Episode 48: Sex On The Brain
August 20, 2021 by Justin Lehmiller
Everyone’s brain is a little different when it comes to sex—and understanding how your sexual brain works is one of the keys to unlocking more pleasure and improving your sex life. That’s why this episode is all about the brain mechanisms that underlie sexual response, and it’s going to change the way that you think about sex.
I interviewed Emily Nagoski, the New York Times bestselling author of the books Come As You Are and The Come As You Are Workbook. She is also co-author of Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. She combines sex education and stress education in her work to teach women to live with confidence and joy inside their bodies.
Some of the topics we explore in this episode 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?
- What can people do to boost sexual desire? And is there any role for medication in this?
- How can you better manage stress so that it doesn’t kill desire?
- What are some practical ways to improve your body image? And how can changing the way you see yourself give your sex life a boost?
To learn more about Emily and her work, visit her website at emilynagoski.com and check out her books Come As You Are, The Come As You Are Workbook, and Burnout.
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Credits: LEGIT Audio (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.
Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Founder & Owner of Sex and PsychologyDr. 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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