Our Better Half
166 episodes - English - Latest episode: 16 days ago - ★★★★★ - 15 ratingsSexologist Dr. Jane Fleishman and sex therapist Dr. Rosara Torrisi break down the beauty of human sexuality in the latter half of life -- also known as the better half.
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Episodes
94: Afrosexology
January 26, 2020 17:00 - 18 minutes - 15.4 MBShow Notes: Intersectionality and Sexuality Our guest this week is the award-winning Dalychia Saah, Co-founder and creator of Afrosexology. She is a sexuality writer, educator, and speaker who facilitates space for people (especially people of color) to connect more deeply with their desires for their body, life, relationships, and the world. She is passionate about helping people unlearn oppressive norms that keep them from moving towards a more liberated way of being. Dalychia teaches c...
93: Men and Masculinities
January 12, 2020 17:00 - 20 minutes - 17.1 MBOur guest today is Dr. Robert Heasley. In addition to being a psychotherapist in private practice, he is an adjunct professor at Widener University’s Center for Human Sexuality Studies and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Sociology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is the co-director and board president of the Men’s Center for Growth and Change in Philadelphia and an internationally recognized masculinities scholar. Robert’s work with men over the years has focused on concern...
92 : Intersecting Race and Sexual Diversity
December 29, 2019 04:20 - 27 minutes - 22.7 MBIntersecting Race and Sexual Diversity Our guest this week is Dr. James Wadley, Associate Professor and Director of the Master of Human Services program at The Lincoln University. He’s the founding editor of The Journal of Black Sexuality and Relationships and the founder of the Association of Black Sexologists and Clinicians. His most recent book, co-authored with Dr. Richard Siegel, The Art of Sex Therapy Supervision, won the AASECT Book Award for 2019. If you like our show or if ...
91: Bisexuality and Aging
November 04, 2019 01:52 - 29 minutes - 34.1 MBOur guest this week is Dr. Sarah Jen, Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare. Her research focuses on older adults’ -- and especially older women’s -- experiences of sex and sexual identities as well as the experiences of bisexual-, and other non-monosexual-identified individuals over the life course and in later life. Her work is inspired and informed by her prior experience working as a caregiver, social worker, and community organizer. Here’s a link to th...
90: Welcome Dr. Rosara Torrisi!
October 07, 2019 02:19 - 9 minutes - 10.5 MBThis week, we say goodbye to our beloved co-host Dr. Ashley Mader and welcome Dr. Rosara Torrisi to the OBH team.
89: Bound: A Daughter, a Domme, and an End-of-Life Story
September 09, 2019 01:29 - 24 minutes - 28.5 MBThis week’s guest is Elizabeth Wood, author, scholar, strategist. Elizabeth’s new book is a beautiful memoir, a tribute to her mother, and an exceptionally vivid and beautiful account of a mother-daughter relationship. It’s called Bound: A Daughter, a Domme, and an End-of-Life Story, published by She Writes Press. She’s a Professor of Sociology at Nassau Community College and Senior Strategist for Woodhull Freedom Foundation. She received her Ph.D. in Sociology from Brandeis University in 19...
OBH Poolside: Summer Hiatus
July 08, 2019 03:07 - 53 seconds - 1020 KBWe're taking a break until September, until then, you can reach us at ourbetterhalf.net!
88: Transgender Sexual Health
June 17, 2019 03:13 - 22 minutes - 26.2 MBAs our season comes to an end, listeners, you are in for a treat. Our guest is the invincible Dr. Holly Herman, who’s spent 43 years as a physical therapist, an AASECT Certified Sexuality Counselor, and one of four physical therapists in the world certified as a Women’s Health Sexuality Fellow by the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH). She has been a pioneer in the field and is now training healthcare professionals in transgender health and sexual functioni...
87: Erection Defection
June 02, 2019 18:02 - 18 minutes - 21.5 MBToday we are talking about ED. Erectile Dysfunction or Erection Defection. We also highlighted new research on older adults’ sexual expression and improved well-being. Smith, L., Yang, L., Veronese, N., Soysal, P., Stubbs, B., and Jackson, S. (2019). Sexual Activity is Associated with Greater Enjoyment of Life in Older Adults, Journal of Sexual Medicine, (7)1, 11-18. doi: 10.1016/j.esxm.2018.11.001 Sex With Emily (a podcast hosted by sex therapist Emily Morse): www.sexwithemily.com ...
86: Chronic Illness and Sexual Functioning
May 21, 2019 02:39 - 19 minutes - 21.9 MBToday we are talking with Dr. Rosara Torrisi, an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist who practices on Long Island. She’s one of the few AASECT certified sex therapists in that area. She founded the Long Island Institute of Sex Therapy, a clinical practice with a team of clinicians. We talked with her about erectile dysfunction, sex toys, sexual functioning for lesbian survivors of breast cancer, and Our Whole Lives comprehensive sexuality education. Here are some links to her work: Long Island I...
85: Pre-Patriarchy and Back to the Body
May 20, 2019 11:28 - 25 minutes - 29.3 MBDr. Betsy Crane, an award-winning educator committed to bringing human sexuality studies to a new level, is our guest on this episode. She talks about pre-patriarchy, gendered sexuality, somatic sexuality, and getting back to the body. Here are some of her publications and a website she refers to on the show. Crane, B., Towne, A. & Crane-Seeber, J. (2013). The four boxes of gendered sexuality: A framework and lesson plan for teaching about the history and effects of gendered sexuality. Ame...
84: Expanding the Aging Curriculum
April 22, 2019 02:30 - 21 minutes - 24.5 MBThis week Ashley and Jane interviewed Dr. Robin Goldberg-Glen who they both know from Widener University. During the interview Dr. Goldberg-Glen spoke on how the field of aging has evolved and what is on the horizon for her. She also spoke about the death of Peggy Brick and her contributions in the field of sex and aging. So check out the show. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback. Please write to us at this address. And thanks for listening!
83: Fitting Pre- and Post-Mastectomy
April 09, 2019 00:07 - 16 minutes - 19 MBThis week, we visited Gazebo Intimates, for a conversation with Donna McNeight, Co-Owner and Licensed Mastectomy Fitter, and Certified Post-Mastectomy Fitter, Linda Lawton-Jacobson. Both work to support clients of all ages and experiences with breast cancer. You can get in touch with Gazebo by visiting http://www.the-gazebo.com/ or calling (413) 584-6673.
82: Kink-Aware Therapist: Older Couples, Sexual Losses, Cancer
March 24, 2019 15:39 - 19 minutes - 22.2 MBOn today’s show, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Sabitha Pillai-Friedman, a couples and sex therapist, an Associate Professor at the Center for Human Sexuality Studies at Widener University, and the lead author of two recent journal articles you might like. The first is on becoming a kink-aware sexuality professional and the other is about women and breast cancer survivorship: Pillai-Friedman, S., Pollitt, J. L., & Castaldo, A. (2015). Becoming kink-aware–a necessity for sexuality professio...
81: A Guide to Online Dating
March 11, 2019 02:23 - 12 minutes - 14.2 MBOn this show, we gave our listeners tips on how to make the most of online dating. If you like our show, if you have new ideas for topics or surveys, you can subscribe by sending us your email. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback. Please like us and rate us and find us on social media. And please write to us at this address. Thanks for listening!
80: Guiding Your Relationship to Better Times
February 25, 2019 19:57 - 18 minutes - 21.5 MBOn today’s show, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Philip Rutter. Phil has been a Psychologist in private practice and an Associate Professor at the Center for Human Sexuality Studies for almost 10 years. In his clinical role, he sees individuals, couples, and families and has many older gay male clients. If you are interested in any of the articles we discussed: Camarena, J. and Rutter, P. (2015). Decolonizing sex: A multicultural and gay affirmative approach to counseling with African Ameri...
79: Food, Age and Sex
February 11, 2019 00:03 - 24 minutes - 28.4 MBThis episode originally aired July 19th, 2017. We’re not going to lie, this episode started out with Ashley and Jane taking the whole idea of sensuality to a new level, dipping fruit into warm chocolate sauce with sea salt. That got them thinking about all the ways food can enrich and enliven your sexual life. They started with the ABC’s of erotic foods but got sidetracked as the chocolate sauce started dripping. Before they lost consciousness, they started with some of the latest research o...
78: Sexuality as a Key to Vital Aging
January 28, 2019 02:24 - 17 minutes - 20.3 MBOn today’s show, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Anita Hoffer. Anita has been involved in sexuality and aging issues for many years. A retired Harvard Medical School Associate Professor, researcher, and reproductive biologist, she now teaches workshops addressing female sexuality, older women’s sexual concerns, and sexual literacy, counsels individuals and couples, and lectures to health care providers about the sexual needs of older adults. If you’re in the Boston area and you’d like to se...
77: What's Hot What's Not
January 14, 2019 00:26 - 18 minutes - 21.1 MBOn this show, we gave our listeners tips on how to make the best out of winter and updates on what is hot in our work right now.
76: Advocating for LGBT Elders
December 31, 2018 22:57 - 22 minutes - 26.3 MBToday’s guest is Bob Linscott, one of the country’s leading advocates on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) aging. He’s the Assistant Director of the LGBT Aging Project at the Fenway Institute in Boston. His work with LGBT older adults is profiled in an award-winning film, Gen Silent. Bob was so generous with his time and knowledge for our listeners.
75: How to Get Your Jingle Back
December 17, 2018 02:35 - 13 minutes - 15.2 MBOn this show, we gave our listeners tips on how to enjoy the holidays and make them as un-stressful as possible. If you like our show or if you have new ideas for topics or surveys, you can subscribe by sending us your email. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback. Please write to us at this address. And thanks for listening!
74: Matchmaker, Matchmaker
December 03, 2018 01:29 - 20 minutes - 23.2 MBToday’s guest is Lanie Delphin, one of the founders of Mass Match, a dating and matchmaking service for singles which started in Western Massachusetts and now goes far beyond the original area. An old-fashioned matchmaker blessed with new technology, Delphin provides service to everyone, whatever their sexual orientation might be. She knows it’s not easy to find love in this world but after speaking with her, we think her organization, Mass Match, can help. If you like our show, you can su...
73: Results of our Latest Survey: Finding a New Partner
November 17, 2018 22:50 - 12 minutes - 13.9 MBToday we report on the results of our latest survey, Finding a Sexual Partner as an Older Adult. Thanks so much to all of you who participated in this survey. Most of the respondents were in their 70s. The complete demographic breakdown looked like this: 50-59 years old 29.2% 60-69 years old 24.3% 70-79 years old 37.5% 80-89 years old 20.9% 90+ years old 4.2% We got responses from 75% women and 25% men with no other genders identified. we also noticed that there were no men over ...
72: Sex Education from Birth and Beyond
November 05, 2018 04:06 - 20 minutes - 23.3 MBToday’s episode features Dr. Jenni Skyler, an AASECT certified sex therapist, board certified sexologist, and a licensed marriage and family therapist. She has been the Director of The Intimacy Institute for sex and relationship therapy in Boulder, Colorado for over nine years. She is the in-house expert at Adam & Eve -- use the promo code BETTER for your discount
71: Checking in with Jane and Ashley
October 22, 2018 03:16 - 15 minutes - 17.7 MBAshley and Jane analyze recent news, break down a new study and introduce their latest survey.
70: Peace and Pleasure with Dr. Zelaika Hepworth Clarke
October 08, 2018 01:09 - 18 minutes - 20.8 MBDr. Zelaika Hepworth Clarke is a sexosopher, sexual epistemologist, cultural and clinical sexologist, sexecologist, African-centered social worker, and decolonizing autoethnographer. She is on the faculty of the California Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality. She’s studied internationally in Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Trinidad, Jamaica, Netherlands, Spain, and Cuba. You can reach her by email at [email protected] or through social media at https://www.facebook.com/Dr.Zelaika/ or http...
69: From Sexual Identity to Elusive Orgasms to Sexual Attraction
September 23, 2018 19:40 - 22 minutes - 31.5 MBToday’s episode features Jane’s conversation with Dr. Vivienne Cass, a clinical psychologist for over 25 years, the person behind the Cass Lesbian and Gay Identity Model, the developer of the Illustrated Clitoris, the author of The Elusive Orgasm, an app creator of Explore Women’s Sex, a lecturer on sexology and sexual therapy, and so much more. You can find out more about Dr. Cass on her website here.
69: From Sexual Identity to Elusive Orgasms to Sexual Attraction
September 23, 2018 19:40 - 22 minutes - 31.5 MBToday’s episode features Jane’s conversation with Dr. Vivienne Cass, a clinical psychologist for over 25 years, the person behind the Cass Lesbian and Gay Identity Model, the developer of the Illustrated Clitoris, the author of The Elusive Orgasm, an app creator of Explore Women’s Sex, a lecturer on sexology and sexual therapy, and so much more. You can find out more about Dr. Cass on her website here.
68: Finding the Right Bra (With No Body Shaming)
September 16, 2018 19:48 - 13 minutes - 18.3 MBAmy Dickinson from Gazebo Intimates treats Ashley to her first bra fitting. It turns out to be so helpful and a lot of fun. No body-shaming and no guilt. They fit all sorts of bodies. Just pure pleasure and expert advice. You can find out more at http://the-gazebo.com/ or drop by for your own fitting at 14 Center Street, downtown Northampton, MA.
67: Loving Non-Egalitarian Relationships
September 02, 2018 15:45 - 16 minutes - 22.9 MBAisha-Sky Gates is a relationship coach for people in alternative lifestyle or designer relationships. What's that mean? Maybe they’re kinky, polyamorous, queer, swinging, or something else. She’s written a new book called Unequal Partnerships: A Dating Guide for Loving Non-Egalitarian Relationships and you can buy it here: https://aishaskygates.com/about-book/
Coming Soon: Season 3
August 19, 2018 23:04 - 1 minute - 1.75 MBOur Better Half returns Sunday, September 2nd with a new season. Stay tuned for some of our best interviews yet! Plus, Jane and Ashley take a field trip.
BONUS: Summer tips and more!
July 23, 2018 01:06 - 5 minutes - 7.65 MBJane and Ashley recount what they learned in Season 2. Plus, some tips to take with you on vacation or add to the mix of your normal routine.
66: Sweatin' to the Oldies
June 11, 2018 16:33 - 17 minutes - 24 MBThis week, Ashley and Jane take a field trip to 50/50 Fitness Nutrition to talk to personal trainer, Jay McWilliams, about exercises for functional fitness. Plus a live workout!
65: Shacking Up with Shackleton
June 03, 2018 17:24 - 12 minutes - 17.5 MBJane unabashedly loves a particular genre of books: true adventures of explorers where no one gets killed. Let’s just say it’s not everyone’s favorite. But she delights us this week with her ability to make the connection of Ernest Shackleton’s failed voyage to Antartica with sex at an older age. If you’ve been caught by the ‘Shacks’ bug, here’s a title she recommends: Lansing, A. (2015). Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage, New York: Basic Books Like our show? You can subscribe ...
64: Menopause: A Part of Life Continued
May 27, 2018 16:58 - 16 minutes - 22.3 MBThis week, we're continuing our conversation about menopause. Dr. Heather Dillaway is a researcher from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan who believes menopause is a part of life, a natural part of women’s sexual development, and is not a medical condition. She critiques the medicalization of women’s health in this article. Dr. Dillaway is part of The North American Menopause Society, a group dedicated to research on women and menopause. You can learn more about their work an...
63: Menopause: A Part of Life
May 20, 2018 19:38 - 17 minutes - 23.4 MBOur guest this week is Dr. Heather Dillaway, a great researcher from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan who believes menopause is a part of life, a natural part of women’s sexual development, and is not a medical condition. She critiques the medicalization of women’s health in this article. Dr. Dillaway is part of The North American Menopause Society, a group dedicated to research on women and menopause.
Episode 62: Finding Love
May 14, 2018 22:15 - 19 minutes - 27 MBThis week we talked about finding love in later life. People can be reluctant to date again after a divorce or the death of a spouse. Ashley and Jane discuss how to make this process easier, including how to communicate with your family and new partners when you start dating again. Here are links and references to the other resources that were mentioned in today’s episode: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3848887/ Send us your feedback at this address. And thanks for listen...
Episode 61: Buzz with Hallie Lieberman
May 06, 2018 19:38 - 20 minutes - 28.3 MBOur guest this week is Dr. Hallie Lieberman, the author of a new book about the history of the vibrator and other sex toys, Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy. You can find out more about the book at Hallie’s website. When ordering your copy of the book, please support your local independent bookstore. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback. Please write to us at this address. And thanks for listening!
Episode 60: Teaching Older Adults about Sex with Dr. Gayle Appel Doll
April 29, 2018 19:53 - 28 minutes - 39.3 MBThis week we talked to Gayle Appel Doll, the author of Sexuality and Long Term Care: Understanding and Supporting the Needs of Older Adults and the director of the Center of Aging at Kansas State University. To check out the book and find out where you can buy it go here. In this episode Gayle speaks about the importance of nursing home staff recognizing older adults’ sexuality. Here are links and references to the other resources that were mentioned in today’s episode: Jane's contribut...
Episode 59: Bill Stayton on Religion and Sex
April 23, 2018 16:58 - 23 minutes - 31.9 MBDr. Bill Stayton, renowned sexuality educator, marriage and family therapist, and pastor of human sexuality is our guest on this week’s show. You might be surprised to learn the role of religion in his teaching (not what you’d expect). Some of the resources Bill discussed with us: Our Whole Lives curriculum World Association for Sexual Health Declaration of Sexual Rights If you like our show, you can subscribe by sending us your email. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback...
Episode 58: What is sex?
April 15, 2018 22:32 - 17 minutes - 23.7 MBWhat is sex? (for older adults) Results just in – older adults have a wide and varied palette when it comes to describing what gets them going sexually. Listen to the results of our survey on older adults’ sexual expression. You might be surprised to hear some of their responses! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback. Send us new ideas for surveys. Please write to us at this address. And thanks for listening!
Episode 57: Interview with Lynn Comella
April 08, 2018 20:08 - 32 minutes - 45.1 MBLynn Comella is our guest on this week’s episode and we are grateful to have her with us. Lynn is the author of Vibrator Nation: How Feminist Sex Toy Stores Changed the Business of Pleasure, published by Duke University Press. Check out Lynn’s website for more information and how to order the book. Buy it from your local feminist sex toy store (and give them your support) or from your local, independent bookstore. So check out the show. And subscribe by sending us your email. We love our...
Episode 56: Pelvic Health and Sex
April 01, 2018 20:13 - 16 minutes - 22.8 MBOn today’s show we are thrilled to have Dr. Patricia Young with us. Patricia is a Physical Therapist, founder and owner of Restore Physical Therapy and Wellness, specializing in pelvic floor health. She received her Ph.D. in Physical Therapy at Temple University and is knowledgeable and delightful to talk with. She’s got great resources on her website on pelvic health. And she was recently quoted in my column on sex and aging for our local newspaper. So check out the show. We love our l...
Episode 55: Sexual Communication
March 26, 2018 03:30 - 23 minutes - 32 MBHow do we communicate sexually? Is it verbal? Non-verbal? A combination of each? On today’s show, Jane and Ashley discuss what the research says about sexual communication and the results of our first listeners’ survey. As always, they’ve got tips for you. Give a listen, and enjoy! Research we discussed on today’s show: Fleishman, J. M. (2016). Coming of age at the time of Stonewall: Internalized homophobia, sexual communication, resilience, relationship satisfaction, and sexual satisfa...
Episode 54: Interview with Joan Price
March 19, 2018 02:23 - 22 minutes - 30.9 MBThis week we talked to Joan Price, the author of The Ultimate Guide to Sex After 50, Naked at Our Age and Better Than I Ever Expected. In this episode Joan speaks about her inspiration for her books, the changes in the field of sexuality and aging, sex toys and tips for both older adults and younger folks in regards to sex and aging. For more information on Joan Price and to check out her books go to http://www.joanprice.com/. So check out the show. We love our listeners and welcome your f...
Episode 53: Body Image
March 11, 2018 18:11 - 18 minutes - 25.9 MBWhat do we mean when we talk about body image? What are the researchers saying about it? How does body image affect us as we age? And what are the implications on our sexuality? Join us as Jane and Ashley discuss the latest research and give some tips. So check out the show. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback. Please write to us at this address. And thanks for listening! Research we discussed on today’s show: Koch, P. B., Kernoff, P. M., Thurau, D., & Carey, M. (2005). “...
Episode 52: Interview with Joan Ditzion
March 06, 2018 14:00 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBThis week we talked to Joan Ditzion, one of the authors of Our Bodies, Ourselves. In this episode Joan speaks about the history and inspiration of the legendary book and how it has evolved throughout the years. And she has tips for women on different aspects of aging. For more information on Our Bodies, Ourselves or to check out their great web resources, visit https://www.ourbodiesourselves.org So check out the show. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback. Please write to us a...
Episode 51: Interview with Dr. Mitch Tepper, Sex and Disabilities, Black Women’s Sexuality
February 26, 2018 01:00 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MBThis week we cover a few topics that affect us as we age. We have the great pleasure to have Dr. Mitchell Tepper, a sexologist who focuses on sex and disabilities on our show this week. Mitch discusses his research and an extraordinary documentary he and Dr. Mark Schoen are creating called, “Love After War.” It’s an in-depth look into the lives of active duty service members and veterans who have returned home with physical and/or psychological health challenges that are creating difficultie...
Episode 50: Interview with Dr. Patti Britton
February 19, 2018 01:46 - 28 minutes - 26 MBShow Notes #50 Interview with Patti Britton On this show, we have an interview with the fabulous Dr. Patti Britton talking about her work, her loss, and how her work moves her through her grief. Find out more about Sexology University and Sex Coach U here at Dr. Patti Britton’s website. So check out the show. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback. Please write to us at this address. And thanks for listening! Opening music by Kabbalistic Village, closing music is “Land...
Episode 49: Passionate Pursuits, Celebrating Black History Month
February 12, 2018 01:00 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MBAs this is the start of Black History month, we wanted to raise up the work of Black women who’ve expanded our knowledge of sexuality and why Black Lives Matter. So stay with us. We talk about talented and courageous Black women: Audre Lorde, Angela Bowen, Mandy Carter, and Imani Woody. And we explain why Black Lives Matter to us as two white women. Opening music by Kabbalistic Village, closing music is “Sultry Space Showers” by B.Leo. All music available through Creative Commons Attributi...