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The world is full of risks, but each of us have different levels of willingness, capacity, and interest in taking the risks we might come across in our life. The same is true in our kinky pursuits. In this class we will look at what a risk profile is and how to decide what choices we might feel comfortable with around physical risks, legal repercussions, emotional fallout, potential psychological damage, (mis)communication possibilities, and the effects some play can have on our relationships. From Gambler’s Fallacy and trauma bonding to altered states and disproportionate effects risks can have on some populations, this will be a wild ride. Though open to all attendees, buckle in as we will be discussing a variety of “edge play” activities as well as things people might consider immoral, illegal, inappropriate, dubious, or dangerous.

Aftercare and returning to homeostasis is an important part of intense activities and scenes, but how exactly do you do it? Through this class we’ll explore questions that will help us build our aftercare toolkit. We will ask important concepts like:

• Who needs aftercare, what is each person agreeing to, and when does it take place? 

• How do we express our needs and desires, and what do we do when our desires and capacities are not in alignment with our partner’s? 

• And of course, what about pre-care and during-care? 

Having explored theories and personal experiences around aftercare, let’s dive into an array of exercises to explore the wide areas of tools and systems available to individuals, pairs and communities through Jake Ernst concept of “Routes of Safety.” Doing these in class will allow you to understand on a personal level which ones might work best for you, and which ones are an active mis-match. These create awareness as systems for providing your own self-aftercare, just in case. Let’s brainstorm and experience-storm our tools for grounding and returning to baseline, because we all deserve not just excellent experiences, but opportunities for connections and avoiding “crash.”

When most people outside of the kink communities talk about age play, images like adults in diapers have been known to turn some folks off (even if that can be fun). But age play for consenting adults can be SO much more! We will explore personal, cultural, and universal archetypes of parenthood, childhood, and all kinds of kidhood and adultdom to find a voice for our own diverse desires… from naughty “teenagers” to packs of “boy scouts.” Let’s look at pre-verbal, toddler, school kid, teen, and a wide variety of adult roles that we can enjoy for roleplaying or lifestyle identities. Mommies, daddies, and other caregiver or familial roles will be explored, as well as how to incorporate age play into your other kinks. We will also touch on the land mines of our pasts and help kidz and adultz who have been emotionally hurt by past kink relationships. Let’s help you make age play uniquely your own!

Let’s get this straight… you have twisted, perverted, alternative, or kinky desires that set you apart from classical sexuality in some way. You have joined a kink community through books, online or in-person, and now that community tells you what kinky “should” look like? Have you started a relationship and you are having trouble with the reality of the relationship being nothing like the fantasy of it? Flogging and rope bondage doesn’t do it for everyone, and most of us really can’t be labeled into categories like Top, Bottom, Dominant, or Submissive. You are a complex being with personal desires, and so is that person next to you. In this class and discussion we will examine and discuss what makes each of us authentic sexual explorers, finding our true sexual and sensual desires amidst the messages from our communities and beyond.

So you’ve decided that it could be fun to do some roleplaying, but aren’t sure where to go with it? Let’s develop some skills together! Using classical evocation skills we will work to pull upon our sensuality, anger, sadness, and other feelings on command. Evocation is also an amazing tool for pulling out our own inner Daddy, pony, goddess, or slave. We will then turn to the idea of invocation to tap into personal, cultural, and universal archetypes as well as other concepts that we are drawn to. Just because it’s not inside you, doesn’t mean you can’t learn through some simple exercises and brainstorming to learn how to “draw it down.” Bring your roleplaying fantasies and curiosities for this fun discussion and exercise-driven workshop.

We have been “playing pretend” since we were young, but kinky sexuality opens up new and potentially taboo forms of roleplaying. Join us as we explore the shadowy realms of our fantasies and make-believe we can try on: abduction, torture, snuff, fantastical realms, and anything else our twisted minds can dream up. We will discuss the joys of playing consensually in our closets, why these dark desires turn us on, how to bring up these taboo interests with our partners, negotiating our interests, and troubleshooting the challenges these types of fantasies can elicit.

In the erotically adventurous world, a lot of conversation has been batted about concerning the idea of objectification and its supposed partner humiliation. However, for those of us who believe objects have souls, things have value, and the earth itself is not something to be thrown away when we are done with it, how does this dynamic between human and human-object shift? This slide deck will explore how our interactions with a human table change for those of us who look at tables as more than wood. Can we apply our desire to create lasting relationships with our human-objects to creating lasting relationships with the non-human-objects in our world as well? In a world where everything has a soul, let's look at whether humiliation has a place in the language of objectification and dive into our own ethics while examining our objects of desire.

Exploring the world beyond the media's story of "normal" sexuality can seem daunting at first, but it doesn't have to be! In this fun and informative class we will explore a wide array of love styles and relationship shapes, romantic activities, orientations, and sexual play before dipping our toes into the world of kink. We will learn about the complexities of monogamy and nonmonogamy, peek into asexuality and aromantic experiences, look at what different people consider intimacy, and break down the differences between orientation and erotic behavior. Exploring these ideas, plus some basics of what people consider getting freaky, can help us all develop communication styles for the bedroom and beyond. Let's build consent, safety, and connection alike. Let's help you figure out or more deeply discuss your interests, curiosities, passions, and what you have energy for (especially in today's day and age). Let’s demystify, delight, and disarm you by taking the terror out of these topics and bringing them out to play!

In the erotically adventurous world, a lot of conversation has been batted about concerning the idea of objectification and its supposed partners, humiliation and degradation. However, for those of us who believe objects have souls, things have value, and the earth itself is not something to be thrown away when we are done with it, how does this dynamic between human and human-object shift? In this class we will look at how our interactions with a human table change for those of us who look at tables as more than wood? Can we apply our desire to create lasting relationships with our human-objects to creating lasting relationships with the non-human-objects in our world as well? In a world where everything has a soul, we will look at whether humiliation has a place in the language of objectification and dive into our own ethics while examining our objects of desire.

The world over, body modification is used as a way to express identity – whether that is self-identity, cultural (or subcultural) affiliation, milestones, political views, or spiritual connections. We have all made modifications to live our lives, such as having a specific hair style to blend in with our peer circles or dressing in a certain way. We will look at the wide variety of body modifications available today from henna/mehndi to hook suspension, tattoos to ritual jewelry, stage makeup to genital reconstruction surgery, breast augmentation to flesh removal. We will also discuss the energy inherent in each type of modification, issues of cultural appropriation, and the social implications of body modification. Let’s examine why every act of modifying our flesh can be sacred, and every act can be profane – no matter the type of alteration, no matter the transformation.

Let’s admit it: doing genital torment on transguys and transmasc folks is different than doing it on other bodies. In some ways this can be a struggle, but in other ways we get the best of all worlds, so let’s talk about our desires to torment, tease, punish, and pamper our amazing flesh. After discussing the varieties of genitals out there to play with (and what we call them), and how our hormones and modifications (or having had neither) have affected our CBT and sex, we will demonstrate and discuss a wide variety of torment options. Abrasion, piercing, bondage, clamps, caning… plus more advanced concepts like playing with trans genital humiliation will all be up for grabs.

From pudding wrestling to floggings with kale, blindfolded delights to “force feeding,” food play offers a wide array of opportunities for kinksters, sadomasochists, sensualists, and erotic explorers of all sorts. Join us as we discuss a wide array of ways that adults can play with their food! Whether it is the classic trope of licking whipped cream off of a lover or serving as a human platter at a party, there are so many opportunities for exploration from sweet to spicy as it were. We will discuss why folks are drawn to playing with food (whether based in joy to trauma), health and safety awareness, creative ways to explore, and share personal stories as well.

Some people like blindfolds and whipped cream. Others enjoy pushing the boundaries of what their body can take. Whether you like intense sensations or more subtle flavors, everyone wins when they learn to explore their tastes. There are so many tastes out there - perhaps we will uncover some new ones for you to enjoy! This can include bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, masochism, fetishes, voyeurism... and so much more. We will look together at our tastes from mild to wild, while crafting ideas for scenes and play that can deepen the diverse connections we have in our sexuality and kinks. Bring your questions and get ready to see a wide variety of ways that people express their desires.

Were you delighted by the last class where we explored the array of things called kink? Do you want skills for getting freaky? This is your chance to do just that. In this class we will develop communication systems to use during erotic antics, then learn about the body and how it can receive different sorts of sensations. We will play around with blindfolds before learning 3 different ways to use rope in your play. Finally you will see how to do spankings in ways that titillate rather than cause harm, and peek at the art of flogging, canes, and other impact toys. Participation is not required but is available for those who want to practice. Clothing required. 18+ with all attendees carded at the door.

Were you delighted by the last class where we explored the array of things called kink? Do you want skills for getting freaky? This is your chance to do just that. In this class we will develop communication systems to use during erotic antics, then learn about the body and how it can receive different sorts of sensations. We will play around with blindfolds before learning 3 different ways to use rope in your play. Finally you will see how to do spankings in ways that titillate rather than cause harm, and peek at the art of flogging, canes, and other impact toys. Participation is not required but is available for those who want to practice. Clothing required. 18+ with all attendees carded at the door.

In a world where dark fantasy has been sanitized into “Safe, Sane, and Consensual,” how do we address the truths of some of our more terrifying and terrible erotic desires if they go beyond the limits of what is considered “okay” by even our community? How do we look at ourselves in the mirror after we have been ripped apart emotionally and physically, and how can we see our partners who did it to us as the same loved ones we need to live our life at large with? What do we do when our Tops come to us with their own demons to be exorcised in the bedroom or dungeon, and those things scare us or turn us on and we are unsure if that makes us bad people? This is a closed-group, no late entry, discussion for Bottoms only (Switches may attend but only speak from their experience as Bottoms). We will examine our own inner monsters, discuss our fears and desires, and look honestly into the mirror and wonder – if we feed the monster, will it consume those we love… or if we starve it, will it eat us whole?

In a world where dark fantasy has been sanitized into “Safe, Sane, and Consensual,” how do we address the truths of some of our more terrifying and terrible erotic desires if they go beyond the limits of what is considered “okay” by even our community? How do we look at ourselves in the mirror after we have taken our partner apart in the bedroom and left them broken and battered? What do we do when our partners come to us with their own demons to be exorcised in the bedroom or dungeon, and those things scare us or turn us on and we are unsure if that makes us bad people. This is a closed-group, no late entry discussion for Tops only (Switches may attend but only speak from their experience as Tops). We will examine our own inner monsters, discuss our fears and desires, and look honestly into the mirror and wonder – if we feed the monster, will it consume those we love… or if we starve it, will it eat us whole?

Putting on a mask and becoming “something else” for a moment is just a form of roleplaying, right? Not for everyone. Whether diving into a persona that is inherent to our very being, calling down God-forms, donning characters in rituals, or embracing animal roles, invocation and evocation can be powerful tools for both personal exploration and intense ritual work. From wardrobe to rituals, dabbling in manifestation to evoking emotional responses, getting into head space to ending possessions, we’ll discuss these tools together. Through stories, theory, exercises, and sharing, we will work to integrate techniques for growth, connection, roleplaying, and spiritual identity alike.

Getting freaky, kinky, and exploring dominance or submission is desired by many people, and yet for those of us who live with physical, neurological, or mental disabilities, we have unique realities in these explorations or play. Let’s talk about how having disabilities can affect how we do BDSM and other kinks! This might include visible or invisible disabilities, neurological non-normativity, realities that come from aging, plus blindness and visual impairment as well. How do you modify your explorations for your (or a partner's) realities? Let’s talk about our challenges, brainstorm for each other, and also discuss the fun or creativity that have come up along our journeys!

When a client comes to therapists, educators, or helping professionals around the intersection of kink and spirit, we get to examine why they are coming to YOU. You don’t have to understand the nuances of kink to serve your clientele! In this presentation we will break down the basics of what gets called kink, as well as the differences between faith, sacred experience, and spiritual paths, allowing us to better serve some of the actual concerns clients might have. There are many ways in which kink mirrors spirituality, spirituality mirrors kink, and consciously combining these two can even help our clients. Whether they have had unexpected sacred moments amidst taboo sexual expression or fear the loss of community if they come “out” as having diverse desires, no two people are the same, so let’s break it down and add nuance to your understanding on these topics.

When most people outside of the BDSM community talk about Age Play, images like adults in diapers tend to turn a lot of folks off (even if that can be fun). But Age Play for consenting adults can be SO much more! We will explore personal, cultural, and universal archetypes of parenthood, childhood, and all kinds of kidhood and adultdom to find a voice for our own diverse desires… from naughty teenage girlz (who says kidz are bottoms?) to packs of boy scoutz. Let’s look at pre-verbal, toddler, school kid, teen, and a wide variety of adult roles that we can enjoy for roleplaying or lifestyle identities. Daddies, Mommies, other familial roles will be explored, as well as how to incorporate age play into your other kinks, while we also touch on the land mines of our pasts and helping kidz and adultz who have been emotionally hurt by past kink relationships.

At every turn, erotic adventurers are encouraged to know their needs and limits, express them to partners, and negotiate! negotiate! negotiate! It is common to feel overwhelmed and uncertain how or where to begin, what to bring up, or what to focus on – even for the most extroverted pervert. Let’s take an opportunity to use negotiation as foreplay, self-exploration, and a road map to our most intimate fantasies, and then come back to developing our skills for negotiating with others, whether for play or within relationships. There are so many approaches to negotiation we can take! Remember, negotiation is a practice and takes practice – none of us are perfect at it straight out of the gate. New, experienced, shy, outgoing, top, or bottom; everyone can benefit from the skills and ideas explored in this class.

Each of us processes pain and intense sensations in different ways. Some of us scream, some go silent, and others laugh with glee. There are those that focus on the connection they have with their partners and go stoic, while others dance, writhe, and squirm to let the pain come out through movement. From distracting ourselves with other thoughts or body inputs, to breathing techniques, we will discuss how different individuals process pain and how to increase your own effectiveness in transmuting pain into pleasure, suffering, or erotic connection.

Close your eyes and relax, or get yourself all wound up, it's time to delve into the most powerful sex organ we have to play with: the brain! From formal induction hypnosis concepts to simply using the perfect words to spice up your sex life, we will be discussing and experiencing some basic guided visualizations, as well as exploring ways to intensify roleplaying, build command words, do self-hypnosis, use non-verbal hypnotic techniques, and more. Beyond the fun and flirty stuff, we will also look at the legal and ethical ramifications of these sorts of play, horror stories, myths about trance states… and see what mysteries we can uncover between our ears.

Ever wanted to get involved in the kink community but don’t know where to start? Shy and overwhelmed? Curious about the types of events and get-togethers out there in the land of perviness? Every event is different, and you deserve to find the ones that fit you. We’ll look into why folks want to be part of the community (and how that affects your adventure), some of the myths you’ll encounter (from outsiders and kinksters alike), the pitfalls we may encounter, and how to have fun along the way. So pull out your social graces, dust off those leather boots (or heels, or sandals), and let’s dive into kink events and culture.

There are a lot of words out there for gender, sex, and sexuality nowadays. Join us as we dive into definitions, disclosure, desire, and discussions to have as we explore this gumbo pot of identity and expression. Whether you are transgender, non-binary, two-spirit, or otherwise on a gender adventure, you deserve excellent sex and kink - so let's build skills for your partner and yourself to make it happen. Let’s support people on gender journeys while we do kink scenes. What are ways we can have these discussions from a vulnerable yet desirous place? How can we help our partners feel seen as a whole person and not just a fetish? Let’s get analytical, let’s get sexy, and let’s open our hearts as we play well with trans* folks.

Each of us holds an animal inside us, and that creature is primal, wild, and tapped into the ancient power that says hunt, or be hunted, run, or be captured. In this class we explore diverse forms of primal play, from growling and throating your lover in the bedroom, to constructed experiences stalking someone through woods and dark alleyways… and more. What kind of feral beast are you, and why? Whether you are partnered with someone primal, are primal yourself as an identity, enjoy the play, or are simply curious, we will work on skills for negotiation, “reading” our partners when verbal tools are off the table, and communication skills in general. Consent can be complex, so let’s build our knowledge and safety skills together. Bring your tips and tools for going into primal “space” and coming back to being a socialized human, and your questions for other passionate beasts to share their knowledge about in this theory and tool-sharing class.

Some of us don’t want to invest hundreds of dollars on tack, or don’t like leather. Maybe you are traveling and don’t have room for all of your gear in your carry-on. Using just a few pieces of rope we will make body harnesses, leg wraps, tails, and even complex head cages for pony play together. Bring two 25-30 foot pieces of rope and one 25-30 foot piece of parachute cord if you want to play along!

In our sensual, sexual, kink, BDSM, and fetish encounters, many of us enter into altered states of consciousness without being aware of it! Exploring the eight major routes of Sacred Kink, this slide deck will allow you to examine how we use the Path of Ritual for earning our leathers, Path of Rhythm for cathartic flogging, Path of Flesh for sensual bondage scenes, and so much more. Learn how to be conscious of your own sacred and magical connections, how these tools have been used for thousands of years, and how to incorporate new approaches to deepen your energetic connections in the future. (Alternate Description) The worlds of BDSM and fetishism tap into a rich and varied history of human magical, emotional, spiritual, and energetic experience. Bring your curiosity as we explore eight major routes to altered states of consciousness and how they are accessed in alternative erotic expression. For example, rituals are passed down among “Leather” communities through the gifting of tribal garb, and rhythmic trance becomes an access point through cathartic flogging. We will peek at thousands of years of sacred practices from monasticism to hook suspension, ecstatic dance to channeling, we will examine how these tools have been “perverted” by modern erotic adventurers and also claimed as tools for deep and authentic spiritual journeying. In doing so we will become aware of these diverse journeys and approaches for use in our future academic and personal investigations.

So you just hit someone with this thing, right? Far more goes into the erotic art of creating sensations through impact than meets the eye. Why do you want to be spanked? Why is caning something sexy to you? Where can I hit them, and how hard can I hit? Learn how to choose tools, how to use them safely in a variety of ways, and how to create hot erotic or emotional connections using impact play. Individuals who already have such toys are encouraged to bring a few to class to discuss the best practices for using what we already own, though folks who do not own anything will be given tools to play along as well.

The freedom of becoming something greater than human is a call for many, but what about those of us who have to take care of these “creatures”? Let’s explore why we enjoy pet handling, owning human animals, and training these beautiful beings. Let’s discuss the psychology of human pets and pet play on all sides of the leash, and look at the needs and desires of all players involved. Together we can examine the practicalities of dealing with bodily functions and the desire to fuck our “pets” without messing head space, shopping for ponies and puppies, and then have some general play time to interact with the pets that may have come to the class today. Whether new to pony handling or an experienced equine enthusiast, we will look at our own desires and how to make them happen.

Each of us processes pain and intense sensations in different ways. Some of us scream, some go silent, and others laugh with glee. There are those that focus on the connection they have with their partners and go stoic, while others dance, writhe, and squirm to let the pain come out through movement. From distracting ourselves with other thoughts or body inputs, to breathing techniques, we will discuss how different individuals process pain and how to increase your own effectiveness in transmuting pain into pleasure, suffering, or erotic connection.

The world of BDSM often speaks of Leather as an identity, or as shorthand for our passions, but what about leather itself? The hides of animals, our second skins, this material that once lived and breathed has inspired erotic explorers for generations… why? From tools of pain and pleasure to the wide varieties of clothing that wrap around our form and conform to our shape with time – we will examine our tough exteriors to find how leather fetish has inspired leather sex, and in turn, leather soul, identity, and spirit… and the term “Leather Community” itself. Bring at least one piece of leather with you – be it a piece of your earned leathers if you come from that tradition, your favorite flogger, a tight pair of gloves, your favorite boots, your old friend of a belt, or something else to inspire yourself or others as part of this conversation towards understanding leather as more than a raw material.

So many kink and sexuality conferences have popped up across the globe. Many seem like clones of one another. We could go to twenty different events and have no idea what city we are in. So what will make your event special? What should make us want to go? What are your values? Why are you even putting it on? Together as organizers, producers, educators, and groups, let’s look at our missions, voices, and visions to craft unique conferences and events. The choices we make when it comes to our events are sculpting our communities as a whole, and at the end of the day, we and our communities deserve something more than repeating other people’s habits… both good and bad. Bring your ideas to the table so that we can discuss, dream, and figure out what we can do to match our dreams up with what we are actually creating.

Fetishes are often mentioned offhandedly in the world of kink and BDSM, but what is a fetish really? Where do ours come from, and what about our specific fetishes call to us? Whether you have a fetish for specific objects, materials, situations, or body parts, this is your chance to talk about yours. Those curious about fetishes can also learn more about both the theories around fetishes and the people who have them alike. Together, let’s explore these powerful erotic draws and tools for sexual arousal.

Many of us have a conscious or unconscious desire to be a noble human equine, a happy puppy dog, an oily pig in a pen, a lazy house cat, an anxious gerbil, or a cherished cow. There are also those of us who long to take care of, own, or interact with these “creatures.” Let's look at the fantasies, desires, and passions behind this richly varied form of identity exploration and play! Not everyone has the same take on this diverse category of interest: from firm training to shamanic interactions, passive pets to feral monsters, sadistic veterinarians to kids with their favorite pet, or cuddly creatures to hard-working guard dogs. There is a little something for everyone! Whether you are a curious handler or an experienced beast of burden, join us as we examine the wide varieties of scenes, toys, lifestyles, and amusement; diving into these practicalities and passions with an open heart and open mind.