May 7, 2019
Joe Kort is a leading expert on sex and relationships. A psychotherapist, coach, and author who established his practice in 1985, he is a certified IMAGO Relationship Therapist and a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Michigan. He holds a PhD in Clinical Sexology and specializes in Gay Affirmative Psychotherapy. He is also the founder and director of The Center for Relationship and Sexual Health where he helps in improving the communication and relationship skills of heterosexual and LGBTQ individuals and couples through therapy and discussions.
Joe joins me today to discuss the topic of porn in relationships. We share our insights on how, within the context of a couple’s relationship, it’s not the porn that’s problematic but the couple’s outlook on it. We discuss erotic identity, how gay couples tend to be more open about sexual issues, and why all couples should be just as willing to discuss these issues. We also discuss the right time parents should start talking to their children about sex, as well as the various myths, half-truths, and pseudoscience that has become rampant because of society’s refusal to discuss porn and sexuality.
“Sexuality and eroticism evolve, for men and for women. What turns you on today might expand to something different over time as you get older.” - Joe Kort
This week on Relationships! Let’s Talk About It:
- How the words we use to describe sexuality and genitalia highlight our unconscious or underlying feelings about sexuality.
- How we can affirm sexuality in men’s culture.
- Why couples should be the ones to navigate their own ethical perceptions of porn instead of their psychotherapist.
- The significant difference between how gay couples view porn versus how heterosexual relationships handle the subject.
- The issue of infidelity in relationships.
- How people correlate “sex addiction” and porn - and why sex addiction and porn addiction are unscientific myths.
- The right approach to resolving porn-related conflicts in relationships.
- The double standard in the way society views porn and erotic orientation.
- The need for couples to have sexual health conversations, no matter how difficult they may be.
- Why parents need to talk to their children about sex and porn.
- What “ethical porn” is and the myths around “porn-induced erectile dysfunction.”
- How different countries and cultures have varying perspectives on conversations about sex.
- What is sexual fluidity and why we need to have more conversations about it.
- The evolution of sexuality and eroticism over time.
- Scientific facts on how your brain responds to porn.
Resources Mentioned:
- Erotic Empathy by Amanda Luterman (coming soon)
- Emotional Infidelity: Is It Really Cheating?
- Real Your Brain on Porn
Connect with Joe Kort:
Let’s Talk About It!
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Theme music “These Streets” provided by Adi the Monk
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