Welcome to episode 226 of the Sexology Podcast! Today I’m delighted to welcome Dr. Nan Wise to the podcast. In this episode, Dr. Nan talks to me about her book, Why Good Sex Matters, how you can learn to access your pleasure and analyzing the difference between sexual stimulation and satisfaction.
Dr. Nan Wise is a certified sex therapist, certified relationship specialist, neuroscience researcher, and author of Why Good Sex Matters: Understanding the Neuroscience of Pleasure for a Smarter, Happier, and More Purpose-Filled Life. Driven by the desire to understand how the brain operates to create moods and behaviors, she returned to academia and completed her Ph.D. in 2014. Her dissertation work, Genital stimulation, imagery, and orgasm in women: an fMRI analysis, resulted in three published studies. Her research has addressed gaps in the scientific literature regarding the neural basis of human sexuality, and as a result, garnered international attention.
Dr. Nan’s clinical approach addresses how the brain/body/mind operates, highlighting the key role that our evolutionarily wired-in, core, embodied emotions play in our physical and mental well-being. Imbalances in these core emotional systems contribute to anxiety, depression, stress-related disorders, and sexual dysfunction–all of which can impair our ability to experience pleasures- in and out of the bedroom. This inability to experience satisfying pleasures– the state of “anhedonia”- – contributes to what she has called the pleasure crisis, evidenced by soaring epidemics of mood disorders, stress-related illnesses, and a widespread sexual recession. As Dr. Nan teaches, the ability to experience healthy pleasures–those that feel good and are good for us– is not a luxury, but a necessity for overall well-being.
Dr. Nan has discussed the pleasure crisis on The Today Show as well as contributed her expert opinion to outlets such as The BBC, National Geographic, The Atlantic, Time, Women’s Health, The Washington Post, HuffPost, Well + Good, Romper, Bustle, and has a regular column in Glamour, Ask Dr. Nan in which she addresses sexual health and relationship topics. She lives in West Orange, NJ.
In this episode, you will hear:
- How Dr. Nan became interested in this field to write the book
- Analyzing Anhedonia – The inability to feel pleasure
- Learning to access your pleasure
- Why your brain is your ally when improving your sexual pleasure
- Looking at the difference between accessing pleasure and sexual pleasure
- Overcoming low desire
- Why some people are ambivalent towards pleasure
- Fulfilling your sexual potential
- The difference between stimulation and satisfaction
Find Dr. Nan Wise Online
Free Masterclass
https://sexologypodcast.com/masterclass/
If you are interested in booking a video counselling session with Dr. Moali
https://oasis2care.com/contact-nazanin-moali-psychologist
Podcast Produced by Pete Bailey – http://petebailey.net/audio