Course description

Kinky sexual behavior has been brought into the mainstream through depictions like those in Fifty Shades of Grey. However, such fictional depictions can be misleading. This course details how therapists can work effectively with members of the kink community, as well as those who may not identify as part of the community but engage in kinky sexual behavior. Topics include common roles, identities, and behavior; supportive and educational organizations; identifying and addressing potential dangers; and most importantly, how to identify and set aside personal biases and beliefs that can make it challenging to provide a nonjudgmental, safe environment in which clients can share their whole selves.

1 Hour CE. Recorded Video Format (non-interactive)

Content advisory: This course includes discussion of sexual topics and sexual behavior.

Learning objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Explain at least two ways in which mental health professionals have historically done a disservice to sexual minorities

  • Describe at least two key components of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for a paraphilia

  • Describe at least four roles or behaviors common within the kink community

  • Differentiate between healthy and abusive relationships within the kink context

Course outline

1. Kink and BDSM in media
2. Basic terms and concepts
3. Kink and BDSM in the previous versions of the DSM
a. Previous criteria
b. Lobbying efforts to change
c. Simply engaging in a paraphilia is not enough for a diagnosis
4. Understanding kink
a. Relationship dynamics
b. Relationship themes, roles, and identities
c. Overlap with polyamory/consensual non monogamy
5. Applying knowledge of kink and BDSM in therapy
a. Impact of personal values
b. Client reluctance to acknowledge kink/BDSM behavior
c. Research findings
6. Consent
a. Surface consent vs. informed consent
b. Different frameworks on consent and BDSM

References

Instructor

Maria Carrington, LICSW

Maria Carrington is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Certified Sex Therapist in Lakewood, Washington. She has extensive experience working with people in the poly and kink communities. She has training and experience working with clients who identify as LGBTQ, transgender, non-binary, and other non heteronormative identities and orientations.

Additional Information

Format and Length:

Recorded video format (non-interactive). Total running time 78 minutes.

Topic Area:

Clinical Practice

Instructional Level:

Intermediate. This course assumes graduate-level knowledge of sexuality and sexual behavior.

Completion Requirements:

To obtain your CE certificate, you must progress through all course segments, complete a satisfaction survey, and obtain a score of 80% or higher on a course completion quiz. Learners are expected to complete the quiz within a reasonable number of attempts, and may be blocked from completing the course and receiving their certificate if unable to do so.

Completion Quiz and Course Evaluation:

After watching course videos, the course completion quiz will be available to complete, followed by the course evaluation.

Who Should Attend:

Psychologists, counselors, masters or doctoral level clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists.

Publication and Review Dates:

Course Published: November 14, 2020 

Financial Support Statement:

SimplePractice pays course presenters for their teaching. There is no other financial support for this course.

Conflict of Interest Statement:

There is no potential conflict of interest or outside commercial support for this course.

Refund Policy:

Click here to see our policies on attendance, refunds, grievances, and accessibility, and other frequently asked questions. Click here to contact us or submit a grievance.

Contact Information:

For any inquiries related to subject matter guidance, correction, grading, comments, or problem resolution please contact us.

System Requirements:

Please ensure your device meets our system requirements.

Continuing Education Approvals:

SimplePractice is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. SimplePractice maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course provides 1 hour of continuing education (1 CE credit) for psychologists.

SimplePractice has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6961. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. SimplePractice is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

SimplePractice has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6961. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. SimplePractice is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

SimplePractice, #1749, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Simple Practice maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 07/06/2021 – 07/06/2024. Social workers participating in this course will receive 1 continuing education credit in the Clinical topic area.

SimplePractice is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LPCCs, LCSWs, and LEPs (CAMFT CEPA provider #145276). SimplePractice maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course meets the qualifications for 1 hour of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

SimplePractice is approved as a Rule/Statute Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling. Note that we do not automatically report CE completion to CE Broker at this time, so certificates of completion must be manually uploaded. Click here for more information.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0582. 

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0030.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0091.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0206.

This course is not part of our continuing education program approved through NAADAC. Click here to view our complete CE approval information, or check out our collection of NAADAC approved courses.