Sex & Society with Valerie Baber

Everyone needs to have space in a relationship. Without it, we’re in a pressure cooker. Author, couples therapist and orthodox rabbi, David M. Cohen joins us to discuss self-awareness, authenticity and vulnerability in relationships. We talk about dealing with difficult family members and how to manage steam in turbulent times, like when we’re COVID captive in close quarters with the ones we love.  His book, We're Almost There, advises those seeing to live with patience, perseverance and purpose. 

Pastor Kingsley Moyo is a couple's therapist and author of The R Factor on a mission to help millennials enhance their relationships, In this episode, Kingsley engages us with lively and passionate discussion on how partners can bring difficult but necessary talks to the table. We also cover the importance of aligning expectations, establishing boundaries, understanding how our family effects our relationship styles,  building self-worth, embracing uncomfortable situations, what pornography does to us and how to achieve true sexual and romantic satisfaction.

New mom and podcaster, Candice Horbacz, understands that life is messy in and out of the kitchen. She discusses nurturing herself and her family and offers some delicious advice for “sealing the deal”. Join us for this hour-long chat in which we discuss surrender, sexy selfies, empowerment, and why you can’t judge a book by its erotic cover on the latest episode of Sex and Society.

Psychologist Adam Sheck, AKA "The Passion Doctor", joins us to discuss how the hook up culture impacts his millennial clients, the healthy way to open up a relationship and the challenge and value of making things work in monogamy. However you want to design your relationship, it’s going to take work! A session with Dr. Sheck can help you prepare for it and reignite erotic spark in the process.

The Passion Doctor, Adam Sheck, explains his work as a relationship-centric psychologist and offers tips on how to manage anger and alleviate stress when in close quarters with our loved ones.

Be ready for love. Go out by yourself. Take risks. Watch what you say. Be cautious of your ruminations. Get rid of your "me too" issues. Smile and become the magnetic force that people want to be around. Renee Piane and Valerie Baber discuss the mindset it takes to successfully attract mates and influence people. Topics address how to look good, feel your best and how to not waste your time. Ready for love but not sure what it takes? These relationship coaches have answers that will change your romantic life.

Author and Love Designer, Renee Piane brings her knowledge from 30 years of experience in the love industry to our conversation about clarity, transparency, readiness and our love lineage. This spirited relationship coach and Sarah Palin lookalike reminds viewers how important it is to stop making excuses, to start communicating honestly, to be aware of how our childhood experiences formed our perceptions about intimacy and romance, and the importance of having a crystal clear vision of what they want to bring into their lives in order to materialize it.

Sex journalist Susannah Breslin talks about the evolution of the porn industry from the mid-’90s to today and explains what she respects about the entrepreneurial hustle of women in the business. We also discuss the difficulties of dating when you talk about sex for a living, social hypocrisy, faking orgasms, and if men with small penises are better at oral performance.

Forbes Vice Editor, Susannah Breslin, recalls her time as a TV sex journalist before we move along to examine Travis Scott’s narcissism, Kylie Jenner’s parts, the fall of Playboy, female empowerment, Gen Z, being naked on camera, self-confidence and the evolution of porn.

OBGYN, Dr. Neil Kumar, takes a break from his busy obstetrics schedule to address some of the lighter (but equally important) questions about the female reproductive system. Need a sex ed refresher? Curious about female anatomy? Want to know how age affects pregnancy? In our second show together, we talk infections, hygiene, myths, and bad eggs, or, to be more specific, poop in the vagina, funky foreskin, female ejaculate, the clitoral iceberg and horrific things that can happen when mature women don’t get prenatal care.

Dr. Neil Kumar, board-certified OBGYN, came in to answer listeners questions about the mysteries of the vagina and female reproductive health. In the first of our two-part game, “Ask A Gynecologist”, the doctor addresses questions about what time of month is safest to have sex and what exactly contraceptives do. He also walks us through the anatomy of a vagina, tells us what causes pain, and acknowledges the resilience of little lady bits.

Berkeley MBA graduate and internationally published men's magazine model, Amy Taylor, returns for another week of discussion about eroticism, dating and the misfortune of current perspectives towards sex workers. We compare traditionally accepted relationships to unconventional connections. We also contemplate honesty, darkness, light, societal norms, biotech, retrospect and the true meaning of "work".

International men's magazine model and professional companion, Amy Taylor, joins me to discuss her stigmatized profession, the complexity of relationships, the strangeness of sexuality, and the beauty of human imperfections. Join us for the first-ever videocast of Sex & Society, to hear our thoughts on dating, sex, desire, deviance, drugs, porn and more. 

Author and podcaster, Dedeker Winston, discusses the importance of battling stigma against relationship nonconformity. We cover those pesky labels and assumptions, childrearing, swinging, Christians and the APA's "push for polyamory". I question cultural "whys and what ifs" and she shares her wealth of well-researched knowledge.

Polyamorous author and podcaster, Dedeker Winston, talks about growing up in the church and her transition into living her own truth. We talk about celebrities who openly explore non-monogamous relationships, why consensual non-monogamy might appeal to "freaks and geeks", the true meaning of monogamy, and how thoughtful communication is essential for surviving in any kind of relationship structure.

Multicultural hairstylist, Mimi Miller warns listeners about falling into the seedy world she talks about in her book, Confessions From a Las Vegas Hairstylist. We cover Cardi B, life without intention, babysitting pimps, the children of hustlers, men's bizarre fetishes, the difference between squares and hos, and the importance of women making men invest in them (without earning their living from it). We end the show on the topic of respect and the power of the punani.

Award-winning hairstylist, Mimi Miller, recounts stories from her book, Confessions of a Las Vegas Hairstylist, and tells us how she moved her 3 kids from the projects in Detroit to a home in Las Vegas in search of a better life. What she found was a place in the inner circle of strippers, working girls, pimps and other hustlers who relied on her to do their hair and hold their secrets. She has thoughts about their lives and what kind of women stay safe from falling into a sordid trap.

Integrative health coach, Stas Arsinov, discusses porn as a distraction and what he might advise clients who are experiencing unhealthy sexual addictions. He establishes the importance of clarity, the job of a coach and offers some tips for making healthy changes. Everything good takes work, or "creation" rather, and he's the ideal support system to help his clients transform.

Integrative nutrition health coach, Stas Arsinov, talks about his quest for spiritual healing, getting clear on wants, needs and expectations so that dating is more rewarding, and how misused sexual energy can be a distraction from our goals.

Andy The Gypsy and I discuss acting in erotica and the difference between simulated love scenes in after dark cinema vs. sex scenes in mainstream TV. He continues to tell his story about life as a male model, stripper and proud hustler.

Dancer and erotic entertainer Andy Long talks about his transformation from college grad to male stripper and lets us in on some of the sexy secrets he reveals in his book, Tales From The Strip.

  Author Farrell Hirsch isn’t the kind to tell all, but he will tell some in his confessional book What I Learned From 50 Celebrities (By Screwing Up In Front of Them). Want to hear about his personal encounters with porn stars, politicians, playmates and other surreal characters? Join us as he dishes (good guy style) on this gossipy episode of Sex & Society.

  Author of What I Learned From 50 Celebrities (By Screwing Up In Front of Them), Farrell Hirsch, sits with me in the studio to dish on some sexy celebrity gossip. We talk about Hugh Hefner, the Girls Next Door- Kendra, Holly and Bridget, a swinging politician and other interesting characters he met during his time as a producer as he recounts some of the stories from his book.

  Actress Nikki SooHoo and writer/director Michael Feinstein join me to talk about their comedic feature film, The Browsing Effect. We discuss our own dating app experiences and exchange our personal dating philosophies. Nikki has something in common with her character Rachel and Michael and I can’t quite get on board with her openness to maintaining relationships with your exes while you’re dating someone new.

Writer/Director Michael Feinstein and actress Nikki SooHoo of The Browsing Effect join me to talk about their upcoming, comedic feature film and dating in the age of swiping. We discuss our own experiences with dating apps and compare those to the experiences of the characters in The Browsing Effect.

Gautam Sharma, founder of websites, sugardaddyforme.com and lushmatch.com, joins me for a discussion about the ethics of dating, love, sex and the acceptability of relationships in different forms. Gautam values honesty and transparency in relationships Finding that these things lack in America, he created a solution and paved the way for social acceptance of sugar daddy arrangements.

  Gautam Sharma is the founder of sugardaddyforme.com, a leading sugar daddy dating website, and lushmatch.com, a new site with the same goal that adds an extra layer of protection for its members. Gautam joins me to discuss his career as a facilitator in this controversial form of online dating, what he believes sugar dating is really all about and why its honest approach to the mutual meeting of needs is superior to mainstream methods of dating in America.

  New mom and certified love coach, Erika Jordan, talks about fetishes, modern medicine, and giving birth. We also cover therapy, exhibitionism, childhood neglect, choosing life as a stripper over the pain of poverty and what kind of clients Erika meets as a coach. As a “personal trainer for dating”, @erikadordan also shares the one piece of advice she thinks everyone needs to know, but if you want more than that, you’ll need to get her 14-week program, The Art of Pickup, available on her website, www.virtualsexpert.com.

  Actress and love coach, Erika Jordan (@erikajordan/@virtualsexpert) joins me to discuss her path to becoming a star of erotic media and the steps that led her to become a certified sexologist. We discuss the social ramifications of being nude on camera and the difficulties of dating when you’re a living embodiment of eros. We also talk about various modalities of coaching, how motherhood impacts one’s intimate life and what Erika does as a custom video producer.

How does one maintain relationships when diagnosed with BPD and HIV and how do they impact a person’s sex life? Joshua T. Berglan of Gratitude: UnFiltered gets deep and dirty with me about his painful past experience and how he’s using them to help others find their strength. We also discuss escaping into drugs, the history of oral sex how sexy honesty is. Joshua makes himself available at no cost to those who are also dealing with heavy issues and struggle to find a way to step into their truth.

Joshua T. Berglan joins me to discuss BPD, HIV, sexual exploration and soul ties – all topics that he discusses on his show Gratitude: UnFiltered. In an effort to fight the stigma of these conditions, Joshua opens up about his deeply challenging past and how his trauma affected his life, relationships, and health. In part 1, we get to know a bit about what borderline personality disorder is like for him and we begin to discuss life with the human immunodeficiency virus.

Once we get to know Lana and her husband Joe in part 1, we begin part 2 with a dive into sex as healing, drugs as medicine and how strip clubs can be a positive contribution to an elevated society. Lana discusses tantra and the importance of breathing. She tells us about her first intense experience on hallucinogens, Valerie talks about her own experiences with MDMA and psilocybin and Lana tells the audience how eroticism can be amplified with responsible microdoses of potentially therapeutic substances. Intention, set and setting are all important, and so is Lana’s revelatory memoir, Erotic Hustle, available on Publishizer.

Author and sacred sexuality advocate, Lana Shay, joins me to discuss psychedelics, spiritual transformation, her experience in adult entertainment and her book, Erotic Hustle. In part 1 of Psychedelics, Conscious Stripping and Sacred Sexuality, @Lana_Shay_B tells me about her liberal, midwestern background and what led her to becoming an advocate of sacred sexuality and plant medicine. Listen here to find out why she had to “get the hell out of this country”, what she discovered during her travels and how her decision to leave narcotics and adapt healthy practices changed her life.

TV personality turned nutritionist and personal trainer Andrea Lowell, comes into the studio to catch up with me about our days at Playboy, the alcohol allergy, what booze does to your sex life, and what to add to your diet for sexual health and stamina. This wild child turned wonder woman gives us advice on getting healthy and shares some secrets to maintaining a happy, sexually active, long-term marriage. 

"Sex work-adjacent" therapist Nicoletta Heidegger joins me to discuss BDSM, the psychology of kink and how to safely engage in potentially dangerous play. We cover rape fantasies, FOSTA-SESTA and contemplate where sex workers can go if recent legislation means they can no longer work in the environment they're accustomed to. We also discuss sex doll brothels, whether hefty academic credentials can negate sexual stigmas, and what resources are available to adult entertainers in need of assistance.

Sex therapists Mou Ghose and Dr. Hernando Chaves join me to discuss kinks, fetishes, sexual ethics and student teacher affairs (of course). We learn a bit about what it’s like to be therapist working with those who have erotic and relationship issues, what inspires a person to work in the world of sexuality for a living and we discover if they’ve ever crossed any professional boundaries themselves.

Holistic sex therapist Dr. Cat Meyer and tantric healer Avi Kabani sit with me to discuss society’s skewed perceptions of sex, boundaries, braingasms, sexual healing and a variety of spirit-centric sexual topics. Be prepared to have an erotically enlightened conversation with two elevated figures in the world of eros, and me, who keeps things from getting too diving by bringing in vibrators and porn.

This week, Brian and I contemplate the psychology of sexy selfies, if capitalism makes us hotter, the ethics of snap porn, and acknowledge gay Indians. Brian has a problem with Stormy Daniels, we go over weird sex laws in different states...and I drop the f-bomb more than once.

In the second episode of Sex & Society, Brian Howie and I discuss sex doll brothels, scandalous fetishists, and teen sex. Can plastic people be a catalyst for change? When does desire become sexual assault? We contemplate a radical feminist statement and whether or not dads should take their sons to prostitutes.    

Producer Brian Howie joins me to discuss student-teacher affairs, Swiss sex boxes, nude dancing, and much more on the very first episode of Sex & Society!  

Join me for a sneak peek at what's ahead on Sex & Society!