KPACT Kink and Polyam Aware Chicago Therapists
Awareness, Professionalism, Advocacy, Compassion, Training.
Articles and news related to workshops, events and topics of interest to the kink and polyamory communities.
You Asked, We Answered For years, KPACT therapists have used the private Google group to find referrals to other kink- and polyamory-affirming mental health practitioners but also when looking for informed and aware doctors, lawyers, massage therapists, physical therapists and others who are kink- and polyamory-affirming. KPACT therapists have wanted a professional directory where they […]
There are reasons for using labels. They can be very useful, in an elemental way. To label something is to identify it and categorize it, which makes it easier to talk about, and therefore easier to share. Labels can promote intimacy and community, and when more and more people agree on the usefulness of a label then it gains more power. For instance, I am a person (and not— to my great regret— a golden retriever puppy), but there are a lot of labels I use to guide people’s attention to the parts of me that I want to represent, discuss, and work on.
Content warning: this piece includes the mention of violence, sexual assault, and police misconduct. Until recently, there was no legal definition of affirmative consent for adults who use force or restraint during erotic power exchange and roleplay. Instead, U.S. case law has found, based on moral objections, that consent is not a defense to assault—even […]
Our May KPACT presenter, carrie sarah kaufman, shared with us a poem she wrote on the intersection of kink, healing and disability. Ihave been so conditioned to give care if i want to receive it. Tobetray myself to meet my needs.Disabled,i have heardIam a burden in every relationship. WheelchairMommy with chronic pain Iknow the power in my vulnerabilityIknow the wisdom […]
It has been almost 6 months since the shelter in place orders in Illinois were announced. Most therapists I know went remote in March. Therapy offices around the city sit unused. I don’t know many therapists who are planning to return to their face-to-face practices anytime soon. The spring challenged all of us to adjust […]
Hope you are all well and staying as safe as we each can be in these challenging days. As I have been working from home, I am aware of needing to adjust and tweak my ad hoc home office set up day by day. So, I wanted to mention a few things you might consider […]
Richard Sprott discusses the Kink Practice Guidelines Project and shares his best clinical practices. by Richard Sprott, Ph.D.For many years, therapists and counselors who worked closely with the BDSM/kink communities—on the front lines of helping people who are kink-identified or practicing BDSM—have often served in relative isolation. They have honed their clinical judgments and approaches, figuring […]
Hello, my name is Jen Rafacz and I am a co-lead on the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 44 Consensual Non-monogamy Task Force working on the Inclusive Demographic Forms Campaign. I am really excited to have been asked to write about this campaign…
This month LifeWorks Staff Favorites post focused on our favorite self-care books! As staff members at a therapy practice, we’re not exempt from struggle and darkness. These are the books that our staff members have personally found moving and meaningful footholds on their journeys. Please include your own favorites in the comments section! Greenlee Brown:The […]
by Steven Bristow, LCPC Human puppy play is one of the fastest growing kinks out there. For some, it is their first foray into the world of fetishism or kink, while for others, it is a way of incorporating multiple aspects of their kink selves into one “pupsona”. One of the reasons many people believe […]
Eli Sheff, PhD is a sociologist and researcher who has compiled the only longitudinal study on polyamorous relationships. For over 20 years, Dr. Sheff has followed, interviewed and published her findings about polyamorous families to gain and share perspective about what polyamory looks like, and how it affects people. On July 6th, Dr. Sheff joined […]
The Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act and the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, known by their acronyms SESTA and FOFSTA respectively, earned support from Republicans and Democrats. On April 11, 2018 the bill was signed into law. Unfortunately, the impact of SESTA/FOSTA create an environment of increased vulnerability and danger for sex workers.
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