In this episode of The Sexology Lab, psychologist and sex therapist Dr. Nazanin Moali explains why the invisible labor we carry every day quietly drains our desire—and why the solution isn't simply "trying harder" to get in the mood.

For more than 25 years, sociologist Dr. Eli Sheff has studied people whose relationships don't always fit conventional expectations. Her research offers a window into consensual non-monogamy, polyamorous relationships, and families raising children outside the traditional two-parent monogamous model. Across this two-part conversation on The Sexology Lab, we move from one deeply personal question—How do I want to love?—to a much bigger cultural one: What actually makes a family work?

For more than 25 years, sociologist Dr. Eli Sheff has studied people whose relationships don't always fit conventional expectations. Her research offers a window into consensual non-monogamy, polyamorous relationships, and families raising children outside the traditional two-parent monogamous model. Across this two-part conversation on The Sexology Lab, we move from one deeply personal question—How do I want to love?—to a much bigger cultural one: What actually makes a family work?

Most people know Midori as a pioneering kink educator. Fewer know the experiences that made her one. She immigrated to the United States from Japan as a teenager without speaking English. She later joined the military, discovered San Francisco's underground sex-positive movement during the height of the AIDS crisis, and learned from many of the people who helped shape modern sexology. Those experiences taught her to ask better questions—not only about sexuality, but about culture, power, education, communication, and how we decide what is considered "normal." The result is a conversation that stretches far beyond BDSM. It's about how curiosity changes everything.

This conversation explores how pornography is produced, how performers are supported behind the scenes, why the company has embraced the term indie adult cinema, and what responsibilities adult media creators have in a world where explicit media has become one of the most influential forms of sex education.

In this episode, Dr. Joshua Gonzalez explains what he sees every day in his practice as a men's sexual health specialist. From erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation to testosterone, fertility, confidence, and social media, he separates medical reality from cultural myth.

In this episode, Dr. Nicole McNichols shares what teaching more than 4,000 college students every year has taught her about modern sexuality. From Gen Z dating culture and pornography to body image, planning intimacy, and relationship science, she explains why better sex has less to do with technique and far more to do with connection. The conversation also explores the ideas behind her book, You Could Be Having Better Sex, offering practical, research-backed strategies anyone can use to create more satisfying relationships.

Cherie Hoeger is the CEO and co-founder of SAALT, a certified B Corporation dedicated to modernizing sustainable period care through reusable menstrual cups, menstrual discs, period underwear, and educational resources. Since launching in 2018, SAALT has grown into a global company committed to improving menstrual health while reducing environmental waste. Through SAALT Gives, the company has donated more than 150,000 reusable period products across dozens of countries while investing in clean water projects and menstrual health education around the world.

In this episode, Laura Ramadei explores how mainstream adult media shapes expectations around bodies, pleasure, orgasm, communication, and performance. She explains why many people unknowingly carry these scripts into real relationships—and why those scripts often leave people feeling anxious, disconnected, or convinced they're "bad at sex."

In this episode, Dr. Tolulope Oko-Igaire provides a rare and candid look into intimacy, marriage, sexual education, and therapy in Nigeria. She discusses how religious teachings, family expectations, gender roles, and cultural traditions influence relationships and sexual satisfaction. The conversation also explores why therapy remains heavily stigmatized, why many couples stay silent about sexual dissatisfaction, and what needs to change for future generations.

In this episode, Michael Vigorito explores why people identify as sex addicts, what research actually says about out-of-control sexual behavior, and how shame, culture, relationships, mental health, and erotic identity all influence the way people experience their sexuality. The conversation offers a more nuanced perspective—one focused on curiosity, self-understanding, and integration rather than labels and judgment.

In this episode, Dr. Laurie Mintz and Dr. Suzette Johnson explain the neuroscience behind SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction, why so many women are never warned about it, and what options exist for restoring pleasure, arousal, and orgasm. Most importantly, they challenge the idea that women should simply accept these side effects as the cost of treatment.

When people experience low desire, relationship tension, or sexual disconnection, they often assume something is broken. But according to Dr. Shannon Chavez, many sexual concerns are actually signals from the body rather than problems that need fixing. This conversation explores how stress affects libido, how attachment patterns show up in the bedroom, why emotional safety is essential for intimacy, and how trauma-informed, holistic approaches can help people reconnect with pleasure and connection.

Consensual non-monogamy is often misunderstood as chaotic, emotionally detached, or impossible to sustain long-term. But according to evolutionary psychologist Dr. Justin Mogilski, the reality is much more nuanced.

This episode explores the science behind jealousy, attachment, pair bonding, attraction disclosure, parenting, and emotional regulation in consensually non-monogamous relationships. It also examines how evolutionary psychology can help explain why humans experience competition, insecurity, and connection across all relationship structures.

Most people learned about sex from bananas, fear, awkward health class videos, or internet guesswork. Very few people learned about pleasure, emotional safety, consent in practice, or how to actually understand their own bodies. And according to Amy Baldwin and April Lampert, that missing piece may explain why so many adults still struggle with shame, communication, and intimacy.

Our guest today is Dr. Soum Rakshit, founder and CEO of MysteryVibe and MV Health. With a background in biomedical engineering, Dr. Rakshit specializes in developing evidence-based sexual health devices that bridge the gap between pleasure, healthcare, and innovation. His work focuses on helping people navigate sexual health challenges after major life events like childbirth, cancer treatment, surgery, aging, menopause, and pelvic pain conditions.

Male sexual health is often reduced to performance. Erections. Size. Testosterone. Stamina. But according to leading urologist Dr. Amy Pearlman, that narrow definition leaves out some of the most important aspects of sexuality and health. This episode explores what people are rarely taught about penile health, hormone optimization, orgasm quality, prostate pleasure, and how sexual function changes throughout life.

Most couples come into therapy focused on solving a present-day problem. But what if that problem isn’t actually the problem?

This conversation explores how childhood dynamics, trauma, and unspoken assumptions about sex and relationships shape our adult experiences. It also challenges one of the most persistent myths in sexual health: that there is a “right” way to have sex.

Confidence in sex is often misunderstood as performance. Lasting longer, doing more, being better. But that mindset is exactly what creates anxiety, disconnection, and frustration.

This episode reframes confidence as something deeper: the belief that you are “able to.” Able to connect. Able to satisfy. Able to stay present. And once you understand that shift, everything about your sex life starts to change.

Why is it easier to fake an orgasm than ask for what you actually want in bed? For most people, the answer isn’t about desire. It’s about fear, shame, and never being taught how to have these conversations in the first place. And that silence is quietly shaping the quality of our relationships.