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Assessing for safety in BDSM/Kink dynamics
Title of Event: Assessing for safety in BDSM/Kink dynamics
Description of Event:
Human sexuality is a broad spectrum, with some people finding pleasure in sexual acts that would cause others significant distress. From the outside, BDSM and kink can appear to some as dangerous or even thinly veiled intimate partner violence. However, the BDSM/kink community refutes these characterizations and is hailed by others as being more aware of safety risks, boundaries, and consent than the “vanilla world.” That being said, abuse can happen among all types of people, and the BDSM/kink community is not an exception.
If you are a mental health care provider working with clients who engage in BDSM/kink, it is essential to be able to spot the differences between consensual dynamics and abusive behavior. However, when something as simple as hitting becomes a desired action, traditional methods of assessing violence in interpersonal dynamics go out the window. As BDSM/kink becomes less stigmatized and people begin not only to explore but also to talk more openly about it, mental health care providers must stay up to date and informed about these nuances.
In this workshop, we will review foundational knowledge about BDSM/kink, consent, and patterns of abuse. We will explore red and green flags for danger, and provide guidelines for mental health care providers to assess for safety while remaining nonjudgmental and affirming of their clients’ sexuality.
Takeaways will include: understanding consent and how it can show up in BDSM/kink dynamics; common terminology within the BDSM/kink community; understanding common barriers that kinky clients experience when trying to access BDSM/kink-affirming care; understanding differences between patterns of abuse and consensual BDSM/kink dynamics; and methodology to assess for safety in BDSM/kink dynamics while maintaining trust in the therapeutic alliance.
Date of Event: 01/28/2026
Time of Event: 6:00 PM EST
Location: Online Synchronous
Sexuality Education (SE) Training:
SE4. Theory and methods of approaches to sexuality education with specific populations (e.g., youth, older adults, couples, ethnic/ cultural/ faith-based populations, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities).
Sexuality Counseling (SC) Training:
SC2. Theory and methods of sexuality counseling approaches to specific populations (e.g., youth, older adult, couples, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, ethnic/ cultural/ faith-based populations).
Sex Therapy (ST) Training:
ST6. Ethical decision-making and best practice.
Presenter/Speaker: Erin McCarron
Company/Organization Sponsor: Express Yourself Therapy
Contact Name: Erin McCarron
Contact Telephone Number: (347) 470-3746
Contact Email: erin@expressyourselftherapynyc.com
AASECT Approved CEs: 2