This lecture explores the science of human sexual anatomy, arousal, and pleasure for graduate sex therapy students. It begins with embryological development, showing how all genitalia start from the same shared tissue in early fetal life — meaning male and female anatomy is built from the same blueprint, with structures like the penis and clitoris being counterparts that share the same nerve supply, blood flow, and erectile tissue. The lecture then compares adult male and female sexual anatomy, highlighting how much the bodies have in common alongside key differences shaped by hormones during development. Next, the physiology of sexual response is covered, contrasting the classic linear model (excitement → plateau → orgasm → resolution) with the circular model that better captures how desire often works in real life — especially the role of emotional connection and context. Finally, the lecture turns to the brain and orgasm: brain imaging studies show that orgasm lights up reward and pleasure centers throughout the brain and triggers the release of natural "feel-good" chemicals, while the balance of brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin helps explain why medications, health conditions, and emotional states can all affect sexual function.
https://frumtherapist.com/workshops/Anatomyof3/viewBody, Pleasure, and Response:
The Anatomy of Sex
Tuesday, August 18, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT - 3:00 PM EDT
Presenter: Dr. Kris Christiansen
Course Length: 3 Hours
This workshop Offers 3 Live Interactive Continuing Education Credits
This lecture explores the science of human sexual anatomy, arousal, and pleasure for graduate sex therapy students. It begins with embryological development, showing how all genitalia start from the same shared tissue in early fetal life — meaning male and female anatomy is built from the same blueprint, with structures like the penis and clitoris being counterparts that share the same nerve supply, blood flow, and erectile tissue. The lecture then compares adult male and female sexual anatomy, highlighting how much the bodies have in common alongside key differences shaped by hormones during development. Next, the physiology of sexual response is covered, contrasting the classic linear model (excitement → plateau → orgasm → resolution) with the circular model that better captures how desire often works in real life — especially the role of emotional connection and context. Finally, the lecture turns to the brain and orgasm: brain imaging studies show that orgasm lights up reward and pleasure centers throughout the brain and triggers the release of natural "feel-good" chemicals, while the balance of brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin helps explain why medications, health conditions, and emotional states can all affect sexual function.
Total Time: 3 Hours (180 minutes)
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Part 1: Where It All Begins (40 minutes)
12:00–12:10 — Welcome Introductions
- Overview of learning objectives and agenda
12:10–12:25 — Embryological Development
12:25–12:40 — Guided Discussion #1
- Case example
- Group discussion: Why does understanding shared anatomy matter for sex therapy?
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Part 2: Adult Sexual Anatomy — Alike and Different (40 minutes)
12:40–1:10 — Comparative Anatomy of Male and Female Bodies
- Nerve supply: the pudendal nerve and its branches
- Erectile tissue in both sexes — what clients (and clinicians) often don't know
- Common anatomical misconceptions that show up in therapy
1:10–1:20 — Guided Discussion #2
- Case example
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BREAK (10 minutes) — 1:20–1:30
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Part 3: How Bodies Respond — The Physiology of Arousal (45 minutes)
1:30–1:55 — Models of Sexual Response
- Masters Johnson's linear model
- Basson's circular model
- When each model is clinically useful — and when it falls short
- Physiology of arousal: vasocongestion, lubrication, erection, and the shared nitric oxide pathway
1:55–2:15 — Guided Discussion #3
- Case example
- Small group exercise
Part 4: The Brain, Orgasm, and Pleasure (45 minutes)
2:15–2:40 — Neuroscience of Sexual Pleasure
2:40–2:50 — Guided Discussion #4
- Case example
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Part 5: Wrap-Up and Integration (5 minutes)
2:50–3:00 — Key Takeaways Closing
- Questions /final reflections
