- 45 minutes 42 seconds380. The Final Word on Heated Rivalry - Welcome to the Cottage (episode 6)
We're closing out the season with something different: a multidisciplinary breakdown of episode six of Heated Rivalry. Not a recap. Not a fan theory session. A real conversation about what the show gets right — and what it gets wrong — about male performance anxiety, queer identity, female arousal physiology, and the stories we tell ourselves about our own bodies.
To be clear: this isn't about hockey. It's about what happens when good storytelling accidentally becomes a teaching moment for sexual health.
What We Cover
Performance anxiety isn't in your head — it's in your nerves, arteries, and muscles. Erectile function is vascular and neurological before it's psychological. Medication, alcohol, dehydration, stress — all of it shows up in the body before it shows up in the bedroom. We break down why "just relax" is the least useful advice you can give a man who's struggling, and what's actually happening physiologically when performance doesn't match desire.
Shane's coming out arc, and why identity evolution isn't linear. The show doesn't hand Shane a clean, tidy arc — and that's the point. We talk about how culture, family history, and internalized norms shape the timeline of coming out, and why real identity work rarely looks like the movie version.
Communication is the actual plot device. Underneath the hockey, the drama, the trauma — the show works because the characters eventually say the thing. We talk about why authentic communication is the real special effect in any story about intimacy, on screen or off.
Behind the scenes: setting, production choices, small details you'd miss on a first watch — and yes, a detour into tentacle erotica as a case study in how sexual expression keeps evolving in media, and why that's worth understanding rather than dismissing.
Key Takeaways
- Erectile response is biological first, emotional second — treat it that way.
- Female arousal physiology doesn't disappear at menopause; it changes, and imaging confirms it.
- Coming out stories are shaped by context, not just courage.
- Good storytelling about sex requires vulnerability, not perfection.
- Expanding your sexual literacy — even through fiction — is part of the work.
You are not broken. Your body isn't broken. And apparently, neither is prestige TV's ability to sneak real sex ed into a hockey drama.
Season two, see you soon.
— Kelly
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Thanks to our sponsor: Addyi, the little pink pill. To find out if Addyi is right for you, go to addyi.com/notbroken and use code NOTBROKEN for a $10 telemedicine appointment.And great news: with commercial insurance coverage Addyi is as little as $20 a month! Visit Addyi.com/notbroken. Eligible patients only. Restrictions apply. See Full Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning at addyi.com/pi
Thanks to our sponsor Midi Women's Health. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care. https://www.joinmidi.com
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19 July 2026, 7:00 am - 43 minutes 26 seconds379. Heated Rivalry Episode 5
Join us for the season's final two episodes as we explore the emotional depths, relationships, and personal growth of the characters in "Heated Rivalry." This episode delves into vulnerability, identity, and love through intimate conversations and memorable scenes, offering both humor and heartache. We cover:
- The complexities of coming out and self-acceptance in a tight-knit community
- The influence of trauma and social pressures on sexual identity
- The portrayal of relationships, love, and chemistry on screen and in real life
- Medical insights into sexual health, including ED, menopause, and reproductive choices
- The cultural depiction of masculinity, femininity, and societal expectations
In this episode:
- Analyzing the pivotal scene where Ilya reveals his inner turmoil about identity and family
- The significance of honesty and vulnerability between Shane and Ilya
- Insights into how trauma impacts sexual development and relationships
- The role of humor and playful banter in serious moments
- Behind-the-scenes stories from the filming, including location choices and character dynamics
- Discussing medical myths about genitals post-menopause based on MRI studies
- Conversations about contraception, fertility, and sexual pleasure in both fiction and real life
- Exploring the cultural intersections in the characters’ backgrounds, including Russian, Canadian, and American influences
Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs it.
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Thanks to our sponsor: Addyi, the little pink pill. To find out if Addyi is right for you, go to addyi.com/notbroken and use code NOTBROKEN for a $10 telemedicine appointment.And great news: with commercial insurance coverage Addyi is as little as $20 a month! Visit Addyi.com/notbroken. Eligible patients only. Restrictions apply. See Full Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning at addyi.com/pi
Thanks to our sponsor Midi Women's Health. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care. https://www.joinmidi.com
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12 July 2026, 7:00 am - 39 minutes 40 seconds378. Heated Rivalry episode 4 - Frotting, Ferrets, and Ferris Wheels — Wait, Wrong Show. Just Frotting.
Episode 4: Rose and Rosé — The Maturation of Men
Heated Rivalry Series | You Are Not Broken
We're four episodes deep into "Heated Rivalry," and this is the one where the boys finally have to grow up.
Episode 4 is a time jump — years compressed into a montage — and it's doing double duty. It's showing us Shane and Ilyia maturing into men who can actually be in a relationship, not just have sex in one. And it's showing us Rose figuring out who she is alongside them. Growth isn't linear for any of these characters, and honestly, that's the whole point.
This episode has jokes, it has ginger ale, it has a Jean Paul Gaultier shirt doing more emotional labor than most people's therapists. And underneath all of it, we're talking about what it actually looks like when men — queer or straight — mature into partners instead of performers.
In this episode, we cover:
🥂 The montage that does the heavy lifting — Years pass in minutes, and the show trusts you to read growth in glances instead of dialogue. We break down what that fast-forward is actually telling us about who these characters are becoming.
🥤 Ginger ale as a stand-in for honesty — A small, recurring detail that keeps showing up at exactly the moments authenticity matters. We talk about why the little symbols are doing more work than the big speeches.
🪜 Stairs as a metaphor for hiding — Where characters stand, physically, tells you where they stand emotionally. Comfort zones, identity, who's ready to be seen and who isn't yet.
🛏️ Lube, and the sex we don't usually see — We get specific about sexual practice and preference, because vague euphemism doesn't teach anybody anything. This is where the show earns its reputation for actually doing the work most media skips.
❤️ Gay male intimacy that exists outside the bedroom — Emotional depth, tenderness, and connection depicted as fully as the physical. We talk about why that matters for representation and why it's still rare.
👨👩👧 Family, maturity, and the weight of expectation — What it costs to grow up under the pressure of what your family, your sport, or your culture expects "a man" to look like.
🎬 Fashion, music, and cinematography as storytelling — Including a Jean Paul Gaultier shirt that says more about a character's confidence than a page of script could.
📱 Real-life echoes — Outed athletes, fan engagement, and how a fictional hockey romance keeps bumping into very real headlines about sexuality in professional sports.
Maturity isn't about getting older. It's about getting honest — with yourself, with the people you love, and about the shape your desire actually takes. That's the throughline of this episode, and it's the throughline of everything we do here.
You are not broken. Growing into who you actually are — sexually, emotionally, all of it — takes time. This episode is proof it's worth the wait.
Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs it.
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Thanks to our sponsor: Addyi, the little pink pill. To find out if Addyi is right for you, go to addyi.com/notbroken and use code NOTBROKEN for a $10 telemedicine appointment.And great news: with commercial insurance coverage Addyi is as little as $20 a month! Visit Addyi.com/notbroken. Eligible patients only. Restrictions apply. See Full Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning at addyi.com/pi
Thanks to our sponsor Midi Women's Health. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care. https://www.joinmidi.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
5 July 2026, 7:00 am - 41 minutes 24 seconds377 - Heated Rivalry Episode 3-Love, Boundaries, and the Most Unhinged Uber Ride Story You've Ever Heard
You Are Not Broken | Episode 377
Join me, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Winter three episodes deep into "Heated Rivalry" and things are getting complicated. Emotionally. Relationally. And apparently, in real life too — because this episode went completely off-script in the best possible way.
Episode 3 of the show gives us more Scott and Kip, more tension, more of the push-pull that makes this story so hard to look away from. And it gave us a lot to say.
In this episode, we cover:
🏒 Full episode 3 breakdown — Plot, pacing, pivotal moments, and everything we were yelling at the screen about. We get into the emotional undercurrents the show is building and why this episode marks a turning point in how these characters relate to each other
❤️ Scott Hunter and Kip: love, limits, and the architecture of a complicated relationship — What does it look like when two people want each other and also can't quite figure out how to be with each other? We analyze the push-pull, the boundaries being tested, and what the show is trying to say about intimacy under pressure
🧠 Enneagram detour: typing the characters — Yes, we went there. Kip's dad especially warranted a full personality deep-dive. If you've ever wondered why certain relationship dynamics feel so stuck, the Enneagram conversation in this episode will make things click
🎬 Behind the scenes: budget, craft, and the acting choices that land (or don't) — We talk about what the production is clearly doing well, where the constraints show up on screen, and the moments where the actors did something genuinely impressive with the material they were given
🌟 A real Hollywood love story — One of us brought a personal story to this episode that mirrors some of what the show is exploring in ways that are almost too perfect. Love that finds you in unexpected places, at unexpected times, with unexpected people.
🚗 The porn star Uber ride story — We cannot explain this one. You just have to listen. It is real. It happened. It is relevant (sort of). And it is the most chaotic three minutes of content we have ever produced on this podcast.
Why episode 3 matters:
The first two episodes establish the attraction. Episode 3 is where the show starts asking harder questions — about what people owe each other, about the difference between wanting someone and being able to actually be with them, and about the family dynamics and personal histories that follow us into every relationship we try to build.
That's not just good TV. That's the conversation we have in exam rooms, in therapy offices, and at 2am when we can't sleep. "Heated Rivalry" keeps giving us a way in to material that's genuinely difficult to talk about directly — and we're going to keep using it.Listen to my Tedx Talk: Why we need adult sex ed
Take my Adult Sex Ed Master Class:
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Interested in my sexual health and hormone clinic? Waitlist is open
Thanks to our sponsor: Addyi, the little pink pill. To find out if Addyi is right for you, go to addyi.com/notbroken and use code NOTBROKEN for a $10 telemedicine appointment.And great news: with commercial insurance coverage Addyi is as little as $20 a month! Visit Addyi.com/notbroken.Eligible patients only. Restrictions apply. See Full Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning at addyi.com/pi
To learn more about Via vaginal moisturizer from Solv Wellness, visit via4her.com and get 20% off your first order. For an additional $5 off, use coupon code DRKELLY5. Clinicians can request patient materials or samples at hcp.solvwellness.com.
Thanks to our sponsor Midi Women's Health. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care.https://www.joinmidi.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
28 June 2026, 7:00 am - 56 minutes 42 seconds376. Heated Rivalry - Episode 2 — Four Urologists Walk Into a Hockey Romance
Episode 2 of "Heated Rivalry" gave us more heat, more emotional complexity, and — honestly — more to dissect than we could cover alone. So this time, I'm joined by three of my favorite urologist colleagues: Dr. Rubin, Dr. Winter, and Dr. Gonzalez. Four urologists, one hockey romance, zero filter.
This is the kind of conversation that doesn't happen in medical school, at grand rounds, or really anywhere in organized medicine. Which is exactly why we're having it here.
In this episode, we cover:
🏒 Safety, trust, and emotional vulnerability in gay relationships — Episode 2 goes deeper into what it actually takes to be intimate when you've spent years hiding who you are. We talk about what the show gets right about the psychological weight of that, and what it looks like clinically when shame is baked into someone's relationship with their own body and desire
📖 "Heated Rivalry" as curated sex education — Fiction is doing what formal sex ed refuses to do: showing people what communication, negotiation, and mutual pleasure actually look like. Four urologists weigh in on what we'd add, what we'd correct, and what we'd assign as required watching
🧠 The psychology of self-acceptance, shame, and queer connection — These characters aren't just physically attracted to each other — they're navigating decades of internalized messaging about who they're allowed to be. We break down what that does to intimacy and how it shows up in real patient conversations
🍑 Anal sex, condom use, and preferences — the actual clinical conversation — What do gay versus heterosexual contexts look like in practice? What does the data say about condom use patterns, and why? What do patients actually need to know that providers almost never tell them? We go there.
👁️ Objectification, authenticity, and the fantasy-versus-reality line in media — Is "Heated Rivalry" showing us something true, or something aspirational? Does it matter? How does idealized media representation shape real people's expectations of their own sex lives and bodies?
🛡️ Consent and communication as clinical skills — Not just ethics — actual skills. What does good sexual communication look like, and how does it translate across orientations? The show models some of this beautifully. We talk about what's transferable.
📱 How media shapes (and misshapes) LGBTQ+ sexual health literacy — The misinformation landscape around queer bodies and sexual health is genuinely harmful. We talk about what gets distorted, what's missing, and how pop culture can either close or widen that gap
🌈 What this show is doing for LGBTQ+ communities — Representation isn't just feel-good. It has measurable effects on shame reduction, help-seeking behavior, and sexual self-concept. We talk about the real-world ripple effects of seeing your experience on screen — done well
The conversation you didn't know you needed:
Four urologists sitting around breaking down a gay hockey romance sounds like the setup to a joke. But here's what's actually true: most of us received zero clinical training on LGBTQ+ sexual health. Most of our patients — gay, straight, bi, questioning — received zero accurate sex education about anal intimacy, queer relationships, or sexual communication.
"Heated Rivalry" is filling a gap that medicine created. We think that's worth talking about seriously, with humor, and without shame.Listen to my Tedx Talk: Why we need adult sex ed
Take my Adult Sex Ed Master Class:
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Interested in my sexual health and hormone clinic? Waitlist is open
Thanks to our sponsor: Addyi, the little pink pill. To find out if Addyi is right for you, go to addyi.com/notbroken and use code NOTBROKEN for a $10 telemedicine appointment.And great news: with commercial insurance coverage Addyi is as little as $20 a month! Visit Addyi.com/notbroken.Eligible patients only. Restrictions apply. See Full Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning at addyi.com/pi
To learn more about Via vaginal moisturizer from Solv Wellness, visit via4her.com and get 20% off your first order. For an additional $5 off, use coupon code DRKELLY5. Clinicians can request patient materials or samples at hcp.solvwellness.com.
Thanks to our sponsor Midi Women's Health. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care.https://www.joinmidi.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
21 June 2026, 7:00 am - 53 minutes 16 seconds375. Heated Rivalry, Hockey, and How Good Sex Ed Can Change the World
Episode one of Heated Rivalry with the amazing urologists Dr. Winter, Dr. Rubin, Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Casperson!
Episode 375: Heated Rivalry, Hockey, and How Good Sex Ed Actually Looks
What happens when a group of urologists and sex medicine experts binge a gay hockey romance and can't stop talking about it? This episode.
"Heated Rivalry" isn't just a sports romance — it's one of the most emotionally honest portrayals of gay intimacy, identity, and desire that's made it to mainstream media. And as someone who spends her days helping people understand their bodies, their sexuality, and their relationships? I had a lot of thoughts. So I brought in the experts.
In this episode, we're going deep — on the show, on the science, and on everything "Heated Rivalry" gets right that your sex ed class absolutely got wrong.
In this episode, we cover:
🏒 Representation that actually lands — What the show gets right about gay sex on screen, why it matters for viewers of all orientations, and how seeing yourself reflected in media shapes your sexual self-concept
❤️ The emotional architecture of coming out in sports culture — Identity, secrecy, fear, and what it costs to hide who you are in hypermasculine environments. This isn't just a hockey story.
🤫 Silent communication and nonverbal intimacy — The show does something remarkable with what's not said. We talk about what that reflects about real-life queer intimacy and how couples communicate desire without words
💪 Body image, physicality, and the male gaze (turned inward) — How the show handles the aestheticization of male bodies, and what that does for viewers who've never seen their own body type centered as desirable
🛡️ Consent, power dynamics, and emotional safety in LGBTQ+ relationships — Because good sex requires more than physical compatibility. We break down what the show models and what it could do better
🚿 The practical stuff: anal hygiene, douching, and lubrication — Yes, we're going there. Because nobody else is explaining this clearly, and shame-free, accurate information saves people from unnecessary anxiety and actual injury
📚 "Heated Rivalry" as accidental sex ed — Why fiction sometimes does what textbooks and providers fail to do: make people feel normal, curious, and empowered rather than broken
💬 Your reactions — What listeners and viewers are saying, and how this show is opening conversations that weren't happening before
Why this episode matters:
If you think this episode is just for gay men or hockey fans, think again. This is an episode about what good intimacy looks like — the negotiation, the vulnerability, the communication, the logistics. These themes live in every relationship, every body, every bedroom.
Also: accurate, shame-free education about anal sex has historically been nearly nonexistent in mainstream medicine and sex ed. The result? People making decisions without good information, experiencing pain that's preventable, and feeling like their desires are somehow abnormal. We're fixing that today.
Listen to my Tedx Talk: Why we need adult sex ed
Take my Adult Sex Ed Master Class:
My Website
Interested in my sexual health and hormone clinic? Waitlist is open
Thanks to our sponsor: Addyi, the little pink pill.
To find out if Addyi is right for you, go to addyi.com/notbroken and use code NOTBROKEN for a $10 telemedicine appointment.And great news: with commercial insurance coverage Addyi is as little as $20 a month! Visit Addyi.com/notbroken.
Eligible patients only. Restrictions apply. See Full Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning at addyi.com/piTo learn more about Via vaginal moisturizer from Solv Wellness, visit via4her.com and get 20% off your first order. For an additional $5 off, use coupon code DRKELLY5. Clinicians can request patient materials or samples at hcp.solvwellness.com.
Thanks to our sponsor Midi Women's Health. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care.https://www.joinmidi.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
14 June 2026, 7:00 am - 53 minutes 28 seconds374. Men, Testosterone and Penis Health Too!
The Future of Men's and Women's Health: Testosterone, Public Policy, and Preventative Care
What if the hormone most associated with men's health is also one of the most underutilized tools in women's medicine — and the biggest barrier isn't science, it's politics?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Helen Bernie urologist and tireless advocate for hormone health reform, to unpack why testosterone remains one of the most misunderstood, over-regulated, and under-prescribed interventions in modern medicine. We go deep on the FDA, the data, and what it's actually going to take to change the system.
We cover:
- Why low testosterone should be part of routine health screening — for everyone
- The real links between testosterone deficiency and early mortality, diabetes, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease
- How erectile dysfunction is a cardiovascular biomarker hiding in plain sight
- The policy history that turned a hormone into a controlled substance — and what it's costing us
- Why women are still being left out of the testosterone conversation
- Peyronie's disease: what it is, how to prevent it, and what treatment actually looks like
- How combining hormone therapy with GLP-1s and lifestyle changes can reverse metabolic disease
- The dangers of unregulated men's health clinics — and what evidence-based care looks like instead
- New research on testosterone administration routes and clot risk
- Why healthy hormones aren't just personal — they're a public health issue
This is the conversation medicine has been too uncomfortable to have. We're having it anyway.
Resources & Links
- FDA Testosterone Panel — YouTube
- Dr. Helen Bernie's IG
- Women's Health Study on Testosterone and Osteoporosis — JAMA
- Peyronie's Disease Research
Listen to my Tedx Talk: Why we need adult sex ed
Take my Adult Sex Ed Master Class:
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Interested in my sexual health and hormone clinic? Waitlist is open
To learn more about Via vaginal moisturizer from Solv Wellness, visit via4her.com and get 20% off your first order. For an additional $5 off, use coupon code DRKELLY5. Clinicians can request patient materials or samples at hcp.solvwellness.com.
Thanks to our sponsor Midi Women's Health. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care.https://www.joinmidi.com
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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
7 June 2026, 7:00 am - 52 minutes 14 seconds373. Sexual Health: Cervix, Vulva, and Vulvodynia Research
From the cervix to the vulva, so much of female anatomy has been understudied, misunderstood, and underserved — until now. In this episode, Dr. Kelly Casperson sits down with Dr. Andrew Goldstein, one of the world's foremost experts in vulvovaginal and cervical health, for a deep dive into the cutting edge of women's sexual medicine. We're talking new research, new treatments, and a whole lot of "why didn't anyone tell us this sooner?" energy. If you or someone you love has ever dealt with vulvar pain, lichen sclerosis, arousal difficulties, or just wants to understand their anatomy better — this one is unmissable.
About Dr. Andrew Goldstein
Dr. Andrew Goldstein is a board-certified OB/GYN and one of the world's leading specialists in vulvovaginal disorders, cervical health, and female sexual medicine. He is the founder of the Centers for Vulvovaginal Disorders, co-author of Reclaiming Desire, and a tireless advocate for research funding and clinical advancement in women's health. He has dedicated his career to conditions that medicine has long dismissed — and he is actively changing that.
In This Episode, We Cover:
- The significance of cervical innervation and its role in sexual pleasure — and why this is barely taught in medical school
- How common cervical excision procedures (like LEEP/LLETZ) can impact sexual function and urinary health
- Global efforts in cervical cancer prevention in resource-poor countries
- Surgical techniques designed to preserve nerves during cervical treatments
- The incredible impact of HPV vaccination on reducing cervical cancer rates worldwide
- A clear breakdown of vulvar anatomy and the misconceptions even providers carry
- Vulvodynia — causes, diagnosis, and the most exciting recent research breakthroughs
- Highlights from the Vulvodynia Research Summit: the top-ranked treatments from both expert and patient votes
- The surprising role of mast cells and allergic responses in vulvodynia
- Emerging therapies: topical ketotifen, localized nerve targeting, and novel chemical injections for pain relief
- How pelvic floor muscles contribute to vulvodynia — and what new research is showing
- Upcoming clinical trials on botulinum toxin for pelvic pain
- Lichen sclerosis — the autoimmune skin condition linked to cancer risk that far too many providers miss
- The game-changing potential of JAK-STAT pathway inhibitors for lichen sclerosis treatment
- Strata barrier cream and other topical therapies in the pipeline
- The road to FDA approvals and insurance coverage for these emerging treatments
- Topical sildenafil for female arousal disorders — the science, the promise, and how it works
- The drug delivery science behind why how a cream is formulated matters as much as what's in it
- Why advocacy and funding in women's health are inseparable from clinical progress — and what you can do
- Dare to Play
Dr. Andrew Goldstein: Website
Listen to my Tedx Talk: Why we need adult sex ed
Take my Adult Sex Ed Master Class:
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Interested in my sexual health and hormone clinic? Waitlist is open
To learn more about Via vaginal moisturizer from Solv Wellness, visit via4her.com and get 20% off your first order. For an additional $5 off, use coupon code DRKELLY5. Clinicians can request patient materials or samples at hcp.solvwellness.com.
Thanks to our sponsor Midi Women's Health. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care.https://www.joinmidi.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
31 May 2026, 7:00 am - 43 minutes 22 seconds372. Deprescribing Antidepressants
In this episode, Kelly interviews Dr. Mark Horowitz, a psychiatrist and author, about the long-term impacts of antidepressants, the challenges of coming off these medications, and the future of deprescribing. This conversation sheds light on why many people remain trapped on these drugs and what can be done to change this reality.
Key Topics:
- The origins of Dr. Horowitz's involvement in deprescribing and his personal experience
- The widespread use of antidepressants in America and the long-term health risks
- How withdrawal symptoms can be mistaken for a need to stay on medication
- The insidious side effects of antidepressants, including weight gain, sexual dysfunction, and increased risk of fractures
- The lack of long-term studies and regulatory oversight on the effects of antidepressants
- The importance of informed consent and alternative treatment options
- How marketing and legal factors influence prescribing habits
- Strategies for safe tapering and support resources for deprescribing
- The evolving awareness and cultural shift regarding antidepressant risks
Listen to my Tedx Talk: Why we need adult sex ed
Take my Adult Sex Ed Master Class:
My Website
Interested in my sexual health and hormone clinic? Waitlist is open
To learn more about Via vaginal moisturizer from Solv Wellness, visit via4her.com and get 20% off your first order. For an additional $5 off, use coupon code DRKELLY5. Clinicians can request patient materials or samples at hcp.solvwellness.com.
Thanks to our sponsor Midi Women's Health. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care.https://www.joinmidi.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
24 May 2026, 7:00 am - 39 minutes 48 seconds371. You Could Be Having Better Sex
What if the secret to better sex isn't a new position or a fancy toy — it's simply showing up as yourself?
In this episode, Kelly sits down with Nicole McNichols, a sexuality researcher and educator whose work bridges the gap between what science knows about female desire and what most of us were never taught. Together they unpack why women lose desire in long-term relationships (hint: it's not broken — it's biology meeting culture), what "heated rivalry" actually means for female attraction, and why spontaneous desire is more myth than reality for most women.
This is the kind of honest, research-backed conversation your sex ed class should have been.
- The "heated rivalry" phenomenon — how competition and social comparison can actually activate female desire, and what that tells us about our evolutionary wiring
- Spontaneous vs. responsive desire — why waiting to "feel like it" may be the #1 intimacy killer in long-term relationships
- The taco metaphor — a reframe on why novelty matters for sustaining desire (you'll never think about tacos the same way again)
- Female anatomy 101 — the internal clitoris, female erections, and the structures your doctor probably never mentioned
- Hormones and midlife sexuality — how perimenopause and menopause reshape desire, and why hormone therapy can be genuinely life-changing
- Pleasure as medicine — the neuroscience of why pleasure regulates your nervous system and supports overall health
- Flow states and intimacy — how to cultivate the focused presence that makes sex feel connected rather than performative
- The mental load problem — why unequal household labor is a libido killer backed by actual data
- What college students are actually doing — Nicole's research on porn's influence on sexual expectations and the urgent case for comprehensive sex ed
- Communication as foreplay — why the conversations before, during, and after sex matter as much as the sex itself
You Could Be Having Better Sex book
https://www.instagram.com/nicole_thesexprofessor/
Listen to my Tedx Talk: Why we need adult sex ed
Take my Adult Sex Ed Master Class:
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Thanks to our sponsor Midi Women's Health. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care.https://www.joinmidi.com
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17 May 2026, 7:00 am - 43 minutes 20 seconds370. Microbiomes & Menopause: What’s Really Driving Your Symptoms?
The Gut-Brain-Hormone Connection in Midlife with Cynthia Thurlow - Explore how hormonal shifts, the microbiome, and lifestyle factors intertwine to impact women's health during midlife. Cynthia Thurlow shares insights on gut health, hormone therapy, and debunks common misconceptions. This episode offers practical advice for optimizing wellness through personalized approaches.
Key Topics:
The emerging importance of the gut microbiome in menopausal health How hormones like estrogen influence colon cancer risk and overall health The role of lifestyle factors (diet, stress, antibiotics) on microbiome integrity Advances in hormone therapy, including the potential for microbiome restoration The impact of medications like GLP-1 agents on inflammation and weight Strategies for improving digestion, stool health, and addressing SIBO The myth of genetics being destiny—hormones as a modifiable factor Predatory practices in vaginal health treatments and how to ensure informed choices The significance of fiber: how to increase it safely and effectivelyPractical daily habits to support gut motility and overall wellness
IG for Cynthia Thurlow, NP
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My Website
Interested in my sexual health and hormone clinic? Waitlist is open
To learn more about Via vaginal moisturizer from Solv Wellness, visit via4her.com and get 20% off your first order. For an additional $5 off, use coupon code DRKELLY5. Clinicians can request patient materials or samples at hcp.solvwellness.com.
Thanks to our sponsor Midi Women's Health. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care.https://www.joinmidi.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
10 May 2026, 7:00 am - More Episodes? Get the App