The Hole Shebang

Dr. Lori Brotto discusses mindfulness and its role in improving sexual desire and function. She shares her background in animal and human research, the lack of pharmaceutical treatments for female sexual problems, and the importance of addressing distressing low desire. Dr. Brotto explains the use of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness as effective treatments for low desire. She also discusses her research on virtual reality exposure therapy for sexual pain and the benefits of mindfulness in managing pain. Dr. Brotto emphasizes the holistic nature of sexual health and the need for multidisciplinary approaches.

Takeaways

Mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy are effective treatments for low desire. Virtual reality exposure therapy shows promise in treating sexual pain. Mindfulness can help manage pain and improve sexual function. Sexual health is a holistic concept that involves the mind, body, and spirit. A multidisciplinary approach is important in addressing sexual health issues.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background 03:11 Animal Research and Transition to Human Research 05:29 Understanding Low Desire 10:19 Effective Treatments for Low Desire 14:19 Mindfulness and Pain Management 16:44 Mindfulness Practice and Customization 20:04 Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Sexual Pain 27:31 Future Directions and Research 33:26 Dr. Brotto's Personal Mindfulness Practice 36:35 The Holistic Nature of Sexual Health 39:14 Staying Connected with Dr. Brotto

For more information or to work with Kristen Parise

https://www.blueberrytherapy.ca/general-7

For more information about Dr. Lori Brotto

https://brottolab.med.ubc.ca/about/dr-lori-brotto/

Pleasure is not a luxury. It is a necessity for a well functioning brain. In the very first episode of The Hole Shebang Podcast, Kristen Parise sits down with Dr. Nan Wise, a cognitive neuroscientist, certified sex therapist and author of Why Good Sex Matters, to talk about what the brain actually does during sex, why pleasure matters for our overall health and what happens when we lose the ability to feel it.

Dr. Wise explains the seven core emotional circuits wired into every mammalian brain (seeking, care, play, lust, fear, rage and panic/grief) and how they shape our sexual experiences. She shares her groundbreaking fMRI research on orgasm, including the first study to map projections of the clitoris, vagina, cervix and nipple onto the brain's somatosensory cortex. One finding that will stop you: just imagining penetration lit up the brain almost identically to orgasm itself. The most important sex organ is the brain.

The conversation covers why so many people (especially women) struggle to feel safe and comfortable in their bodies, how the current generation's phone based childhood is flattening the play system and degrading the social brain, why comprehensive sex education matters and why parents play a critical role as their children's first sex educators. Dr. Wise also gets practical, walking through breathwork techniques that activate the vagal brake and shift the nervous system out of fight or flight, the concept of erotic fingerprints (recognizing that everyone has a different sexual style, from the explorer to the soulful lover to the rough and tumble lover), and why masturbation is both a pleasure practice and an essential communication tool for partnered sex.

What You'll Learn

• How the brain's seven core emotional circuits directly shape your sexual experiences and overall wellbeing
• What fMRI studies on orgasm reveal about the brain, including why imagination alone can activate the same regions as physical stimulation
• Why body based tools like breathwork are more effective than talk therapy alone for anxiety and sexual dysfunction
• The concept of erotic fingerprints and why understanding your unique sexual style changes everything in long term relationships
• Why active sexual desire naturally waxes and wanes (especially postpartum) and why responsive desire is completely valid

Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction and How Dr. Nan Became a Sex Neuroscientist 05:33 The Seven Core Emotional Circuits and How They Shape Sex 09:39 Pleasure as a Necessity and the Rise of Anhedonia 13:48 Active vs Responsive Desire and Why Losing Libido Is Normal 16:16 Postpartum Desire and Getting Turned On by Life 22:18 Sex Education, Parenting and Talking to Kids About Bodies 27:11 The fMRI Orgasm Studies and What They Revealed 34:45 Masturbation as Self Knowledge and the Orgasm Gap 39:44 Breathwork, the Vagal Brake and Calming Your Nervous System 48:00 Erotic Fingerprints and Sexual Styles in Relationships 56:15 The Pleasure Keyboard and Exploring Beyond Penetration 58:47 Theme Song and What The Hole Shebang Means to Dr. Nan

About Dr. Nan Wise, PhD

Dr. Nan Wise is a licensed psychotherapist, cognitive neuroscientist, certified sex therapist, board certified clinical hypnotherapist and certified relationship specialist with over 30 years of clinical experience. She earned her PhD in cognitive neuroscience at Rutgers Newark, where her dissertation research on genital stimulation, imagery and orgasm in women using fMRI has garnered international attention. Her book Why Good Sex Matters: Understanding the Neuroscience of Pleasure for a Smarter, Happier, and More Purpose Filled Life explores why our culture is experiencing more anhedonia (the inability to feel pleasure) than ever and what we can do about it.

Theme Song: "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye

Connect with Dr. Nan Wise

Website: askdoctornan.com Instagram: @askdoctornan Book: Why Good Sex Matters

Connect with The Hole Shebang

Website: blueberrytherapy.ca Podcast: Listen and Subscribe Instagram: @blueberrytherapypelvichealth Upcoming Event: The Pleasure Principle Conference May 30, 2025

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