first session look like?
• How long might someone expect to be in sex therapy to resolve a sexual problem?
• Who is a good candidate for sex therapy?
• What does couples sex therapy look like?
• How successful is sex therapy at treating and resolving sexual and relationship difficulties?

To stay connected, you can follow Jennifer on Instagram.

Looking for a sex therapist? Check out this page for a handy list of therapist locater tools.

Thank you to our sponsors!

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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.

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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.

A growing number of men seem to be in a panic about their testosterone levels. Social media platforms are full of posts from guys who are convinced that they don’t have enough of this hormone in their bodies and that their sex and dating lives are suffering because of it. The result is that more and more men are seeking to boost their testosterone, and companies are eager to cash in on this by selling hormone supplements. But do these guys really have low testosterone in the first place? Are some of them pushing their hormones to dangerous levels? Today’s show is all about what men need to know about testosterone.

My guest is Dr. Justin Dubin, a Urologist who specializes in men’s health at Memorial Healthcare System in South Florida. Dr. Dubin is passionate about men’s health and education with the goal of improving the lives of men and their partners. He co-hosts the podcast Man Up: A Doctor’s Guide to Men’s Health.

Some of the topics we cover in this episode include:

• What’s fueling all of this anxiety over testosterone levels in men?
• What percentage of men actually have low testosterone?
• Are there any risks of having too much testosterone in the body?
• How can men maintain healthy testosterone levels as they age?
• Is there any truth to the claim that abstaining from masturbation boosts testosterone?

You can find more about Dr. Dubin’s work here.

Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.

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Thank you to our sponsors!

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.

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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.

If you had to define “good sex” in just three words, what would they be? In today’s show, we’re going to talk about the key things that come to mind when people are asked this question. There are 20 common responses to this, which constitute the main ingredients of the kind of sex we all want to be having. We’re going to dive into some of those ingredients and talk about tips for how to incorporate them into your sex life so that you can experience more pleasure, connectedness, and fun in the bedroom.

My guest is Dr. Candice Nicole Hargons, an award-winning Associate Professor at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, where she studies sexual wellness and liberation. With over 70 published articles, Dr. Hargons has made substantial contributions to the field. Her debut book titled Good Sex will be published in February 2025.

Some of the specific topics we discuss include:

• Why is it useful to think about sex as being akin to cooking?
• What are some of the key ingredients, seasonings, and spices that make for good sex?
• How can we make sex fun again?
• How can we experience more connectedness to ourselves during sex?
• How can we get better at communicating about sex?

You can check out Candice’s website to learn more about her work.

Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.

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Thank you to our sponsors!

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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.

Some people want to have sexual and romantic relationships but are unable to do so. They are involuntarily celibate. For some, this perceived inability to form and maintain sexual and romantic relationships becomes a defining feature of the self—a social identity known as “incel.” In the popular media, incels tend to be characterized as misogynists and male supremecists who are prone to violence. However, the truth about incels is more complex, and it turns out that the incels aren’t exactly who we think they are. So let’s take a look inside the minds of incels.

I am joined by William Costello, a PhD student at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is a member of Dr. David Buss’s Evolutionary Psychology lab. He holds a Masters in Psychology, Culture, and Evolution from Brunel University London and his dissertation investigated the psychology of incels. Some of the topics we discuss include:

• Why incels have always been around, and how modern incels are different.
• Why changes in the mating market are creating more incels.
• What do people who identify as incel look like? Do they match up with the stereotypes (i.e., young, White, conservative)?
• Why popular dating advice given to incels isn’t helpful.
• What the mental health of incels looks like.
• Are incels inherently prone to violence?

To learn more about William, follow him on Twitter @CostelloWilliam

Thanks to the Modern Sex Therapy Institutes (modernsextherapyinstitutes.com) and the Kinsey Institute (kinseyinstitute.org) for sponsoring this episode!

Visit modernsextherapyinstitutes.com to explore programs and certifications in sex therapy and education.

The Kinsey Institute’s (kinseyinstitute.org) 75th anniversary is underway and you are invited to join in the celebration! Follow @kinseyinstitute on social media to learn more about upcoming events. Also, please consider a gift or donation to the Institute to support sex research and education. Click here to donate.

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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.