Episode 543: How Aftercare Makes Sex Better

October 9, 2026 by Justin Lehmiller

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What happens after an intense sexual experience can be just as important as what happens during it. In the kink world, this is where “aftercare” comes in. But aftercare is about much more than cuddling, and it isn’t just for submissive partners. In this episode, we’ll explore what good aftercare looks like, how it can make kink even hotter, and how everyone can benefit from it whether they’re kinky or not.

I am joined once again by Midori, an internationally recognized sexologist, kink educator, and author with over 30 years of experience in the field. She is the founder of Rope Dojo, and the author of The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage, which was the first English-language book on Shibari. She is also author of Wild Side Sex: The Book of Kink.

Some of the specific topics we cover include:

  • Why is aftercare important in kink?
  • What does aftercare look like in practice?
  • How can you identify your own and your partner’s aftercare needs?
  • How might aftercare differ for dominant and submissive partners?

You can visit Midori’s Linktree to check out everything she’s working on.

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.

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Written by
Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Founder & Owner of Sex and Psychology

Dr. Justin Lehmiller is a social psychologist and Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute. He runs the Sex and Psychology blog and podcast and is author of the popular book Tell Me What You Want. Dr. Lehmiller is an award-winning educator, and a prolific researcher who has published more than 50 academic works.

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