Bridging Pleasure and Mental Health at STIMULATE 2025, Insights From Nashville’s Sexual Wellness Trade Show
From the Couch to the Cart, Mental Health Insights From STIMULATE Nashville 2025
If you work in or care about sexual wellness, STIMULATE, A B2B Sexual Wellness Trade Show and Conference is an event to prioritize. It is a dedicated industry gathering for retailers, clinicians, educators, and brands, and this year it took place in Nashville, Tennessee, August 4 to 5, 2025. stimulatetheshow.com+1
Why I Attended and Why I Spoke
I presented with my colleague and fellow sex therapist Nicoletta Heidegger. Our talk, “From the Couch to the Cart, A Psychological Perspective on What Consumers Really Want,” explored how mental health, emotion, and intimacy shape purchasing behavior in sexual wellness. We shared themes from clinical work, the real concerns clients bring into therapy, and how those needs show up in the marketplace. stimulatetheshow.com
We focused on emotional safety, nervous system regulation, shame resilience, performance anxiety, and body image. When brands integrate mental health principles into product design, language, and education, they do more than sell, they create experiences that support confidence, consent, and connection.
What Set This Conference Apart
STIMULATE blends clinical insight, retail strategy, and product discovery. The ASK THE DOCTOR programming creates direct access to therapists and medical experts, which makes sensitive topics approachable for buyers and brand teams. This year’s schedule featured sessions across the show floor and education stages, including talks on anal sexual health, hormones, and evidence-informed approaches to pleasure. stimulatetheshow.com
The show also underscored why this is a true B2B community, a place where established names and emerging brands meet, learn, and plan for growth in the sexual wellness category. stimulatetheshow.com
From Insight to Action, What Brands Can Do
My message to founders, product leads, and retailers was simple, speak to the whole person. That means:
- Build copy and packaging that reduce shame and invite curiosity.
- Offer education that regulates, not agitates, the nervous system.
- Design with inclusivity, access, and real-world use in mind.
When you align marketing with mental health, you help customers feel safe, seen, and ready to explore. This is good for people and good for business.
Community Energy, Lasting Impact
Conferences can be intense, mine included, and yet the energy at STIMULATE felt collaborative and forward looking. It is not only about trends, it is about direction, where sexual wellness is going as a field, through better education, thoughtful design, and compassionate communication. stimulatetheshow.com
Gratitude
Thank you to everyone who came to our session and to the organizers for creating a space that supports clinicians, creators, and retailers alike. If you work in sexual wellness and want a meaningful industry pulse check, keep STIMULATE, A B2B Sexual Wellness Trade Show and Conference on your calendar. stimulatetheshow.com
