Speaking of Sex with The Pleasure Mechanics

Psychogenic Arousal is a human superpower that many of us forget we have! Just like we can make ourselves quake with fear by thinking about scary things, we can create full bodied experiences of pleasure, excitement and arousal through thoughts alone! Pscyhogenic stimulation is all about turning yourself on by with our minds, and it […]

Play is an essential part of the human experience – yet many of us adults have lost touch with how to play, in and out of the bedroom. In this episode, we explore how and why humans play, and how we can all get more playful with ourselves, each other and the world around us. […]

“How free are we to determine how we experience and express our sexuality? How much is this determined by the structures around us?” These are just two of the very big questions and ideas we encounter as part of the adventure in Meg-John Barker and illustrator Jules Scheer’s Sexuality: A Graphic Guide In this episode […]

Bored of masturbation? Stuck in a rut? Uninspired? Here’s how to uplevel your solo sex life and become a better lover for yourself! This episode explores everything from unpacking your attitudes and beliefs about masturbation to getting out of childhood patterns, from exploring new positions and toys to how to bring more intention and emotion […]

Quick Links: $50 off our Mindful Sex Online Course Roundup of Speaking of Sex episodes about masturbation and practicing self love! Mindful Masturbation : A Practice Of Pleasure & Self-Compassion The primary erotic relationship of your life is with yourself! Accepting this simple truth can be both confronting and liberating, allowing us to develop a […]

Shame is one of the most common sexual struggles. Almost all of us struggle with some form of sexual shame – from body shame to faith-based shame, from kink shame to genital shame, almost everyone holds some shame. Shame tells us we are broken, sinful, gross or otherwise unworthy of love. Shame tells us if […]

A Sexplanation is a new documentary, hitting the film festival circuit now, that offers a joyful exploration of what’s happening with sex education in North America, and the very personal impact of the past 40 years of abstinence only sex education in schools. Going far beyond the classroom, Alex embarks on an epic journey into […]

Come As You Are: the surprising new science that will transform your sex life by Emily Nagoski is a must-read for anyone interested in human sexuality – and since you are here, we bet that is you! This book introduces you to research-backed frameworks that help you understand your own experience of sex. You’ll get […]

Intimacy, pleasure and erotic arousal all require a sense of safety to emerge. In this episode we explore why the human body needs to feel safe before pleasurable play, creative joy and erotic connection can authentically emerge. We look at the anatomy of social safety, fear vs. excitement, and the autonomic nervous system. Then we […]

A crucial step in understanding your erotic imagination is making a clear distinction between FANTASY and DESIRE.  Many people try to start talking about sex by saying something like “Tell me about your fantasies. . .”  While this is a great question to ask, you can run into trouble if you mix up Fantasy with […]

Since 2006, we’ve been The Pleasure Mechanics, dedicated full time to exploring the power of pleasure, intimacy, joy and connection. It’s been our mission to remember the role of pleasure in our human experience and the creative, generative, healing force of eroticism. Here’s just some of what we believe about pleasure. Ready to explore with […]

Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day rolls around every year – as some version has for over 2500 years! With it’s roots in pagan fertility festivals and it’s future as a multi-day festival celebrating all kinds of love, Valentine’s Day is here to stay. So it is time to rethink Valentine’s Day, again! In […]

Our friend and teacher Dr. Alexandra Solomon has spent over 20 years working with couples as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and teaching the popular Marriage 101 course at Northwestern University, and is the author of two bestselling books on love and erotic intimacy. Dr. Solomon is one of the teachers we most love […]

Big thanks to Marie Jenicek from This Thing Called Movement Podcast for allowing us to share this beautiful interview. In this interview between Charlotte Mia Rose and Marie Jenicek, discover: how Charlotte got into this work originally why Chris and Charlotte started Pleasure Mechanics why touch is an underestimated essential for our wellbeing how shame gets […]

Here’s how to set erotic intentions – for the New Year or any time you want an erotic reboot. Intentions are how we align our daily actions with our values and desires. Intentions help us live with integrity and be active creators in our own lives. This episode is a must-listen if you want to […]

Do you long for the days when you loved sex? Miss the lusty new relationship energy that made you never want to get out of bed? Do you worry you will never enjoy sex again? If so, you are not alone – we hear every day from people with versions of this question: is great […]

If you are wondering how to practice gratitude, even in tough times, this episode is for you. This encore episode offers guidance on how to practice gratitude all year round to create more pleasure, joy and connection in your life. We’ve gathered more tools on how to practice gratitude for our Pleasure Pod members, including […]

In this encore episode (first shared back in 2013!) we share our framework of Erotic Game Play and invite you to start creating playful baby steps towards the kinds of erotic experiences you crave. Humans love playing games. From puzzles and word games to ball sports and races, humans love the thrill, challenge and emotional […]

How do power dynamics play out in your marriage? What are the hidden power struggles getting in the way of your happiness and fulfillment within your marriage? How can we reclaim marriage from it’s history as a system of ownership and transform it into a container to create the kinship, belonging and security we all […]

Sexual Empowerment is a term that gets used a lot, but what does it really mean? In this episode, we explore empowerment, Power Over vs. Power With, and more! Here is a great introduction to how power operates in society:

How can we create deeply satisfying, fulfilling erotic experiences when what the body wants is so changeable and context-dependent? In this episode we explore how to find “just right” over and over again by paying exquisite attention to yourself AND your partner, creating a positive feedback loop of verbal and non-verbal communication so you can […]

In this encore episode we share the ten ways learning massage can make you a better lover. From learning how to use your hands to touch your lover’s most sensitive parts to communicating specific requests, learning massage together will not only bring the luxury of massage home, it will also transform the way you make […]

Interoception is known as the “eighth sensory nervous system” of humans – and is perhaps the most important sense that you’ve never heard of! Interoception is our human ability to feel the insides of our own bodies, thanks to the vast network of internal nerve receptors found throughout our internal body but especially concentrated around […]

What is the master key to more pleasure, joy and connection? What if there was one skill you could learn to unlock way more relaxation, arousal & orgasmic bliss – not to mention loving connection with every human you love? After over 370 Speaking of Sex Podcast episodes, we are returning to our roots, the […]

Illness, injury, accidents and other sudden health changes disrupt our lives on all levels – including our sexuality, relationships and even our sense of identity. When our bodies experience massive changes, or are facing chronic pain or terminal illness, how do we begin to find a new normal in our sex lives? How can we […]