BDSM has become increasingly visible in popular culture, but how much do people really understand about dominance and submission? Being dominant doesn't necessarily mean being aggressive or controlling, just as being submissive doesn't mean being weak or powerless. In fact, healthy power exchange often looks very different from what we see in the media. In this episode, we're separating fact from fiction and exploring the real psychology of kink.
My guest is Shelby Devlin, a sex and intimacy coach, educator, and author specializing in BDSM, kink, and fetish. With over twenty years of experience in the BDSM community, she blends academic expertise with hands-on practice as a coach and instructor at the Somatica Institute. She is author of the new book The Pleasure Protocol: A Contemporary Guide to BDSM.
Some of the specific topics we cover include:
You can check out Shelby's website to learn more.
Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.
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If you're looking to gain a broad understanding of human sexuality or refresh your knowledge, check out the upcoming Human Sexuality Intensive courses at the Kinsey Institute: https://kinseyinstitute.org/learning/human-sexuality-intensive.html
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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest (credit: Alyssa Keys).