Better Sex
228 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 122 ratingsBetter Sex is focused on helping all couples create and enjoy their best possible sex life. Better Sex is hosted by Jessa Zimmerman who is a couples’ counselor and nationally certified sex therapist. Each episode will dive into one topic related to sex. Some will be devoted to addressing sexual concerns like sexual dysfunction, differences in sexual desire, and intimacy problems. Some will help you develop realistic and helpful expectations. And some will offer information and approaches that can just make your sex life better.The information and discussion on the podcast should not be taken as medical advice or as therapy. Please seek out qualified professionals for medical and therapeutic advice.
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Episodes
#27: [Personal Story] Jenn - Trauma & Infertility, Fortunate Healing
July 02, 2018 18:45 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBToday’s personal story features Jenn, a 47-year-old woman who has undergone more than her fair share of stressful events during her life. From being molested as a child and losing her virginity to date rape, to facing repeated infertility issues, miscarriages and finally a hysterectomy. We cover how all these events affected her relationship with herself, as well as her intimate relationships with others. Early sexual experiences Courageous, Jenn outlines several of the challenges she fac...
#26: Melissa Walker - Healing Our Sexual Fragmentation
June 25, 2018 20:17 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MBCorrection: I misspoke in my introduction to the episode. Melissa is not yet certified as a sex therapist. I apologize for any confusion. Sexual Fragmentation - what is it and how does it show up in sex therapy? Tune in today to learn about how Melissa defines fragmentation as it applies to sex therapy work, as she talks about the competing needs we all have within us. How do we get fragmented? Melissa answers this question, discussing how our sexual and social development from a young a...
#25: Amanda Laird - Menstruation and Sexual Health
June 18, 2018 20:00 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBAmanda’s interest in menstrual health began as early as her childhood. Today she passionately shares her wisdom about how women should have knowledge of how their bodies work and, with this, feel empowered to talk about menstruation and sex without feeling ashamed. Menstrual problems and Sex Join us as we discuss the main issues around periods and sex. Problems such as not feeling sexy when your period is heavy, hormonal imbalances and disorders which can cause excruciating pain. Amanda a...
#24: Stacy Fisher-Gunn - The Importance of Self-Care
June 11, 2018 21:31 - 33 minutes - 31.2 MBWhat is self-care? Tune in to hear Stacy’s definition of self-care: what it looks like and how it relates to all areas of life, not only with regards to physical health but mental and emotional health as well. Stacy reveals what percentage of health care issues come back to self-care, and talks about its relevance to everything from dental care and medical care to therapy. The Eight Dimensions of self-care Living Upp’s programs are based on eight specific dimensions regarding self-care. L...
#23: Dr. Serena Fiacco - Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
June 04, 2018 21:54 - 41 minutes - 37.7 MBWhat is pelvic floor physical therapy? Dr. Fiacco kicks off by telling us exactly what pelvic floor physical therapy is; explaining about the basic musculature of the pelvic area and what kind of health issues can stem from this region, including some unexpected areas of the body that may present with problems that actually arise from the pelvis. Training and certification Going on to talk about what training and certification are required to practice in this field, Dr. Fiacco outlines he...
#22: Dr. Renee Flores - Sex and Sexuality in the Elderly
May 29, 2018 16:32 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBSex in the elder years In today's episode, we look at sex and sexuality in the elderly. It is a common misconception that people are no longer sexually active as they grow older and Dr. Flores will be sharing her thoughts on this with us so enjoy the insights! Is sex (and sexuality) common in the elderly? Dr. Flores shares her findings that elderly people are still sexually active after 75. She reveals her statistics about masturbation even as they experience lifestyle changes. Tune in t...
#21: [Personal Story] Nancy & Frank - A Perfect Storm
May 22, 2018 02:40 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MBFrank was raised in a conservative home that placed a noose of fear and shame around sex. After a decade of fantasizing about sex, Frank married in his late 20’s and recalls the awkwardness about it. Sexuality was a very taboo topic in Frank's life and this carried into both his marriages. Nancy had issues of her own as well. Being a victim of sexual abuse from the age of 5, Nancy felt dirty and ashamed as a child. Her first sexual experience made this worse and led to her having a reputati...
#20: Dr. Stephen Snyder - Why Social Media is Making Sex Obsolete
May 15, 2018 01:54 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBSocial Media is making sex obsolete. Dr. Stephen Snyder shares a shocking statistic that reveals the drop in the sexual interaction between people. He unpacks his very interesting theory on why this is. In this episode, you will hear about why people have sex and the influence of social media and technology on their motivation to engage sexually. He talks about ‘Healthy Narcissism” as children and its return during sex, both of which he describes as normal. Listen in to hear him connect th...
#19: Robin LaCross - Talking to Kids About Sex
May 07, 2018 23:58 - 40 minutes - 36.8 MBHow do you talk to kids about sex? In today’s episode, Robin LaCross and I discuss talking about sex to kids. Robin shares the childhood experiences that drew her to her purpose. She reveals the impact of a book about natural family planning, that raised many questions for her. Her curiosity led her to find out more about fertility and the female body. Robin tells us about how she shared this info and what led her to the realization that she needed to be talking to moms as the gatekeepers ...
#18: Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh - A New Perspective on Passion
May 01, 2018 00:02 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MBHow important is passion? The place of Love across cultures In this episode of Better Sex, Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh unwraps her theory of love in two categories: submergent and emergent. She describes the difference between the two and how cultures have different expectations about love and passion. She dissects each journey and love cycle as people typically experience it. She shares an interesting find about successful couples having the foundation right, then letting the love emerge. The q...
#17: Jennifer Valli - Men's Sexual Concerns and Solutions
April 24, 2018 01:50 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MBMen's sexual health concerns often stem from the pressure of expectations In today’s episode, Jessa and Jennifer Valli talk about men’s sexual health concerns and dysfunctions ( men being defined as people who have been raised male and who have a penis) and approaches to make sex easier and stress-free. Reasons Men go to Sex Therapy Jennifer discusses the most common reasons that men go to sex therapy and the compounding pressure they face from society to behave in a predefined manner. Sh...
#16: Heather Edwards - Vino and Vulvas
April 16, 2018 22:17 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MBVino & Vulvas - A community conversation about sex Today I am delighted to have Heather Edwards, who has been a pelvic physical therapist for 14 years and is currently completing the University of Michigan’s Certificate Program in Sex Counseling and Education. In 2015 she founded Vino & Vulvas, an inclusive, public, monthly event that connects sexual health providers with community members through educational panel discussions about sexuality. How did Vino and Vulvas come about? Tune in...
#15: [Personal Story] Alli - Sexual Trauma
April 09, 2018 23:10 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MBTriumph after sexual trauma This is the first in a new series of episodes where I will be talking to real people sharing real stories. On this episode, I am joined by Alli, a recovering overachiever who has learned to let go of society's expectations and step into alignment with her true self. Her passion is helping others to do the same through her podcast and her one-on-one coaching programs. In this episode, I talk to her about her amazing journey of transformation. Alli became a vict...
#14: Marc Gilmartin - Out of Control Sexual Behavior & Erotic Conflict
April 02, 2018 19:19 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MBOut of control sexual behavior or sex addiction Are you concerned about your own sexual behavior in relation to your values? Do you wonder if your sexual behavior is out of control? Are you or someone you love worried that you have a sex addiction? You cannot afford to miss this episode with guest Marc Gilmartin. Marc is a Certified Sex Therapist and Licensed Mental Health Counselor who unpacks how to identify if you have a sexual behavior problem and how to deal with it. Marc provides ind...
#13: Jeni Dahn, Energy and Sex
March 27, 2018 00:19 - 40 minutes - 37.5 MBI'm excited about the topic for this episode. We're going to be talking about both Masculine and Feminine Energy. I'm talking about this because it's relevant to sex and to our lives in general. We all have masculine and feminine energy, it's not about whether you're male or female bodied. It doesn't matter what kind of physical form you're in. Each of us has both types of energy, and it's important to be able to access and develop our sense of each of them in our lives. It's especially imp...
#12: Jill Angelo - Genneve, Support for Women in Midlife and Menopause Solutions
March 20, 2018 01:08 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBI'm revisiting a topic that we talked about in a previous episode, which is menopause This time it's not so much from the medical standpoint or a provider's standpoint. It's more about the invisibility that tends to happen in that time of life: the lack of information, the lack of support, the lack of understanding and how isolated and alone women can feel as they're getting into their midlife. Women can almost feel as though they've fallen through the cracks at this point. I wanted to do...
#11: Tammy Senn - Postpartum Sexuality, Listen to Your Body
March 13, 2018 02:48 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBWell, the last episode of my podcast was about pregnancy and sexuality, and it seemed to make sense to go right into the next obvious topic, which is postpartum sexuality. Talk about a lot of change to adjust to! You've got not only the physical impact of carrying and birthing a baby, but you've got the emotional, the psychological, and the relational impacts as well. Life is not the same once you've had a baby. It's a complex time with a lot of changes and challenges. You're going to be e...
#10: Aleece Fosnight - Pregnancy and Sexuality, How to Enhance and What to Avoid
March 06, 2018 00:52 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBToday's topic is pregnancy and sexuality. It's just not talked about very often, and if you have been pregnant or if you have been a partner with somebody that's pregnant, you may have noticed that the doctors often don't ask or talk about sex. It's uncommon for medical providers to inquire about any sort of sexual changes that you're having, the state of your relationship with your partner, or how things are going sexually once sex has been used to make the baby. There's a void of informa...
#9: Anna Joy Reedy - Platonic Cuddling and Healing Touch Therapy
February 26, 2018 23:18 - 33 minutes - 30.7 MBI give a lot of thought to what makes a great sex life. What makes us sex life healthy, what makes it enjoyable for people, what makes it fulfilling? When I consider the kinds of things that matter, I think about the ability to slow down and be present in the moment. I think about the ability to tune into your body and to know what you want in that moment. Not just abstractly, like if I asked you at breakfast what you wanted for dinner, but what do you want right now? It's equally importan...
#8: Jessica Butts – Do Opposites Attract? How Different Personality Types Affect Your Sex Life
February 20, 2018 17:31 - 37 minutes - 34.1 MBI often hear from clients about how much they struggle when they're different from each other. In the beginning, we were attracted to this other way of being. We were interested because this person was so different from us. But what intrigued us in the beginning is what often drives us nuts later in the relationship. So even though opposites attract, they can run into misunderstanding and frustration later. Sometimes I hear, "I want to be spontaneous and my partner always needs everything ...
#7: Dr. Stephanie Ring – Menopause: Understanding the Inevitable
February 13, 2018 00:21 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MBAs I was putting the podcast together, I put out a little survey to my subscribers asking what kinds of topics people wanted me to cover. While it is not the most frequent presenting concern in my practice, the most frequent request I got in terms of what to talk about on the show was menopause. I see people in my practice who are dealing with menopause when it is problematic in some way. People report reduced libido, and they talk about changes in their ability to get aroused or be orgasmi...
#6: Sallie Foley – Sex Therapy: What is it?
February 06, 2018 01:11 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBSo why is today's show about sex therapy? Well, because I'm a certified sex therapist and I know that a lot of people listening don't know what that means. There is confusion about what sex therapy is and what a sex therapist does. And there's confusion or lack of knowledge about what it takes to become certified as a sex therapist. As you're going to hear in the interview today, calling yourself a sex therapist is not a controlled term except in the state of Florida. So anybody can say the...
#5: Matthias Rose – Tantra, A Beautiful Integration of Personal Strength, Sexual Power, and Emotional Connection
January 30, 2018 14:46 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MBIt can be extremely hard to get out of your own head. People get distracted by their to-do list, by stresses of life, what they must do for work. They're distracted by concerns that are keeping them up at 4:00 in the morning. A lot of people, even if they aren't distracted, are so used to thinking and analyzing, it's called being up in your head instead of in your body. And the ability to drop into your body and be present and feel what you're feeling and be in the moment it's important. An...
#4: Dr. Joe Kort - "Is My Husband Gay?" | Male Sexual Fluidity
January 15, 2018 22:31 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBWhat are we talking about? Men who have sex with men, have done it in the past or who are interested in it, but still identify as straight or mostly straight. However, their behavior or their interest makes their partner wonder about their sexuality. Sometimes someone will wonder if their husband is gay because they have no interest in sex with them. Or they don't show a strong libido or a high sex drive. Or, maybe their partner has had sex with men, either recently or in the distant past ...
#3: Parke Burgess - The Virus Known As Shame
December 29, 2017 22:57 - 36 minutes - 33.2 MBShame. We're not born with it but it is given to us at a very early age. And we unwittingly pass it along to others. Shame is an emotional response which is completely natural, and you should never feel there is something the matter with you for which you should be ashamed. Our natural response to shame is to close in, to try and hide as we attempt to minimize our exposure to something shameful. Shame has also evolved into a tool we use to keep each other safe and to make it clear what the...
#2: Edy Nathan - Grief, Sex, and Life
December 28, 2017 21:58 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MBDuring this important conversation about grief and how it impacts our lives, especially within the context of our sex lives, Jessa and guest Edy Nathan help us to recognize that sexual changes throughout life are not always looked at as moments of grief. But, they certainly are and even if they seem small, they can add up to bigger, more powerful moments. Edy also helps us to understand the phases of grief. And, to see what may have shifted or changed in our lives which could have a dramatic...
#1: Sar Surmick - Sexual Consent, Did They Say "No?"
December 28, 2017 02:00 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MBIt's all over the news these days and sexual consent is important everywhere, even in a committed relationship. There are no "givens" and consent is required, no matter the situation. Especially if you change something within the relationship. Consent is basically a temporary license which must be renewed, you cannot take anything for granted. It is often quite hard to say "No!" Misunderstandings and miscommunications revolving around sexual consent, expectations, and even entitlement can ...
#0: Jessa Zimmerman - Welcome to Better Sex, You Deserve a Good Sex Life
December 27, 2017 14:17 - 7 minutes - 6.72 MBWelcome to the very first episode of Better Sex. I'm so glad you're here. The format of the show in the future is going to be largely interview-based, where I'm going to be talking to people with various areas of specialty and expertise that have some bearing on improving your sex life. But first, I want to give you a little chance to know who I am and why I'm doing this. I am a couples counselor and a sex therapist. I'm in private practice in Seattle, at the point of this recording, for ab...