Episode 335: How To Have Good Sex

Explicit content warning

10/11/24 • 33 min

1 Listener

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

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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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.

Previous Episode

Episode 334: How To Have A Happy Vagina

Many women don’t know what they really need to know about maintaining good vaginal health, which leads some of them to turn to products and practices that might do more harm than good. So in today’s show, we’re going to discuss how to have a happy and healthy vagina. Specifically, we’ll explore how your lifestyle impacts your vaginal health, how to maintain the proper pH balance for your vagina, tips for dealing with vaginal dryness, what you need to know about feminine hygiene products, and more.

My guest today is Mary Jane Minkin, a practicing gynecologist and a North American Menopause Society Certified Clinician. She has taught at Yale School of Medicine for more than 41 years, and is a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences.

Some of the specific topics we discuss include:

What are some common lifestyle factors that can impact vaginal health?
How would someone know if their vaginal pH balance was out of whack?
How do vaginal hygiene products impact vaginal health?
What causes vaginal dryness, and what are some practical ways of dealing with this for both younger and older women?
How do you choose the contraceptive that’s right for you and your body?

You can check out Dr. Minkin’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!

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.

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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.

Next Episode

Episode 336: Not Having Sex Is The Latest Sex Trend

A growing number of people seem to be hitting the pause button on their sex lives, which is why terms like “volcel” (short for voluntary celibacy) and “boysober” are trending on social media. So what’s this all about? Why is not having sex the hot new sex trend? Let’s talk about it. In today’s show, we’re going to explore the rise of voluntary celibacy and what you need to know about it.

I am joined once again by 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 in this episode include:

What does it really mean to be voluntarily celibate?
Why might someone choose to take a break from sex for a while?
Why does voluntary celibacy seem to be more popular among women than men?
What are the potential benefits and challenges of celibacy?
If you’re taking a break from sex, how can you make the most of it?

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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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.