Welcome to episode 124 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I’m delighted to welcome Vanessa Marin to the podcast. In this episode she speaks about masturbation, the common myths surrounding the female orgasm, how porn and the media only represent one kind of female body and experimenting with sex toys.
Vanessa Marin is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in sex therapy. She’s here to help you stop feeling embarrassed about sex and start having way more fun in the bedroom.
She has bachelor’s degrees in Human Sexuality and Sociology from Brown University, and a master’s degree in counseling psychology. She writes for The New York Times, Allure, and Lifehacker, and has been featured over 1,000 times in major publications like O, The Oprah Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Refinery29, and Real Simple.
Vanessa’s business is actually a family affair! Vanessa’s sister Jennifer is her right-hand woman. And since her husband Xander joined to help manage the online portion of the business, they have joined forces to start talking about the challenges faced in modern day relationships – including their own – with the goal of exploring how a fulfilling sex life plays an integral role in a healthy relationship.
In this episode, you will hear:
- The common myths surrounding female orgasm
- The issue of women hating their bodies
- How porn and the media only represent one kind of female body
- The rise of plastic surgery to change the shape of genitalia
- Redefining four play – why it’s not just a prelude to penetrative sex
- What is a pre-orgasmic women?
- The shame that still exists around masturbation
- Ways to further explore your own journey with masturbation
- How masturbation can be a form of self-love and self-care
- Recommendations on discussing masturbation with your partner
- Transferring new sexual skills from masturbation to sex with your partner
- The importance of communication and specific instruction
- Experimenting with sex toys