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Self-Care For The Kinky
U s kinky folk are drawn to the more expressive types of sex and intimacy for lots of reasons, and one major theme is usually some type of trauma we’re working out. Emotional, mental, physical, childhood — you name it, we’ve probably had it, and we’re working our asses off in an effort to clean house, be stable, and live as productive citizens who put love out into the world in every kinky way possible. Dr. Joe Kort, a sex and relationship therapist who teaches in the University of Michigan Sexual Health Certificate Program advocates for kinky sex and play as a healthy way to work through issues.
“The benefits are the same as children who have had traumatic things happen and then engage in play therapy,” says Kort. “BDSM/kink/fetish — and truthfully all sex — is ‘play therapy.’ People are working out all kinds of things through sex. As long as it is open, honest and negotiated in safe and respectful ways between two or more adults, it is a release that can be very healing and pleasurable.”
But, beyond kink, a self-care practice can help us stay healthy.
