Sex and Psychology Podcast

Step into the sex lab

The Sex and Psychology Podcast, hosted by Kinsey Institute Research Fellow Dr. Justin Lehmiller, is here to help you understand the most important sex organ in the entire body: your brain. Each episode offers a deep dive into the psychology of sex and relationships, drawing upon expert interviews and Dr. Lehmiller’s extensive body of research. The Sex and Psychology Podcast is the sex ed you never got in school–and won’t find anywhere else. Catch up with the latest episodes below, and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to keep up to date.

2 Million+ Downloads in 2023

“11 sex podcasts that will help you get better in bed.”
“11 sex podcasts that will help you get better in bed.”
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“Top 5 sexuality podcasts”

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Latest Episodes

May 20, 2025

Episode 398: How To Optimize Your Pelvic Floor

If you want to maintain your sexual function and wellbeing, it's important to pay attention to your pelvic floor! In today’s show, we’re going to talk about how to keep your pelvic floor in shape and resolve common problems with it. It turns out that optimizing your pelvic floor can help with a wide range of issues, from dealing with painful sex to having more (and better) orgasms. I am joined once again by Sara Reardon, a board-certified pelvic floor physical therapist and founder of The V-Hive, an online, on-demand pelvic floor fitness platform. She is author of the new book FLOORED: A Woman’s Guide to Pelvic Floor Health at Every Age and Stage. Some of the specific topics we explore include:
  • How do you know whether Kegel exercises are right for you, and how do you do them correctly?
  • Why is learning pelvic floor relaxation just as important as strengthening?
  • What are some things we can do in everyday life to improve pelvic health?
  • How can pelvic floor training help relieve sexual pain?
  • What are some of the other benefits of pelvic floor training?
You can check our Sara'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. *** 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. ***

Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on FacebookTwitter, or Bluesky to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram.

Listen and stream all episodes on AppleSpotifyGoogle, 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.
Sex and Psychology Podcast
Sex and Psychology Podcast
Episode 398: How To Optimize Your Pelvic Floor
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May 16, 2025

Episode 397: Interview With The Vagina Whisperer

The pelvic floor is a really important set of muscles that plays a big role in sexual and reproductive function. However, most people don't know much about it, including common signs that they might have a problem. In today's show, I am joined by the "Vagina Whisperer" to discuss what you need to know about the pelvic floor I am joined by Sara Reardon, a board-certified pelvic floor physical therapist and founder of The V-Hive, an online, on-demand pelvic floor fitness platform. She is author of the new book FLOORED: A Woman’s Guide to Pelvic Floor Health at Every Age and Stage. Some of the specific topics we explore include:
  • What exactly is the pelvic floor, and what are the main functions of it?
  • How common are pelvic floor problems?
  • What are some of the most common signs that you might have a pelvic floor issue?
  • Why so do many medical professionals seem unprepared to help with pelvic floor issues?
  • What happens when pelvic floor issues go untreated long-term?
You can check our Sara'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. *** Thank you to our sponsors!  Expand your sexual horizons with BeducatedFeaturing 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 60% off their yearly pass by using LEHMILLER as the coupon code. To redeem this offer, visit: https://beducate.me/lehmiller-may  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. ***

Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on FacebookTwitter, or Bluesky to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram.

Listen and stream all episodes on AppleSpotifyGoogle, 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.
Sex and Psychology Podcast
Sex and Psychology Podcast
Episode 397: Interview With The Vagina Whisperer
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May 13, 2025

Episode 396: Why Women Orgasm More With Female Partners

When women have sex with men, there's an orgasm gap. However, this gap disappears when women have sex with other women. So why is that? In today's show, we're diving into some new research finding that women anticipate sex is going to follow a very different script based on the gender of their partner. It turns out that those scripts have big implications for their odds of orgasm. I am joined once again by Carly Wolfer, a sex researcher, relationship scientist, and health educator whose work explores how to create more equitable and pleasurable sexual experiences. She’s currently working on her Ph.D. in Social Psychology at The CUNY Graduate Center. Some of the specific topics we explore include:
  • Why do women have more orgasms when they engage sexually with other women?
  • In what ways do women's sexual expectations change when they have sex with women vs. men?
  • How can we mold our sexual scripts to support more equitable pleasure for women?
  • How can we change sex education to better support women's pleasure?
You can connect with Carly on LinkedIn to follow her updates. Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology. *** 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. ***

Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on FacebookTwitter, or Bluesky to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram.

Listen and stream all episodes on AppleSpotifyGoogle, 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.
Sex and Psychology Podcast
Sex and Psychology Podcast
Episode 396: Why Women Orgasm More With Female Partners
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May 9, 2025

Episode 395: Why Women Pursue Orgasm Less Than Men

In heterosexual relationships, women don’t orgasm as frequently or consistently as men. So why is that? As we'll explore in today's show, it's because there's an "orgasm pursuit gap." Sexual scripts lead women to pursue their own orgasms less than men, and to perceive less support from their partners for their own pleasure. My guest is Carly Wolfer, a sex researcher, relationship scientist, and health educator whose work explores how to create more equitable and pleasurable sexual experiences. She’s currently working on her Ph.D. in Social Psychology at The CUNY Graduate Center. Some of the specific topics we explore include:
  • What's wrong with the current way we think about the orgasm gap?
  • Why do women pursue their own orgasms less than men?
  • What does healthy pursuit of orgasm look like?
  • How can you get your partner to support your pleasure?
  • How do we close the orgasm gap?
You can connect with Carly on LinkedIn to follow her updates. Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology. *** Thank you to our sponsors!  Expand your sexual horizons with BeducatedFeaturing 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 60% off their yearly pass by using LEHMILLER as the coupon code. To redeem this offer, visit: https://beducate.me/lehmiller-may  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. ***

Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on FacebookTwitter, or Bluesky to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram.

Listen and stream all episodes on AppleSpotifyGoogle, 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.
Sex and Psychology Podcast
Sex and Psychology Podcast
Episode 395: Why Women Pursue Orgasm Less Than Men
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May 6, 2025

Episode 394: Are You Being a Parent to Your Partner?

Have you ever been in a relationship where it felt like you and your partner were slipping into the roles of parent and child? In today's show, we're going to discuss common signs that you might be in a parentified relationship. We're also going to discuss how parentification impacts sexual and relationship quality, as well as how to break this pattern. I am joined once again by Dr. Kate Balestrieri, a licensed psychologist and certified sex therapist. She is the founder of Modern Intimacy, a counseling practice that operates in Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago. She is author of the new book What Happened to My Sex Life? A Sex Therapist’s Guide to Reclaiming Lost Desire, Connection, and Pleasure. Some of the specific topics we explore include:
  • How do you know if you're in a parentified relationship?
  • What are some common relationship dynamics that contribute to parentification?
  • How do early childhood experiences affect the relationship roles we take on?
  • How does parentification contribute to relationship stress and burnout?
  • Is it possible to change a parentified dynamic, or to prevent it from taking hold in the first place?
You can check out the Modern Intimacy website to learn more about Kate's work. Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology. *** 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. ***

Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on FacebookTwitter, or Bluesky to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram.

Listen and stream all episodes on AppleSpotifyGoogle, 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.
Sex and Psychology Podcast
Sex and Psychology Podcast
Episode 394: Are You Being a Parent to Your Partner?
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