Oct 3–11, 2026 My Plan
Portrait of Candida Crasto

Photo via StartupCincy

StartupCincySpeaker

Candida Crasto

Founder, Executive Director, The AFFECT Project

Candida Crasto, MFT, LPC (she/her) is the Founder and Executive Director of The AFFECT Project, a non-profit clinical research initiative developing an evidence-backed model for integrated sex and family therapy. A former chemical engineer who navigated the startup world before becoming a licensed therapist, Candida bridges analytical systems-thinking with deep human connection. She is also the host of the #SEXHAPPENS podcast, where she destigmatizes sexuality through candid, shame-busting conversations. Across her research, podcast, and experiential workshops, Candida helps individuals, couples, and families dismantle internal barriers, step into their authentic selves, and step into their full potential.

Event

end time not listed

StartupCincyTalk

Sex, Shame & Success: The Hidden Path to Creativity, Connection & Impact

Location not listed

Candida Crasto, The AFFECT Project

Founder Journey

Details

This session offers a deeply personal, experiential learning environment designed to spark curiosity and realization about intrapersonal expression and interpersonal growth. The talk will guide attendees through a safe exploration of how shame, pleasure, and an expanded understanding of consent dictate our personal and professional alignment.

Our sexuality lives at the absolute heart of play, curiosity, and creativity. It directly intersects with how we relate to security, power, and money. When we experience ecosystemic stress, we often resort to "splitting"—compartmentalizing our lives, suppressing our bodies, and severing our relational depth. This disconnection is the true root of creative blocks, organizational distress, and founder burnout.

Source: startupcincyweek.com (opens in a new tab)

Source: startupcincyweek.com (opens in a new tab)

All people