Over the past several years, people have become increasingly curious and aware of BDSM, kink, and leather. Nevertheless, members of these communities are often stigmatized and misunderstood, including in psychotherapeutic settings. This introductory level course is designed to help licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals become more competent in working with BDSM, kink, and leather communities. Areas of focus will include definitions and prevalence rates, psychological well-being within these populations, safety considerations, perinatal considerations, and clinical considerations.

The intended audience is mental health professionals and trainees who are completely new to BDSM, kink, and leather communities. I know how intimidating it can be to learn a topic that you're unfamiliar with. This can be even more pronounced if the topic is stigmatized.