Kink-Affirming and Kink-Aware Therapy

Kink-Positive and Kink-Affirming Therapy for Members of Kink, BDSM, Fetish and Vanilla Communities

Kink-aware therapists can help with a variety of issues including the following:

• Relationship Issues: Kink-aware therapists understand the ways relationships may be structured within the context of BDSM and understand how power and role dynamics may be involved.
• Everyday Problems: Kink-aware therapists will not automatically assume that your concerns or difficulties — such as depression, anxiety, relationship conflicts, or family of origin problems — are related to your sexual preferences and practices.
• Coming Out: Kink-aware therapists can help you explore your own sexuality and interests, find acceptance of your particular fetish or kink within yourself, disclose fetishes or kink preferences to a partner,  and come out to others in your life (i.e. about your participation at BDSM conferences or events).
• Cultural Role Conflicts: Kink-aware therapists can assist if you struggle with your identity inside the BDSM world and how that relates to expectations the larger culture or society may have for you in the various roles that you hold in life.
• Vanilla & Kink Conflicts: Your partner identifies as kinky but you identify as “vanilla” — that is, you don’t identify as having kinky inclinations or interests. This may evoke difficult feelings and it is important to have a therapist who can be accepting of your partner’s preferences while validating yours and helping you process your emotions and reactions.
• Internalized Oppression: Some people feel shame about their sexual preferences. Kink-knowledgeable therapists can help you understand the sources of shame, learn how to work with them, develop compassion for yourself and increase self-esteem.
• Abuse & Trauma: A kink-aware therapist understands and recognizes the difference between consensual BDSM practices and abuse or other forms of interpersonal trauma and can help you to heal from non-consensual experiences and the impact they may have on your well-being and relationships.

Kink-identified Therapists

We have kink-identified clinicians on staff. Because of the societal stigma and lack of legal protections for this community, we’ve chosen not to name those clinicians publicly. If you are seeking a kink-identified therapist, we invite you to make this request in your intake phone call or via the online appointment request form. Your information is confidential and we do not include clients’ personal or social identities in health records.