Posts by: Rachel Gombos

Depathologizing Kink in Therapy

Collage of various couples and people engaging in relationships and/or kink activities representing the diversity of kink experiences and importance of kink affirmative therapy

Please note that this article contains content related to sexual trauma.

Surviving sexual trauma can change the way that sexual contact is experienced and enjoyed, and the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in sexual assault survivors is outrageously high, at around 94% (Chivers-Wilson, 2006). At the same time, rediscovering enjoyable physical contact as a [...]

Kink-Aware Therapy: Consent and Negotiation

Posted: 12-16-20 | Rachel Gombos

Collage including images of floggers, handcuffs, a couple on a couch in conversation, and two men holding hands. This represents how consent and negotiation are important for therapists to help kink clients with.

By Rachel Gombos MSW, LISW

Please note that this article contains content related to sexual trauma.

In this article, the first in a three-part series about kink-aware therapy, I will lay the groundwork for practitioners to gain an understanding of BDSM and key concepts such as consent and negotiation. Many may believe that BDSM represents [...]