Our Better Half
Sexologist 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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193: Embracing Desire: Celebrating Sexuality and Aging
10/06/2024
193: Embracing Desire: Celebrating Sexuality and Aging
As an older adult, if your doctor is not comfortable asking about your sexual health but you’ve got questions, this episode is just what you need. Our guest this time is Dr. Jennifer Vencill, an assistant professor, board certified clinical health psychologist, and AASECT certified sex therapist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She is passionate about answering patient questions and teaching her colleagues. She is dually appointed in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, as well as the Division of General Internal Medicine, where she spends the bulk of her time providing integrated sexual health care and educating fellows, residents, and medical students about the importance of sexual and gender health. Dr. Vencill’s research focuses on sexual health, health disparities and minority stress in marginalized sexual and gender communities, and mixed orientation relationships. She sits on the editorial board of The International Journal of Sexual Health and Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and is a past president of the Society for the Psychology of Women’s Section on Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns. Dr. Vencill received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from Texas Tech University and completed her postdoctoral training as the first Michael E. Metz fellow in Sexual Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Institute for Sexual and Gender Health. Along with her co-author, Lauren Fogel Mersy, Dr. Vencill is co-author of the new book, . You can reach her at the or on . If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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192: De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar: A Black Sex Therapist's Perspective on Sex, Religion, and Aging
09/17/2024
192: De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar: A Black Sex Therapist's Perspective on Sex, Religion, and Aging
Join us for our first ever live recording at the Annual AASECT Conference in a fascinating discussion with our esteemed guest, De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar. She’s the first Black AASECT Certified Sex Therapist in St. Louis. We’re talking about sex, religion, , prostate cancer, embodied sexuality, widowhood, and a thing she calls Christian plus. Resources we talked about on this episode include the Instagram account and from D. Danyelle Thomas, by Candice Marie Benbow, by Lyvonne Briggs, the productions, and the (WOCSHN). You can reach De-Andrea directly at . If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half and want to support our show, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and ! As always, thanks for listening!
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191: Season 10 Teaser
08/04/2024
191: Season 10 Teaser
Hey Listeners! You may have guessed we are on our summer break. While we’re all trying to rest and recuperate and regenerate, we’re reverberating with great news! What a season we had last year! So many great guests. So many things we learned. So many laughs. And a few tears, mostly of joy, because we won a coveted award. We won the AASECT award for best podcast of the year. What an honor and what a hoot to not only receive the award from our peers and our own organization, but we got to record an episode in front of a live audience (our first) at the AASECT conference in June. I won’t give away too much. You’ll hear more soon. It was fabulous! The other great news is we got picked up for Season 10! Yes that’s right we will be back with a whole new season in September with Jane, Sabitha, Rosara, and Jayleen. And our wonderful sponsors. And a whole slew of new and captivating discussions and guests. Talk to you soon! If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our website and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half and want to support our show, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on Facebook and Instagram! As always, thanks for listening!
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190: Sexual Fantasies
05/27/2024
190: Sexual Fantasies
Join us for a fast-moving and fun conversation with Sabitha, Rosara, and Jane as we talk about sexual fantasies as we age. What are sexual fantasies? How are they useful? What’s the difference between masturbatory and relational fantasies? Sabitha offered some great resources for our listeners: any of (though they are a bit heteronormative), Jack Morin’s book, , and Justin Lehmiller’s book, . If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our website and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half and want to support our show, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on Facebook and Instagram! As always, thanks for listening!
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189: Mothers and Daughters
05/14/2024
189: Mothers and Daughters
In honor of Mother’s Day, Jane, Rosara, and Sabitha are talking about mothering, the havoc it wreaks with our lives, the discoveries, and impacts on our sexuality. They also wonder aloud about daughtering, especially as their parents age. Join us for a look into the lives of our co-hosts. And let us know your thoughts. If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half and want to support our show, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and ! As always, thanks for listening!
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188: Remembering to Play: Making Space for Kinky Elders
04/23/2024
188: Remembering to Play: Making Space for Kinky Elders
Our guest this time is Mx. Sizzle, a trailblazing Persian and Kurdish hard femme who serves as a sexual health, BDSM, and kink educator. They hold a bachelor’s degree from New College of Florida and a master's degree in public health from the University of Florida, with a focus on queer and transgender health. As the founder of "," they create safe spaces for sexuality exploration and empowerment that prioritize equity and justice. Mx. Sizzle’s nationally acclaimed workshops and unwavering dedication to amplifying marginalized voices have a profound and positive impact on society. Their pursuit of a PhD in Clinical Sexology is a testament to their commitment to education and inclusivity, while inspiring others to join the movement of decolonizing sex education. Learn more about Mx. Sizzle on their website: , and check out these great articles on and ! In other news… Our Better Half won the 2024 AASECT Podcast Award! We are thrilled to have received this award from AASECT and we are so grateful for you all listening and supporting our podcast. If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our website and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half and want to support our show, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on Facebook and Instagram! As always, thanks for listening!
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187: Polyamorous Elders
03/24/2024
187: Polyamorous Elders
Our guest this time is Kathy Labriola, a nurse, counselor, and hypnotherapist in Berkeley, California. She has provided affordable mental health services to alternative communities for the past 30 years. Kathy is the author of four books on consensual non-monogamy including her latest, . She is extra crunchy, rides a bike, lives in a housing cooperative, grows organic vegetables, raises chickens, and has been a card-carrying bisexual and polyamorist for 50 years. If you want to learn more about Kathy Labriola and her writing, check out her website at ! If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half and want to support our show, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and ! As always, thanks for listening!
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186: Helping Older Gay Men Find Love and Sex
03/10/2024
186: Helping Older Gay Men Find Love and Sex
Our guest this time is the wonderful Dr. Israel Martinez, a certified sex therapist and coach with a group practice that specializes in therapy with the LGBTQ+, ethically non-monogamous, and kink/BDSM communities. He is the author of the book Helping Gay Men Find Love: Tips for Guys on Dating and Beginning a Healthy Relationship, has been published in the book Social Workers: Finding Real Solutions to Real Problems, and created and curates . He also supervises and trains other therapists to more ethically and effectively treat clients within gender, sexual, and relationship diversity. Dr. Martinez is clinically licensed in NY and NJ. He lives in NJ with his husband, Matt, and their cat, Mijo. You can reach him at . If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half and want to support our show, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and ! As always, thanks for listening!
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185: Ancestral Knowledge, Gender, and Sexual Scripts
02/27/2024
185: Ancestral Knowledge, Gender, and Sexual Scripts
Tushabe Wa Tushabe, an Assistant Professor at Widener University in The Center for Human Sexuality Studies, graduated from St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, in Indiana, earned a Master's in women's studies from Texas Women's University, and received a Ph.D. in Decolonial African Epistemologie from Binghamton University. Tushabe's research interests focus on decolonial and indigenous knowledges and practices, and sexualities through languages. When not in the classroom, writing, or mentoring students, Tushabe can be found enjoying the outdoors, especially waterfalls, mountains, and hiking. When Tushabe is with family, they enjoy listening to the young and the elders in the community tell stories they grew up hearing from their elders. If you would like to learn more about Tushabe’s work, you can check it out ! If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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184: Make(Older)LoveNotPorn
02/20/2024
184: Make(Older)LoveNotPorn
Cindy Gallop is a woman taking the world by storm, disrupting venture capital and erotic imagery available online. Cindy is an advertising consultant, the founder and former chair of the US branch of the advertising firm Bartle Bogle Hegarty, and, most important for our conversation today, she is the founder of If We Ran The World and MakeLoveNotPorn. Cindy's TED Talk is one of the most talked about presentations from the 2009 TED conference, and she was recently quoted in the . Go check out Cindy’s amazing work at , and ! If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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183: Sex Research: Beyond Dysfunction, Toward Pleasure
01/29/2024
183: Sex Research: Beyond Dysfunction, Toward Pleasure
Dr. Igor Grabovac graduated in Medicine from the School of Medicine, University of Zagreb in Croatia. During his student days, he developed an interest in improving health in vulnerable communities and conducted research on discrimination of LGBT patients and doctors in the Croatian health care system. He has worked for the International Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer Youth and Student Organization (IGLYO) as a member of the Health Working Group, where he was involved with policy and research on access to healthcare for young LGBTIQA+ people in Europe. After a medical internship and obtaining his medical license as a general practitioner, he started working at the Institute of Occupational Medicine, University Clinic for Internal Medicine at the Vienna General Hospital. He has also earned his doctorate in Public Health at the Medical University of Vienna in Austria, where he was the first resident physician in public health in Austria at the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine. Igor also coordinates the Public Health curriculum for undergraduate students in human medicine at the Medical University of Vienna. He is also a co-editor of the recent book, . If you would like to learn more about Dr. Igor Grabovac and his work, go check out his , and his . If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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182: Shame is the Story We Tell Ourselves as Older Adults
01/16/2024
182: Shame is the Story We Tell Ourselves as Older Adults
Our guest today is Tyler Buchiero. Tyler is a licensed clinical social worker and AASECT certified sex therapist. He earned his master’s degree from the Greater Rochester Collaborative program and currently also works for the University of Rochester in their older adult service. He has a particular interest in working with individuals struggling with sexual functioning problems, as well as intimacy issues and LGBTQ related concerns. Tyler works through the lens that the understanding and intervention in these complex life experiences is driven by the strength of the therapeutic relationship; as he says in the episode, “What is shame but the story that we're telling ourselves?” To that end, safety is foundational to all treatment, as is the pursuit of the emotional truth of the situation. He uses multiple therapeutic approaches and discusses one that he has developed an interest in while working with older clients -- acceptance and commitment therapy. If you’d like to learn more about Tyler, check out his website . If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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181: Erasing the Shame from Herpes and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections
01/01/2024
181: Erasing the Shame from Herpes and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections
We are delighted to welcome Dr. Gretchen Frey back to the podcast. We first interviewed Gretchen right after she retired from her specialty in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She practiced Gynecology from 2010 until 2021. She is now completely retired from clinical practice focusing primarily on sexuality education. Sabitha and Jane taught a pre-conference seminar with Gretchen a few years ago with another colleague and had a great time working together! During her years of working as a physician, she developed special expertise in treating older adults and saw many patients with formerly undiagnosed sexually transmitted infections or STIs. A number of our listeners have asked us to focus more on this area so we asked Gretchen to come back and talk with us about STIs. She talks with Sabitha and Jane about STIs and focuses specifically on Herpes Simplex Virus. She provides us with a common sense approach to testing, treatment, and the difficult issue of shame. If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Frey, check out her . If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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180: What Feels Good in Your Older Body
12/17/2023
180: What Feels Good in Your Older Body
Our guest this time is Dr. Pebble Kranz from the Rochester Center for Sexual Wellness. She is a Family Medicine doctor with a background in theater who now specializes in sexual medicine. Mentored by a beloved sex therapist, the late Gina Ogden, she has been trained in sexual medicine through the European Society of Sexual Medicine and became a Fellow of the European Committee on Sexual Medicine (FECSM) in 2018. Because one training program is never enough, she also has trained with the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH), the American Association of Sexuality Counselors Educators and Therapists (AASECT), and the World Professional Association on Transgender Health (WPATH) where she is pursuing certification in gender-affirming medical care. Dr. Kranz founded the Rochester Center for Sexual Wellness with her husband Dan Rosen, a sex therapist and supervisor in 2017. They see patients and clients of all genders and also do training for therapists interested in becoming sex therapists and sexuality counselors. Since 2021, she has been honored to serve on the board of the Scientific Network on Female Sexual Health and Cancer. Pebble talks with Sabitha and Jane about seeing her patients as whole people, exploring their life stories, asking what sex means to them in their own bodies, and enjoys teaching about so many areas of sexual health and wellness. If you’re interested in more information about Pebble Kranz, please check out her page on the . If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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179: Sex, Death, and Dying
12/04/2023
179: Sex, Death, and Dying
Our guest this time is Rev. Jennifer Brower, Certified Life Coach, semi-retired Unitarian Universalist minister, and Fellow in Thanatology. We talk with her about death, dying, and bereavement and their links to sexuality. She works with people who are navigating significant life transitions. Some are joyful, like marriage, and others, like mourning a death or loss, are not. Rev. Jennifer Brower is a native of Manhattan, a graduate of Union Theological Seminary in New York City and, with her one child off to college, she has just become an empty nester. Rev. Jennifer Brower was also one of the ministers in Rosara’s home UU congregation and she performed the ceremony where Rosara chose a godmother, Rosara’s wedding, and both of Rosara’s children's naming and dedication ceremonies. Join us for an enlightening conversation on death and sex. Listeners, check out our Rev. Jennifer Brower's , , and pages. And if you are interested in or Associations for Death Education, you can find more information . If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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178: Aging with Dignity: LGBTQ Elder Law
11/20/2023
178: Aging with Dignity: LGBTQ Elder Law
Erica Berger-Hausthor is a native New Yorker who practices Elder Law in New York and Florida. She assists clients with planning, preparation, and execution of estate planning documents, drafting petitions and motions for probate and estate administration, and long-term care asset protection planning. Erica is committed to supporting people with their unique needs and concerns by providing personalized, caring, and holistic counsel. Erica is a member of the New York State Bar Association Elder Law and Special Needs Section and Trust and Estates Law Section as well as the Florida Bar Elder Law Section and Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section. She received a Bachelor of Science in Human Development from Binghamton University and earned her JD degree from the City University of New York School of Law. You can learn more about Erica and her work on her , and if you would like to learn more about SAGE and the resources they offer, check out their as well! If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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177: Inter-Generational Feminist Activism
11/05/2023
177: Inter-Generational Feminist Activism
Our guest this time is Carrie Baker, the Baumann professor of American Studies and Chair of the Program for the Study of Women and Gender at Smith College. Dr. Baker is a lawyer and has a Ph.D. in women’s studies from Emory University. She teaches courses and writes on gender, law, and public policy; feminist social movements; reproductive justice; sexual harassment, and feminist public writing. She is also a co-founder of the Five College Program in Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice. Dr. Baker is a regular writer and contributing editor at Ms. Magazine, has a monthly column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette, and a monthly radio show, called Feminist Futures, on WHMP in Northampton. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Baker’s work you can read her articles in Ms. Magazine ! And if you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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176: Black Queer Love is Resistance
11/05/2023
176: Black Queer Love is Resistance
Dr. Adrienne N. Williams is a Colorado native living in Atlanta, GA by way of Philadelphia, PA. She is a licensed clinical social worker and an AASECT-certified clinical sex therapist and in private practice, her goal is to dismantle stigma and shame about mental health and sex in our society. Using an intersystems approach, she provides individual therapy, couples counseling, sex therapy, workshops, and life path mapping. Her clinical philosophy is rooted in developing authentic relationships with the people she serves by providing an open and safe therapeutic environment. Dr. Williams is a lecturer at Columbia University School of Social Work, teaching courses in Human Sexuality, Gender and Sexuality, Racial Identity Development, and Power, Race, Oppression, and Privilege. Additionally, she teaches graduate students in the School for Health and Human Services at Widener University teaching Sexual Dysfunctions. Dr. Williams facilitates weekly wellness groups – one for Black folx, one for LGBTQIA+ folx – for MusiCares, the nonprofit charitable arm of The Recording Academy (Grammys). Dr. Williams is a dedicated and driven clinician with over fifteen years of diverse work experience as a therapist, educator, social justice advocate, community activist, and social worker. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, cooking, and traveling. Dr. Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from Clark Atlanta University, a Master of Social Work from Widener University, a Master of Human Sexuality Education from Widener University, and a Ph.D. in Human Sexuality from Widener University. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Williams’ work, check out her , and if you would like to get in touch with her, you can send her an email at . And if you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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175: Sex-Positive Medicine: Creating New Models of Care
10/09/2023
175: Sex-Positive Medicine: Creating New Models of Care
Our guest this time is Tiff Cagle, MD, CSC. Dr. Cagle is a board-certified family medicine physician, sex educator, sex counselor, and certified coach from Durham, North Carolina. She is the founder of Sensate Health, a virtual clinic providing medical consultations for sexual concerns at . She received her medical degree from UNC, where she first discovered her passion for sex-positivity while providing HIV testing and counseling. She went on to complete her residency training at Duke University Hospital with a concentration in Law, Ethics, and Health Policy, and she now holds a consulting position providing resident education in Duke’s Department of Community and Family Medicine. She chose to specialize in family medicine because of her desire to provide care through the lens of each person’s mind, body, relationships, and community, and she’s delighted to bring this holistic approach to her work in sexual health. If you’re interested in Dr. Tiff Cagle’s information on how to avoid getting an STI, check out her and if you’d like to book an appointment with her, click . And if you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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174: Home Space for Trans and Gender Expansive Elders
09/24/2023
174: Home Space for Trans and Gender Expansive Elders
Our guest today is Dr. Abel Knochel! Dr. Knochel (they/them pronouns) is an Associate Professor in the University of Minnesota Duluth Social Work Department. Abel teaches undergraduate and graduate students about socially just, anti-oppressive practice with groups, organizations and communities. They research aging among transgender and nonbinary people and co-facilitate a monthly online Trans, Nonbinary, and Bigender (TNB) Elders Social Club. While the Social Club is based in Minnesota, they welcome all gender expansive people aged 55 and above. Contact to join in! And if you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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173: Season 9 Teaser
09/10/2023
173: Season 9 Teaser
Hey listeners! It’s Jane here with great news. We got picked up for Season 9! Can you believe it? And starting in just 2 weeks, we’ve got a line-up of guests who will educate you, entertain you, and inform you on everything you’ll need to know about sex in the second half of life. We’ve also got a new sponsor this year, , and you’ll be hearing from them and a few of their products for older bodies along with a whole team of remarkable sponsors supporting us all the way: The Center for Human Sexuality Studies at Widener University Gazebo Sex Coach U That Drawer Uberlube We couldn’t do it without them either! So find us wherever you get your favorite podcasts or subscribe today at . See you in season 9! And if you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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172: Pleasure as Black Joy (Re-Release)
08/27/2023
172: Pleasure as Black Joy (Re-Release)
Hey listeners! While our co-hosts are away on vacation this summer (doing who knows what!), we are thrilled to present you with an archived episode. One of our favorite interviews from this season is back. So sit back and enjoy! We’re delighted to welcome back the wonderful Rev. Dr. Gregory C. Carrow-Boyd, a Unitarian Universalist Minister of Religious Education who received his EdD from the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education. He serves on the General Assembly Advisory Council of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Rev. Dr. Carrow-Boyd is a sexuality and racial justice educator in the greater Los Angeles and metro O’ahu areas. He just started as Executive Minister of Religious Education at the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, HI. Greg’s research interests include critical theory, social media, Black liberation theology, effective sex education for Black teens, teacher education, and adult education. Today, we are specifically inviting Rev. Dr. Carrow-Boyd back to Our Better Half to discuss the findings of his dissertation research. Find out more about Rev. Dr. Carrow-Boyd's work at . If you like our show or have any questions contact us at our website, and you can subscribe to our podcast any way you'd like. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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171: The Sexual Catholic (Re-Release)
08/13/2023
171: The Sexual Catholic (Re-Release)
Hey listeners! While our co-hosts are away on vacation this summer (doing who knows what!), we are thrilled to present you with an archived episode. One of our favorite interviews from this season is back. So sit back and enjoy! Our guest this time is Dr. Mark Levand, a sexuality educator and researcher who has spent many deep and reflective years in the church. He’s passionate about training future sexuality educators through his deep interests in sexuality, religion, and diversity. Take a listen. It’s a terrific episode and we had a great time talking all things religion and sex with him. Dr. Levand has a Ph.D. in Human Sexuality Studies from Widener University and a Master’s in theology and religious studies from John Carroll University. Among other publications, he has recently published on matters of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in the National Catholic Reporter and about Catholic Theology and Sexuality Education in the Journal of Theology & Sexuality. Mark has received awards for his collaborative work in sexual diversity, cross-cultural sexuality studies, and organizational change around human sexuality in Catholic higher education. He is the author of the forthcoming book Inclusion and Sexuality in Catholic Higher Education: Possibilities for Institutional Change to be released by Routledge in mid-2023. Mark was the editor for a special issue of the Journal of Sexuality and Relationship Therapy on sexuality, religion, and spirituality and serves as a reviewer for several journals in the fields of sexuality and health. He has held leadership roles to address Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at large institutions. Mark holds memberships in sexuality organizations, as well as the Catholic Theological Society of America, and the Society of Christian Ethics. If you’d like to learn more about Mark, go to his where you can find a link to his forthcoming book, Inclusion and Sexuality in Catholic Higher Education: Possibilities for Institutional Change, and links to his articles and book chapters. If you like our show or have any questions contact us at our website, and you can subscribe to our podcast any way you'd like. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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170: Sinless Sex (Re-Release)
07/30/2023
170: Sinless Sex (Re-Release)
Hey listeners! While our co-hosts are away on vacation this summer (doing who knows what!), we are thrilled to present you with an archived episode. One of our favorite interviews from this season is back. So sit back and enjoy! Dr. Bill Stayton is a psychologist, sexologist, and theologian. After serving as a pastor, hospital chaplain, and seminary faculty member, he was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Widener University, and Morehouse School of Medicine. He received a Gold Medal Award from the World Association for Sexual Health for promoting dialogue with religion and medicine about sexuality. Go check out Bill's new book, Sinless Sex: A Challenge to Religions, on his ! If you like our show or have any questions contact us at our website, and you can subscribe to our podcast any way you'd like. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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169: Treating the Sexual Self in the Spiritual Realm (Re-Release)
07/16/2023
169: Treating the Sexual Self in the Spiritual Realm (Re-Release)
Hey listeners! While our co-hosts are away on vacation this summer (doing who knows what!), we are thrilled to present you with an archived episode. One of our favorite interviews from this season is back. So sit back and enjoy! Join Rosara, Sabitha, and Jane for a wonderful discussion about sex therapy in the Jewish Orthodox community with Talli Rosenbaum, an individual and couple therapist, and Certified Sex Therapist and Supervisor. She co-hosts her own podcast, (which is fantastic!) and is co-author of the book and co-edited She has authored over 40 on sexual pain disorders, sexual health, unconsummated marriage, and sexuality and Judaism and is an associate editor of the . Before training in psychotherapy, Talli treated patients as a physical therapist for 25 years. In addition to maintaining an active private practice, Talli is the academic advisor for Talli frequently lectures both in Israel and abroad, to lay as well as professional audiences. Join us for an insightful and reflective discussion with Talli Rosenbaum and learn more about her publications and courses . If you like our show or have any questions contact us at our website, and you can subscribe to our podcast any way you'd like. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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168: Season 8 Wrap-Up
07/02/2023
168: Season 8 Wrap-Up
This is it, listeners, our last episode for the season. We have been having a blast this year bringing you fascinating, captivating, and inspiring conversations with some of the best thinkers in the field of sexuality and aging. And now it’s time for us to take a well-needed break for the summer. But don’t worry, we’ve still got some great shows we’re bringing back from our archives so you can still listen all summer! And if you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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167: Inside Secrets: For Sexological Entrepreneurs
06/19/2023
167: Inside Secrets: For Sexological Entrepreneurs
Hey listeners! This is our last new episode of the season before we take a break for the summer and we are delighted to end our season with a fantastic guest. Dr. Patti Britton! Dr. Britton is a nationally board-certified Clinical Sexologist and is known as the “Mother of Sex Coaching.” She’s the author of hundreds of articles, book chapters, forewords, and five major books in sexology. Dr. Patti is a popular speaker to consumers and a seasoned professional trainer for her peers. She has also hosted over 40 DVD programs on couples’ sexual enhancement, with appearances on over 200 television shows, and over 350 interviews for radio, podcasts, summits, and media such as Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Oprah’s O Magazine, and many more. Dr. Patti specializes in serving individuals and couples, especially the boomer generation, who are seeking sexual wellness and pleasure. She is known for her holistic approach to sexual healing and has a private practice in Los Angeles and online via Zoom worldwide. And by the way, Dr. Patti Britton is the Co-Founder of Sex Coach U -- one of our favorite sponsors -- and it’s the world’s premier training and credentialing organization for sex coaches. Dr. Patti believes that we have a divine birthright to experience our full erotic and sexual potential. Listeners, Patti has generously offered all of you a ! To learn more about Dr. Patti Britton, check out her and ! If you like our show or have any questions contact us at our website, and you can subscribe to our podcast any way you'd like. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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166: Pleasure as Black Joy
06/04/2023
166: Pleasure as Black Joy
We’re delighted to welcome back the wonderful Rev. Dr. Gregory C. Carrow-Boyd, a Unitarian Universalist Minister of Religious Education who received his EdD from the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education. He serves on the General Assembly Advisory Council of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Rev. Dr. Carrow-Boyd is a sexuality and racial justice educator in the greater Los Angeles and metro O’ahu areas. He just started as Executive Minister of Religious Education at the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, HI. Greg’s research interests include critical theory, social media, Black liberation theology, effective sex education for Black teens, teacher education, and adult education. Today, we are specifically inviting Rev. Dr. Carrow-Boyd back to Our Better Half to discuss the findings of his dissertation research. Find out more about Rev. Dr. Carrow-Boyd's work at . If you like our show or have any questions contact us at our website, and you can subscribe to our podcast any way you'd like. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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165: Sexual Pleasure for Orthodox Jewish Women... and More
05/22/2023
165: Sexual Pleasure for Orthodox Jewish Women... and More
Sex therapist, Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus, has dedicated her career to helping women reclaim pleasure in their bodies and spirits. With nearly 25 years of experience as a clinical director of one of the largest sexual health centers in the US, she bridges the gap between the medical and psychological aspects of women's sexual health. Dr. Marcus holds a Ph.D. in Human Sexuality, a master's in public health, master's degrees in social work from Columbia University, a degree in Jewish Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary, and to top it all off she is also a certified bariatric counselor. In the past, Dr. Marcus has served as executive director of not-for-profit institutions and corporations, medical practices, and laboratories. She has lectured internationally on women’s issues, gives frequent Grand Rounds to health care providers, and lectures to sex therapists around the world. She has been a guest on numerous radio and television shows, including CNBC, CBS News, Huffington Post Live, and NPR, and has been profiled by numerous magazines including the , Time Magazine, and Westchester Magazine. If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus, check out her , her , and read a on women and the use of vibrators which was published in a peer-reviewed journal! And if you’re on social media, check out her and ! If you like our show or have any questions contact us at our website, and you can subscribe to our podcast any way you'd like. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on and . It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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164: Colorism & Texturism: Black Women's Sexual Health
05/06/2023
164: Colorism & Texturism: Black Women's Sexual Health
Our guest this week, Dr. Donna Oriowo LICSW, CST, is an award-winning DEI advocate, international speaker, and certified sex and relationship therapist in the Washington D.C. metro area. Dr. Donna is the owner of the private practice, , which specializes in working with Black women on issues related to colorism and texturism and its impacts on mental and sexual health. Dr. Donna specializes in working with Black women to feel Free, Fabulous, and F*cked! She is the author of Cocoa Butter & Hair Grease: A Self Love Journey Through Hair and Skin and the host of a weekly family meeting for Black women called In My Black Feelings. Dr. Donna collects inspiring quotes, eats donuts, loves pasta, travels to learn, gives COVID safe handshakes, warm hugs, and (figurative) knocks on the head. Dr. Oriowo served as DEI Co-chair and Communications Steering Committee Chair for AASECT, and she is a member of the Women of Color Sexual Health Network (WOCSHN). She can be found on social media @Dr.DonnaOriowo, or you can visit her or interact with her by joining the ! If you like our show or have any questions, contact us at our website. You can subscribe to our podcast any way you'd like. We love our listeners and welcome your feedback. Please like us and rate us on and . If you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating. It really helps boost our show! As always, thanks for listening!
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