KPACT Kink & Polyam Aware Chicago Therapists
Awareness, Professionalism, Advocacy, Compassion, Training.
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 […]
In our July 2023 workshop, “In Decolonizing Kink,” Adria Kurchina-Tyson discusses the structural, colonial nature of compulsory vanilla relationships/sexuality and demonstrate the “coloniality” of kink-phobia, reviewing the fundamental differences between Indigenous frameworks of desire/relation and those of the settler state. Adria shared some additional thoughts with us for this interview. Speaking with Adria Kurchina-Tyson How did you […]
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 […]
KPACT is excited to host psychotherapist Stephen Ratcliff and dominatrix Eve Minax on April 14, 2023 for “Getting Your Kinks In: Neurodiversity and BDSM.” We asked Eve and Stephen to tell us a bit about their interest and experience with the topic. Want to learn more from these knowledgeable practitioners? Join us on Zoom on […]
Alexandra GoldOct 11, 2020 Reflecting on the Whiteness of BDSM In a 2020 academic study, the “Overwhelming Whiteness of BDSM: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Racialization in BDSM”, Kat Martinez, Associate Professor at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, explores “the relationship between what researchers have described as inclusive BDSM communities that continue to naturalize […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
by Carrie Jameson, LCPC So, your best friend tells you they are kinky and/or they practice BDSM (Bondage and Discipline [BD], Dominance and Submission [Ds], Sadism and Masochism [SM]). Whether it is your best friend, a sibling, parent, or child, you may want to be an ally, but simply don’t know what to do or […]
Welcome to KPACT.xyz! We are pleased to welcome you to the brand new Kink and Poly Aware Chicgo Therapists (KPACT) website. KPACT is for therapists and other helping professionals interested in learning how to work deeply and effectively with clients engaged in or exploring alternative expressions of their sexuality, erotic orientation, or relationships. We are […]
