The Ledger
On an online discussion group for therapists …
Therapist No. 1 wrote in: “The husband has developed an interest in BDSM practices and is insisting his wife participate with him. The wife is seriously turned off by the new games and doesn’t want to play. Suggestions?”
Therapist No. 2 responded: “Well, no one should be expected to do things against their wishes, but what is BDSM?”
Therapist No. 3 responded: “BDSM = Bondage and Discipline, Sadomasochism.”
Therapist No. 4 chimes in and suggests that kinky clients deserve “kink-aware” therapists who understand their needs and lifestyle. He offers a directory of kink-aware therapists. Vanilla therapists need to stick to vanilla clients, “vanilla” meaning tending to practice the more familiar expressions of sexual love and avoiding the “walk on the wild side.”
Where we camp out on the continuum of kink is a matter of individual choice. It gets more challenging when partners have to blend their respective desires into one sex life. Negotiations become extremely difficult when one lover is “vanilla” to the point of being resistant to trying any new sexual activities.
The flip side is the challenge of a partner who has a persistent desire for a particular sex act that is unappealing, frightening or repugnant. Rigid insistence on having it your way can lead to major resentments. …