Why a kink shrink?As a therapist and as a person in the scene, I have heard horror stories from kinky people who went to vanilla therapists. Either the therapist tried to "fix" what worked for the client, or they had a voyeuristic interest in the sexual details.
What those therapists don't know is that studies find BDSM relationships are often healthier than vanilla ones, with a greater focus on communication and consent. I have spent years working with people in the scene. I know how to respect protocols and power structures. I help clients find the solutions that work for them, as opposed to trying to inflict my own beliefs. I have worked with dom/mes, subs, and switches, as well as bottoms and tops. I believe taking the scary first step to seek help can guide you to your own, less bumpy, path. This Vice article has an interesting look at the benefits of choosing a poly & kink aware therapist (as well as the challenges of being one!) It's written about kink, but the same issues apply for people who don't want to teach a therapist that ethical non-monogamy is NOT evidence of a fear of commitment! broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/vv59y4/when-therapist-client-into-bdsm-kink-fetish |
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