Sexology

Sex & Technology with Dr. Katherine M. Hertlein, Ph.D.

Jun 13, 2017

30:34

Welcome to episode 23 of the Sexology Podcast, today my guest is Katherine M. Hertlein, Ph.D., who speaks to me about how the internet has impacted our sex lives, defining compulsivity in relation to pornography and how social media can hinder our real life social skills.

Katherine M. Hertlein, Ph.D., is a Professor and Program Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She received her master’s in marriage and family therapy from Purdue University Calumet and her doctorate in human development with a specialization in marriage and family therapy from Virginia Tech. She is a globally recognized researcher studying sexuality, technology, and its effects on couples. As she examines the role of technology in couple and family life, Hertlein has developed the first multi-theoretical model on this issue.

In addition to technology and relationships, Hertlein’s other areas of expertise include infidelity, sexuality, high-risk sexual behavior, child and adolescent therapy, and cyber issues in couple and family therapy. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist, an American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisor, and a PREPARE/ENRICH Certified Counselor.

Hertlein has co-authored 8 books, including Handbook for the Clinical Treatment of Infidelity, The Therapist’s Notebook for Family Healthcare, Handbook for the Treatment of Infidelity, Systemic Sex Therapy, and A Clinician’s Guide to Systemic Sex Therapy, the last revision of which won the 2017 AASECT Book Award. She has published more than 60 articles in the notable journals in her field, contributed over 40 chapters to books, and serves on the editorial boards for several academic journals. She was recently appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy.

Hertlein has also won several awards for her teaching, mentorship, and work in the field of sexuality research, including the Integrated Approaches to Sex Therapy Award through AASECT.

In this episode, you will hear:

How the internet has impacted our sex lives
The impact of pornography on self-esteem
How too much consumption of pornography can lead to a higher and higher need for stimulative images / videos
The side effects of watching too much porn; erectile dysfunction
Defining compulsivity in relation to pornography
How the internet has impacted people’s sexual behaviour and infidelity
The need for more people to show their vulnerability
How we have our “edited versions” of ourselves on social media
Sexting; what it is and the benefits and risks that come with it
How social media can hinder our real life social skills