Join our free live webinar with Toni Cardon, MSW, LLMSW, for an introduction to transgender identities, common terminology, gender dysphoria and euphoria, minority stress, and the basics of social and medical transition. Register now using the link in our bio.

Need support but don’t have time for weekly therapy? I offer therapy intensives for individuals and couples who need focused help right away. To learn more about therapy intensives, call 248.399.7317 or email joekort@joekort.com.

Before Pride Month ends, I wanted to remind you that there's still one week left to save 20% on all Side Guys merchandise. When I coined the term side, my goal was simple: to give gay men language for an experience that had always existed but often went unnamed. Shop the collection in my bio!

A reader left this powerful Amazon review for Side Guys: It’s Still S//x Even if You Don’t Have Intercourse, and it means so much to me: “I FINALLY found a term that fits me perfectly! I was SO ashamed and went through lots of psychological self torment.” Purchase your copy at the link in my bio.

Are hookups helping your loneliness, or helping you avoid it? I want to be clear: I'm not anti-hookup. Hookups can be fun, consensual, and a perfectly healthy part of gay life. Watch the full video on my YouTube channel linked in my bio.

Not every man grows up with the father he needed. One of the greatest compliments I've ever received was being told I was an unfathered man who learned how to father others. As a therapist, I bring a lot of fatherly energy into my work, and I have directed that same energy to my niece and nephews.

Today is National Public Display of Affection Day, and it raises an interesting question: are we becoming less affectionate in public? What do you think? Should affection be expressed more openly, or is it something best kept private? What is your preference?

What if the problem isn't your relationship, it is s//sexual secrecy? It's S//x Education Month, and I can tell you that many couples come into my office thinking they're broken because of a fantasy, a kink, a s//xual preference, or a desire they don't understand.

I had a great conversation with psychotherapist Tom Bruett, LMFT on his podcasts, “The Gay Relationship Podcast “ where we talked about kink, shame, s//xual identity, relationships, and the growing conversation around "sides." Listen now and let me know your thoughts.

Allies should be quiet and let LGBTQ+ people do all the talking? I disagree. But this is what is said all over the internet from those in the LGBTQ community. The fear that allies are going to take over the conversation is largely misplaced. LGBTQ+ people need allies. We always have.

Not sure what options exist when a client needs more support than outpatient therapy but doesn't require inpatient hospitalization? This webinar is for therapists and healthcare professionals who want a clearer understanding of the levels of care that fall in between. Register now in our bio!

On June 12, 2016, 49 people were murdered and more than 50 others were injured at Pulse, an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Pulse Remembrance Day is not only about honoring those we lost. It is also a reminder that violence, hatred, homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia still harm us.

Pride Month is about more than celebration. It's about authenticity. That's why I've selected 3 of my Kindle books and discounted them by 40% throughout June! Pride is a good time to remember that. Link to my amazon store in bio.

Pride Month is a celebration of authenticity, visibility, and being who you are without shame. Because Pride is about making room for every authentic experience, not just the ones people expect. Side Pride Everyone! Shop the collection, linked in my bio!

VICE recently quoted me in an article about the health benefits of m@sturbation. Let me say it again: m@sturbation is s//xual health. What were the positive and negative messages you received and/or heard about m@sturbation growing up?

Happy Pride Month. As a gay psychotherapist, I have spent my career helping people move from shame to self-acceptance. Pride reminds us that authenticity matters and that no one should have to hide who they are to feel safe, loved, or valued.

The words people use to describe themselves are personal. For some, the word que*r feels affirming, freeing, and expansive. For others, it still carries the pain of being bullied, shamed, or called that word as a slur. Watch the full Smart Sex Smart Love conversation linked in my bio.

I’m a psychotherapist and a content creator because I believe in psychoeducation. Let’s be clear: psychoeducation is not therapy, and it is not a replacement for therapy. It is therapeutic but not actual therapy. So yes, I will continue creating content as a psychotherapist.

Sometimes the “other woman” in a gay man’s relationship is his mother. I know that can sound provocative, but I see it often.

New video out now: Not Everyone Experiences Childhood Ab*se as Trauma — breaking down the difference between abuse and trauma, why not every person experiences lasting dysfunction from childhood abuse. Watch the full video on YouTube linked in my bio and let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Childhood abuse is always abuse, and it should never happen. But not everyone experiences abuse as trauma in the same way, and that can be difficult or unsettling to hear. Link to the full video in bio.

Throwback Thursday in honor of M@asturbation Month. I had Alex De La Cruz on Smart Sex, Smart Love to talk about liberating yourself from m@asturbation shame, and it was such an important conversation. Link to listen to the full podcast in bio.

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors in United States v. Skrmetti. For many LGBTQIA+ people and families, rulings like this are not abstract politics. May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.

Four years ago, Grindr added “Side", a term I coined to their app. I was so pleasantly surprised. The term "Side" describes gay men who do not prefer anal sex and instead enjoy other forms of sexual intimacy, and Grindr accepted it as another sexual position. It is my proudest accomplishment.

I always say, your an*s doesn’t have a sexual orientation. It doesn’t know whether it’s gay, straight, or bi. Watch the full YouTube video at the link in my bio. 🎥

Join our free live webinar with David Ley, PhD, for insight into the characteristics of people who pursue these dynamics, common mistakes couples may make, and how therapists can support clients in navigating consensual partner-sharing with communication, trust, and care. Register now!

New video out now: Is My Husband Gay or Trans If He Cross-Dresses? — breaking down why cross-dressing does not automatically define a man’s sexual orientation or gender identity, how gender play can show up for straight men, and why honesty, consent, and communication matter most in relationships.

Cross-dressing does not automatically mean a man is gay or trans. Some straight men enjoy femininity, lingerie, makeup, or gender play because it feels erotic, playful, or exciting to express themselves in a feminine way. Link to the full YouTube video in bio.

M@sturbation May is here! Most of us know m@sturbation is normal and healthy, but many queer men still think it “doesn’t count” as sex. As a s//x therapist I will tell you that is does count as s//x with yourself. Self-pleasure is a valid, meaningful, and healthy part of your sexual life.

Join our free live webinar with David Ley, PhD, for insight into the characteristics of people who pursue these dynamics, common mistakes couples may make, and how therapists can support clients in navigating consensual partner-sharing with communication, trust, and care. Register now!