Therapy and BDSM

Here’s news of an interesting event:

American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists
District 1 Sponsored Workshop and Fundraiser
February 4, 2006

Therapists’ Views on the many Aspects of BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism)
From Different Subgroups and Patient Types

Workshop Coordinator: Robert Berend, JD., PhD, AASECT Northern California Section Leader

Workshop site: Center for Sex and Culture, 398 11th St. (11th at Harrison) San Francisco, CA 94103

Workshop Registration Fees: $75 for AASECT Members; $85 for Non-members; $50 for students.

Teaching Methodologies to be used: Lectures; panel discussion; visual aids (one video presentation). Optional visit to a BDSM playspace that evening.

Workshop Description: This one day, single track workshop, will primarily feature therapists with different views and areas of expertise within the BDSM community. The speakers have experience in the interests, social mores, behaviors and psychology of those who enjoy and participate in safe, sane, consensual sadomasochistic, role-play or other aspects of BDSM powerplay activities. Psychobiological, erotic, therapeutic and social community aspects of people with interests in BDSM will be covered, including a one hour question and answer panel discussion at the end. There will also (most likely) be an optional chance for attendees to visit an operating, public BDSM club (”dungeon”), where they can observe BDSM behaviors and community in a positive and safe environment.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the workshop, the attendee will: have a greater understanding of the BDSM community and culture; have learned about heterosexual, gay and lesbian BDSM behaviors and social dynamics; learned about how to decrease patient’s fears of being an “outsider” or “sick” coming from their interest in BDSM. They will also have learned to reconsider any views of their own of this behavior as being pathological, learned about the psychobiology of BDSM, and observed that many healthy examples of couples who enjoy BDSM exist. All attendees will be learning from seasoned experienced experts in their various fields of expertise in BDSM. Those who attend the optional visit to an actual BDSM playspace (”dungeon”) that night will be able to talk with people who enjoy BDSM, and observe what it is that these people do, and participate as well if they wish.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 31st, 2006 at 10:56 am and is filed under Academia, BDSM, Sexuality Education, Uncategorized . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.