Type of Resources Include:
Reading & Research
Books, Manuals, Scholarly Articles
Tools
Games, Card Decks, Workbooks, Brochures
Multimedia
Apps, Websites, Podcasts
Audience
Provider, Supervisor, Supervisee, Client
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Exploration Library
A scholarly collection of research materials examining the intersections of desire, safe kink practices, and clinical sexology.
Organization
Kink-Aware Clinical Practice
Evidence-based guidelines for therapists working with BDSM and kink-identified clients, focusing on non-pathologizing care.
Description: Clinical framework for kink identities and care protocols.
Multimedia: Websites, Podcasts
Audience: Provider, Supervisor, Supervisee
Podcast- Rethinking modern relationships
Multiamory Podcast: Navigating Kink in Relationships
Tools for helping couples negotiate diverse erotic interests and maintain relational safety and communication.
Description: Clinical communication tools for erotic negotiation.
Multimedia: Podcasts, Websites
Audience: Provider, Client
Professional Ethics Library
Safety protocols, ethical benchmarks, and non-pathologizing care frameworks for kink-aware clinical practice.
Websites & Media
Pelvic Floor Health
A Woman’s Touch Sexuality Resource Center
Description: Informational Brochure
Resource: Tool
Audience: Provider, Supervisor, Supervisee, Client
Research Insights: Pleasure and Exploration
Pleasure, kink, and exploration are considered significant topics in sex wellness as they center around sex positivity (Nimbi et al., 2021). Instead of focusing solely on sexual dysfunction, it supports individuals and partnerships in understanding erotic experiences and exploration (Kleinplatz, 1996). In sex therapy, clients may explore how to address barriers of shame, nervousness, and misinformation around sexuality.
Clients interested in exploring kinks, fetishes, non-traditional sexual experiences, including paraphilias, and BDSM are variations in human sexuality and not pathologies (Paraphilic Interests Versus Behaviors: Factors that Distinguish Individuals Who Act on Paraphilic Interests From Individuals Who Refrain, 2020). Sex therapy focuses on improving effective communication and reducing shame while respecting boundaries and consent. Providing a non-judgemental space that helps foster a healthy self-identity is crucial to allowing clients who need to have conversations that integrate identity expression, cross-dressing, erotic stimulation and comfort into sex therapy (Sprott et al., 2023).
Non-traditional relationship structures are gaining momentum, such as consensual non-monogamy (CNM), polyamory, open relationships, and ethical non-monogamy (ENM) (Rodrigues, 2024). Challenges arise in these structures that require strong communication and trust. Working with a sex therapist would help teach clients how to navigate boundaries, set guidelines, and explore feelings of jealousy, attachment, and commitment (Busby et al., 2020). Instead of assuming all relationships are monogamous, sex therapists will support clients in creating agreements that reflect all partners' boundaries and values (Astle et al.).
When taking into consideration all of these areas, the focus in sex therapy is on building communication skills, trust, and consent, which allows for exploring sexuality (Edwards et al., 2022). The overall goal of this theme of pleasure, kink, and explorations is to foster sexual openness, addressing areas of pleasure, kink, and exploration while promoting psychological and sexual well-being (Gravel et al., 2020)
Professional Resources
Explore our peer-reviewed professional resource library. A collection of protocols, worksheets, and scholarly materials for clinicial excellence.
