Pleasure Project: Sex and Relationships

In this episode, Dr. Jenn sits down with Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers - a brilliant Ph. D., LMFT, Sex Therapist and author. This episode mainly explores shame, which is at the core of so much sexual dysfunction. They discuss: The roots of shame and how it can present in your sex life/relationships How the political and cultural climate can affect shame How did America become s*x negative? S*x & R...

In this episode, Dr. Jenn talks to Roylin Downs , owner of Trystology -- an online and brick and mortar sex toy store. She offers a unique perspective on what customers are seeking when they shop for erotic play. We discuss: - Crowd pleasers (favorite toys) - Options for men, women and couples play - How to know your toy is high quality and safe - Her philosophy of "an orgasm a day." - Address the...

In this episode, Dr. Jenn discusses considerations for both individuals and couples who are over 50 and wanting a vibrant s*x life. She breaks down the biological, psychological and interpersonal considerations that influence the 50 + set and discusses how this shows up clinically. Dr. Jenn also normalizes the issues that arise for people in this stage of life and how that influences or enhances t...

Jennifer Love is a wealth alchemist, money therapist and the CEO of LivWeal Institute. Since 2001, she has help impact-focused leaders and entrepreneurs go from being spent, stuck, and self-critical to running profitable multi-million dollar businesses—with full confidence, and a deeply nourished life.   Jennifer hosts retreats called “Dear Money, Let’s Talk”™ which guides participants through a p...

In this episode, Dr. Jenn talks about the eight Types of Love as defined by Sternberg. There are 8 different configurations within relationships, and often times couples (or throuples) have one or two of the elements, but not all three. These elements include - Passion: sexual attraction, lust, flirtation Intimacy: feeling close to, understood by and vulnerable with another Commitment : agreements...

Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh is a globally renowned author, speaker and thinking partner. Her third book Love by Design: 6 Ingredients to Build a Lifetime of Love is the result of her two-decade-long research on the status of thriving relationships and its key ingredients, namely: attraction, respect, trust, shared vision, compassion, and loving behaviors. Dr. Nasserzadeh whose work has been featured on N...

Confidence is a HUGE factor in your intimate life. It is a reflection of both how you feel about yourself and how confident you feel in your relationship and toward your partner.  In this episode, Dr. Jenn Kennedy looks at historical messages and experiences to see how they impacts how attractive you feel and confident you act.  Confidence is affected by both  psychological  and  interpersonal  co...

Betrayal comes in many forms. During this episode, Dr. Jenn talks to Therapist Annie Finch about what common struggles partners face when betrayed. Topics covered include: - Partners feelings of blame - Long term viability after betrayal -Rebuilding trust between partners after infidelity - A personal and relational healing path Annie Finch is an associate marriage and family therapist with Rivier...

Dr. Jenn has covered many topics for people in relationships -- this episode is geared toward those who are currently dating or deciding how to get back into the dating scene. She discusses how certain pairings complement one another (in the bedroom) more than others . She also poses and discusses some questions: What is your strategy for dating? Do you have a plan - what is your intention? For ex...

In this episode Dr. Jenn Kennedy interviews, Peggy J. Kleinplatz, Ph. D. She is a celebrated author and researcher. Dr. Kleinplatz is Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa. She is a Certified Sex Therapist and Educator.  Her research focuses on optimizing sexual experience, with a particular interest in sexual health in older people, the disabled, chronically ill and oth...

If we have a single vision of how sex must go, then we tend to miss out on all the fantastic, pleasing, alternative ways we could have discovered ourselves and/or one another. We feel discouraged when our body doesn’t respond, yet we don’t have flexibility to explore is other ways. This scenario happens much too often.  In this episode, Dr. Jenn Kennedy illustrates this challenge with the case of...

This is a fun one! Dr. Jenn Kennedy and Kristi Miller, LMFT dive into the taboo topic of body hair, including head, face, chest, back, arms, legs, pubic and backside! They discuss how hair affections attraction, self image, cultural influences and body image. Kristi is the founder of Solutions in Parenting , is a Parent Educator, Parenting Consultant, Certified Mediator, licensed Marriage and Fami...

In this episode, Dr. Jenn Kennedy sits down with Rebekah Lovejoy , Ph. D., AMFT, and they discuss all things non-monogamy. They dive into a lot of things people oftentimes want to know about but are afraid to ask.  Rebekah Lovejoy is an associate marriage and family therapist at Riviera Therapy with specialties in somatic psychology, LGBTQ+ populations, nonmonogamy, archetypal psychology, and myth...

In this episode Dr. Jenn talks about stressors and how they affect your sex life. This is a great podcast to listen to as a couple. The episode begins with a mapping exercise to help you identify both your motivations and your barriers to intimacy. It is important to look at stress management in a practical way and figure out these dynamics present obstacles that thwart your desire and connection...

In this episode, Dr. Jenn interviews Dr. Lisa Rayburn, Esq. about a topic that comes up time and time again as a sex therapist and a sex addiction therapist: the intersection of sex and religion.  Dr. Lisa Rayburn is a theologian, attorney, and leadership educator. She leads individuals and groups through change. As an attorney and business executive, she was trained to think strategically. Her li...

In this episode, Dr. Jenn unpacks turn-ons and turn-offs. She discusses how important it is to examine both your excitors and those things that inhibit you. Oftentimes, people know exactly what they dislike, and if the turn-offs go unaddressed, it can be very challenging to move past them.  Dr. Jenn teaches you how to tune into your senses and make a solid list in both categories to help you gain...

In this episode, Dr. Jenn interviews Deb Benfield, MEd, RDN/LDN, RYT of @agingbodyliberation . Deb invites women to blaze a liberating new path to a respectful, nurturing relationship with their aging body. She has helped hundreds of women heal their relationship with food, eating, and their bodies in her more than 35-year career as a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and Registered Yoga Teacher s...

In this episode Dr. Jenn talks about the magic of couple’s therapy. This includes typical reasons why couples come in, the most common problems encountered, and what couples therapy tends to look like structurally. Some of the most common goals for couples coming into therapy include: Communication skills and support Perpetual problems Low desire Infidelity and betrayal Learning to negotiate their...

In this episode Dr. Jenn talks about the dynamic of self talk and how it relates to s*x. Self talk is that (often) incessant chatter that monitors your every thought and subsequent behavior. You might not be aware that you're doing it, but you almost certainly are. This inner voice combines conscious and unconscious--often automatic thoughts, beliefs and biases to create an internal monologue thro...

In this episode, Dr. Jenn discusses when you should seek support from a sex therapist specifically. What is the difference between a sex therapist and a general therapist? What are the most common issues that bring people into sex therapy?  Dr. Jenn also discusses two cases, including presenting issues and treatment. If you have been debating whether or not sex therapy is the right choice or if yo...

Dr. Jenn interviews Trish Hecker from Open Door Support : a resource for whole-life sexual health education for parents, caregivers, educators, and healthcare providers. They work in the community through the classroom using California Healthy Youth Act approved curriculum, and also through parent workshops, one-on-one consulting, and customized training for teachers and healthcare professionals. ...

Sexual rejection feels bad all the way around. Energy leading to a sexual interaction requires a degree of vulnerability . We let our guard down to want the other person—to communicate verbally or nonverbally how we want to touch or be touched—how we want to experience pleasure. And when that gets thwarted, it feels not just disappointing, but also personal. There was hope of temporary merger thro...

Dr. Jenn interviews Viki Krug , an Austrian artist with a mission to educate on vulva anatomy and diversity. Krug uses a special type of body casting to create a copy of the participant’s vulva. The casting is then turned into a beautiful statue for the participant to keep. Anonymous photos of the statues are published and used to celebrate vulvas for how they are: different, normal and beautiful....

Dr. Jenn interviews Ashe Brown , a spiritual herbalist, serial entrepreneur, visionary, sacred space holder, and curator of healing experiences. Ashe and her wife own and operate Pura Luna Apothecary - an inclusive herbal shop centered around providing accessible healing tools and creating community. They also lead retreats focused on empowerment and personal grounding. They discuss: Ashe’s journe...

In this episode Dr. Jenn discusses how we view female masturbation in our culture. This taboo topic gets misrepresented frequently in the media. Dr. Jenn notes that while MOST women masturbate, few are talking about it and fully owning their experience. Do you masturbate? If not, why not? How does it compare to partnered sex? As a culture, it is much more expected that men masturbate but we do not...