The Penis Project Podcast: Breaking Taboos in Men’s Sexual Health

172: Pelvic Health and Continence Physiotherapy with Louise Hug

Today on The Penis Project Project podcast I speak with Louise Hug. I work closely with Louise as she sees many of the men that I see pre-prostatectomy and she does women’s pelvic health too, so we cross paths quite a bit.

Sometimes men tell me snippets of their consultations with Louise, and she has some great tips to share and ways of explaining pelvic floor training. So, for today’s episode I have asked her to share them with you. 

About Louise:  
Pelvic Health Physiotherapist 
MClin (Pelvic Health and Continence) 
BSc (Physiotherapy), APAM, MACP 

She completed her Undergraduate Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University of Notre Dame, then commenced work at a private practice shortly after graduating. In 2021 she completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Continence and Pelvic Health Physiotherapy, followed by completion of Clinical Masters, majoring in Pelvic Health and Continence Physiotherapy. Following Graduation, she worked with Dr Judith Thompson (Physiotherapist PhD) who I have interviewed previously the podcast.   

She worked musculoskeletal physiotherapy for eight years treating neck, back and pelvic girdle pain with both hands-on and gym-based treatment. In 2015 she developed an interest in core activation, breath work and muscle balance for rehabilitation, subsequently completing a Cert IV in Pilates.  

In her early sporting life, she was a full-time gymnast until the age of 13 and enjoyed tennis, pilates, swimming and barre. These experiences gave her an understanding of injury management and prevention. This is what motivates her to assist others with their return to daily life and sport, not only post-injury but also after life events such as vaginal delivery and caesarean section, as well as gynaecological, breast cancer and prostate surgery.   

She has completed several courses upskilling in Women’s and Men’s Urinary Continence and Ano-Rectal Dysfunction expanding her knowledge, leading to a passion in the field of Pelvic Health. She provides treatment that has evidence-based support.  

She is passionate about assisting both male and female patients with their bladder, bowel, and sexual function.  

Check out her spoken bio on you tube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JDYEiF7z88 

Also I videoed this interview so if you would like to see us in person check out my You tube channel: Melissa Hadley Barrett https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6SkzSkveDXzqUuA1ZONDEg 

 

You tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6SkzSkveDXzqUuA1ZONDEg 

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Websites:

https://melissahadleybarrett.com   Men’s health only

https://rshealth.com.au/  All genders

http://www.menshealthphysiotherapy.com.au/

http://prost.com.au/

 

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/p/Melissa-Hadley-Barrett-100085237672685/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085146627814

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/melissahadleybarrett/

https://www.instagram.com/restorativehealth.clinic/

TikTok: @melissahadleybarrett

YouTube: Melissa Hadley Barrett

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-hadley-barrett/

171: Cool Beans

Today we speak to Saara Jamieson, a scientist with a very cool invention.  

Cool Beans is an innovative, cooling underwear designed to boost sperm health and improve the likelihood of conception for couples, but as you will hear in this episode, this is not all they do.  

Cool Beans are a registered medical device with the Therapeutic Goods Administration Registrar (ARTG 379655). Who would have though a pair of jocks could be a medical device - the mind boggles!  

Cool Beans are far more than your run-of-the-mill underwear, they are designed to keep the testes cool and ensure the scrotum remains on the lap, not between the thighs when seated, which is imperative for sperm health and comfortability. 

They are a breakthrough in men’s fertility health. But if fertility isn’t your thing, this is not all they do. They keep your testicles cool and in doing so, can improve testosterone levels which if you are a regular Penis Project listener you will know gives you your get up and go, sex drive and improves your mood. 

These cool dudes also help with pain from varicoceles, providing amazing support. Many older men struggle with scrotal sagging, discomfort, testicular torsion, sitting on scrotum, scrotums that hang low and get in the way when sitting down and post-surgical support.  

Discount code to use for 10% discount: COOLMHB  

Website link for 10% discount: https://coolbeansunderwear.com?coupon=COOLMHB

Instagram: coolbeansunderwear 

Facebook: coolbeansunderwear  

Websites:

https://melissahadleybarrett.com   Men’s health only

https://rshealth.com.au/  All genders

http://www.menshealthphysiotherapy.com.au/

http://prost.com.au/

 

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/p/Melissa-Hadley-Barrett-100085237672685/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085146627814

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/melissahadleybarrett/

https://www.instagram.com/restorativehealth.clinic/

TikTok: @melissahadleybarrett

YouTube: Melissa Hadley Barrett

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-hadley-barrett/

170: 7P’s of prostate: Prior Preparation prevents a piss poor performance of your prostate

This week we hear the story of Faryar who had his prostate removed in November 2023. If you are a regular listener to The Penis Project you may have heard stories of “young blokes” who recover quickly and this prostate removal business is a blip on the radar for them, you may even think “well that’s ok for these young fellas”.  But this is a story of guy a bit older who has an amazing recovery. Why did he have such a smooth recovery? 

I believe prior preparation is the key. This is not to say that you can have done everything right and still have troubles but is you put in the work you are more like to have a speedy recovery. 

Faryar has had a personal trainer for 15 years and consequently started his journey in tip-top shape which helped his recovery. Listen here, to see how you can improve your quality of life and performance with exercise and specific training.  

Please don’t let this story give you FOMO, instead think “I can do that too” and get moving, or as a well-known sports brand puts it “Just Do It!”

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Websites:

https://melissahadleybarrett.com   Men’s health only

https://rshealth.com.au/  All genders

http://www.menshealthphysiotherapy.com.au/

http://prost.com.au/

 

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/p/Melissa-Hadley-Barrett-100085237672685/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085146627814

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/melissahadleybarrett/

https://www.instagram.com/restorativehealth.clinic/

TikTok: @melissahadleybarrett

YouTube: Melissa Hadley Barrett

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-hadley-barrett/

  

 

169: A story of overcoming adversity. Imagine being born 70 years ago left-handed, with a stutter and gay.

Today we speak with Ken who recently celebrated his 70th Birthday. I met Ken when he had his prostate removed, however today we are not discussing his prostate cancer journey but his life journey of being born left-handed, with a stutter and gay.

This is a story that I found fascinating. Did you know that being gay was only decriminalized in Australia in 1980’s to the 2000’s depending on the state, USA 1970’s in some states and 2000’s in others, in the United Kingdom 1980’s to late 1990’s.  

In this podcast we discuss this and many more interesting facts we should all know. Plus, some suggestions on how to deal with a child or grandchild ‘coming out’.  

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Websites:

https://melissahadleybarrett.com   Men’s health only

https://rshealth.com.au/  All genders

http://www.menshealthphysiotherapy.com.au/

http://prost.com.au/

 

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/p/Melissa-Hadley-Barrett-100085237672685/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085146627814

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/melissahadleybarrett/

https://www.instagram.com/restorativehealth.clinic/

TikTok: @melissahadleybarrett

YouTube: Melissa Hadley Barrett

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-hadley-barrett/

168: A Touchy Subject

In this episode I speak to the amazing founder of “A Touchy Subject”, Victoria Cullen. https://www.atouchysubject.com/ 

A Touchy Subject is a great resource for men and their partners about sexual recovery when diagnosed with prostate cancer. They are obsessed with uncovering ‘the practical stuff’ from the latest clinical literature, and from the thousands of conversations we have with men ‘MacGyvering’ their way through sexual recovery. They have YouTube videos, blogs, free programs and more to help you on your journey. They also have a list of recommended products to help with the process. 

Victoria and I chat about common issues we hear from men and their partners and ways to navigate them. The overarching thought is that; it takes a bit work, ingenuity, a sense of humour, and my favorite skill, “stickability”.

 

Links from discussion with Victoria Cullen “A Touchy Subject”: 

- Rehab program: https://www.atouchysubject.com/help-for-ed-post-prostate-surgery 

- This is where the Vacurect mastery course will be (demo videos + top tips): https://www.atouchysubject.com/ed-vacuum-pump-vacurect-demonstration-video 

- Tess Deveze's two-minute game: https://medium.com/@connectabletherapies/how-a-simple-2-minutes-saved-my-sex-during-cancer-treatments-482a174d25d2 

- Soft penis pleasure course: https://connectable.podia.com/penis-pleasure/jfxm5 

- Vulva pleasure course: https://connectable.podia.com/vulva-masterclass/jfxm5 

- Study on erectile function return (but not necessarily sexual satisfaction): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30033192/ (Terrier et al., 2018) 

- My Ilo egg vibrator https://melissahadleybarrett.com/product/my-ilo-egg-vibrator/ 

- Pump Hub waitlist: https://atouchysubject.com/pump-hub-signup 

- Pump-A-Sutra waitlist: https://www.atouchysubject.com/pump-a-sutra-signup 

Vacurect affiliate links: 

- Australia/New Zealand - https://www.vacumed.com.au/product/vacurect-otc10/?ref=1 

- USA/Canada - https://www.mainspringmedical.com/pages/lp-cullen?aff=2 

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Websites:

https://melissahadleybarrett.com   Men’s health only

https://rshealth.com.au/  All genders

http://www.menshealthphysiotherapy.com.au/

http://prost.com.au/

 

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/p/Melissa-Hadley-Barrett-100085237672685/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085146627814

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/melissahadleybarrett/

https://www.instagram.com/restorativehealth.clinic/

TikTok: @melissahadleybarrett

YouTube: Melissa Hadley Barrett

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-hadley-barrett/

 

167: Porn Star Liam

Is it possible to break your penis? Yes it is.  

Today we discuss this tricky penis problem with Liam. This issue is always a problem but even more so when your penis is your livelihood.  

Listen here to find out how he broke it, what it felt like and the treatment to get back together.  

This is a fascinating story that will make yours eyes water if you are a penis owner.  

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Websites:

https://melissahadleybarrett.com   Men’s health only

https://rshealth.com.au/  All genders

http://www.menshealthphysiotherapy.com.au/

http://prost.com.au/

 

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/p/Melissa-Hadley-Barrett-100085237672685/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085146627814

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/melissahadleybarrett/

https://www.instagram.com/restorativehealth.clinic/

TikTok: @melissahadleybarrett

YouTube: Melissa Hadley Barrett

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-hadley-barrett/

 

166: Running for life - A prostate cancer story

In this episode of the "Penis Project Podcast," I chat with Jason Phillips to discuss his journey following his prostate surgery. Jason wants to give back, get on with life as he knows it and most importantly raise awareness about prostate cancer for other men.

His way of doing it?

Running 129km in rural Western Australia to raise money for research at PCFA.   

I hope you enjoy this inspiring story. Follow his training and run at his socials below. He leaves the starting blocks 24th April and is hoping to finish on the 25th April (ANZAC day). 

 

This is the link to Jason’s official PCFA fundraising page: 

https://fundraise.pcfa.org.au/s/1762/1879 

 

The following are the links to Jason’s socials: 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jason.phillips.5891 

Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/jason_phillips_05/ 

 

Episode Summary 

 - Prostate cancer treatment journey  

 - Getting on with life as ‘normal’ 

 - Survival 

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Websites:

https://melissahadleybarrett.com   Men’s health only

https://rshealth.com.au/  All genders

http://www.menshealthphysiotherapy.com.au/

http://prost.com.au/

 

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/p/Melissa-Hadley-Barrett-100085237672685/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085146627814

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/melissahadleybarrett/

https://www.instagram.com/restorativehealth.clinic/

TikTok: @melissahadleybarrett

YouTube: Melissa Hadley Barrett

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-hadley-barrett/

  

165: Pete and his Dynamo Penis / Penile Implants

In this episode of the "Penis Project Podcast," I chat with Jenny and Peter to discuss Peter's journey with penile implants following his prostate surgery. They cover various topics related to the decision-making process, surgery, recovery, and post-surgery experiences. Peter details his pre-surgery anxieties, which surprisingly gave way to a smooth recovery with minimal discomfort. Jenny and Peter kindly and openly share their experiences relating to sexual activity, challenging common beliefs about older adults and sex. 

Episode Summary 

Initial Diagnosis and Decision-Making 

Surgery Experience 

Post-Surgery Challenges 

Sexual Experience 

Health Benefits and Aging 

Future Improvements 

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Websites:

https://melissahadleybarrett.com   Men’s health only

https://rshealth.com.au/  All genders

http://www.menshealthphysiotherapy.com.au/

http://prost.com.au/

 

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/p/Melissa-Hadley-Barrett-100085237672685/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085146627814

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/melissahadleybarrett/

https://www.instagram.com/restorativehealth.clinic/

TikTok: @melissahadleybarrett

YouTube: Melissa Hadley Barrett

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-hadley-barrett/

 

 
 

 

164: Canada calling - for help! A prostate journey.

Today we speak to George all the way from Canada.

George came to Australia and fixed his continence and got his old fella to remember what he was supposed to do. This man had a very complicated and drawn-out post op recovery but is now on his way to penile perfection, thanks to his physio in Canada recommending he visit Jo Milios and subsequently Melissa whilst he was down under. Listen here to see how his recovery went ahead in leaps and bounds once he hit the ”lucky country” 

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Websites:

https://melissahadleybarrett.com   Men’s health only

https://rshealth.com.au/  All genders

http://www.menshealthphysiotherapy.com.au/

http://prost.com.au/

 

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/p/Melissa-Hadley-Barrett-100085237672685/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085146627814

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/melissahadleybarrett/

https://www.instagram.com/restorativehealth.clinic/

TikTok: @melissahadleybarrett

YouTube: Melissa Hadley Barrett

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-hadley-barrett/

 

163: Is that a gun in your pocket…Frisk search gone wrong

If you are a regular listener to The Penis Project then you will probably remember Rod Popcorn from episode 53. If you haven’t listened back that far, then I recommend you go back as this is a funny, honest account of a prostate cancer recovery. 

Rod will be 4 years post op this April and he joins us today to share a hilarious story about a recent experience that involved a needle, an erection, a motorbike and airport security. This episode is short but it will have you chuckling to yourself for days.  

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Websites:

https://melissahadleybarrett.com   Men’s health only

https://rshealth.com.au/  All genders

http://www.menshealthphysiotherapy.com.au/

http://prost.com.au/

 

Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/p/Melissa-Hadley-Barrett-100085237672685/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085146627814

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/melissahadleybarrett/

https://www.instagram.com/restorativehealth.clinic/

TikTok: @melissahadleybarrett

YouTube: Melissa Hadley Barrett

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-hadley-barrett/