In this powerful episode, Dr. Natalie Perkins sits down with two leading experts who are reshaping the conversation around women’s sexual health, autonomy, and pleasure.

Dr. Maureen Slattery, physician, AASECT-certified sex counselor and educator, and menopause practitioner, brings decades of experience in women’s health. Her work focuses on empowering women through evidence-based care while advocating for bodily autonomy and informed decision-making in sexual and menopause medicine.

Joining her is Dr. Nan Wise, a behavioral neuroscientist, licensed psychotherapist, and certified sex therapist whose groundbreaking brain imaging research explores how the brain processes sexual stimulation, imagery, and orgasm. With more than 30 years of clinical experience and a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from Rutgers University, Dr. Wise’s work bridges neuroscience, psychotherapy, and sexual health to better understand pleasure, trauma, and emotional wellbeing.

Together, they unpack the powerful connection between the brain, pleasure, and health — and why women’s sexual autonomy remains a critical yet often overlooked aspect of wellbeing.

The conversation explores:

• Why sexual health is fundamental to overall health
• The neuroscience of pleasure and emotional resilience
• How cultural messaging has shaped women’s relationships with their bodies
• The impact of menopause on sexual wellbeing
• Why reclaiming autonomy over our bodies is essential for long-term health

Dr. Wise also discusses her award-winning book Why Good Sex Matters, which explores the neuroscience of pleasure as a key to resilience and wellbeing, and the growing “pleasure crisis” affecting modern health.

This episode challenges outdated narratives and reframes sexual health as a vital part of women’s physical, emotional, and neurological wellbeing.

Because understanding our bodies isn’t just empowering.

It’s essential.