Event Registration
The Ethics of Being A Kink-Affirming Therapist
Friday, July 25, 2025
9:00 am- 12:00 pm CST
3 continuing education credits: 1 hour of ethics
The Ethics of Being a Kink-Affirming Therapist is a virtual 3-hour training designed to equip mental health professionals with the foundational knowledge, cultural sensitivity, and ethical framework needed to effectively support clients involved in kink, BDSM, and other consensual non-normative sexual practices.
This interactive workshop will introduce participants to key terminology, dynamics, and motivations within kink, while dismantling common myths and biases that can interfere with affirming care. A full hour is devoted to the ethical complexities of working with kinky clients, including informed consent, scope of competence, safety assessment, and boundary management. Through clinical examples, reflective activities, and case discussions, participants will gain practical tools for integrating kink-affirming principles into diverse therapeutic settings.
Whether new to this work or seeking to deepen your affirming practice, this training offers a sex-positive, trauma-informed, and ethically grounded lens for working with kink-identified individuals and communities.
By the end of this 3-hour training, participants will be able to:
Define key terminology related to kink and BDSM, including common roles, dynamics, and practices, in order to foster an affirming therapeutic environment.
Differentiate between consensual kink practices and abusive dynamics using established frameworks (e.g., SSC, RACK, PRICK).
Identify at least three common myths or stigmatizing beliefs about kink that may affect clinical judgment or rapport.
Explain at least three ethical considerations when working with kinky clients, including issues related to informed consent, scope of competence, and safety assessment.
Apply an ethical decision-making model to a clinical vignette involving kink, demonstrating an ability to navigate boundary issues and potential dual relationships.
Assess the affirming quality of intake procedures, clinical language, and therapeutic interventions to reduce harm and promote client trust.
Turning Point Counseling has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7138. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC
credit are clearly identified. Turning Point Counseling is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.