Sometimes this podcast is about what BLOCKS us from opening deeply. When I heard Sunny's episode on American Sex about grooming within the kink scene, I knew that I wanted to be sure that Open Deeply listeners heard it as well. So we are reposting it here!. Adult grooming is often misunderstood — from what it looks like, to who is most vulnerable, what types of people groom, and why — most assume it can’t happen to them. The fact is, grooming comes in many forms and can happen in any type of relationship – including BDSM dynamics. And because kink often involves power imbalances, it can be especially difficult to recognize in this context.

Whether you’re new to kink or a seasoned veteran, this episode will give you the tools to spot unhealthy power dynamics in BDSM and deconstruct preconceived notions of what manipulative abuse looks like, who can do it, and why. You’ll also learn:

- The six stages of grooming as they apply to D/s dynamics

- How to recognize coercive abuse in BDSM relationships

- How pop culture kink stereotypes fuel grooming within BDSM

- The end goal of the groomer’s behavior

- How my breakable rules analysis can help you spot unhealthy kink & more

Sunny's bio related to kink:

Sunny began teaching about BDSM in 2010. Her area of expertise is the soft skills--which center around things like ethics, cultivating self-awareness, and strategies for effective communication. She received a FROST Certificate of Gratitude in 2020 honoring her service to the kink community, was voted XBIZ sexpert of the year in 2021, and Kinkly’s sex blogging superhero in 2017. Her alternative sexuality focused podcast American Sex was awarded the AASECT podcast award in 2020. Sunny also creates curriculum about BDSM for sexuality professionals. Some of her most recent projects include designing & teaching the BDSM unit for a well-known sex educator certification program plus a lesson for the Sexual Health Alliance’s Kink Informed Certification Program for therapists and other care professionals. Sunny’s first book, Customizable Kink: A Strategic Guide to Erotic Play is scheduled to be released in 2022.

How to find Sunny Megatron:

Website: http://sunnymegatron.com

Facebook http://facebook.com/sunnymegatron

Twitter http://twitter.com/sunnymegatron

Instagram http://instagram.com/sunnymegatron

Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/sunnymegatron

American Sex Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/2HroMhWJnyZbMSsOBKwBnk

How to find Kate Loree:

Website http://kateloree.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kateloreelmft

Twitter http://twitter.com/kateloreelmft

Tiktok http://tiktok.com/opendeeplywithkateloree

Instagram http://instagram.com/opendeeplywithkateloree

YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/UCSTFAqGYKW3sIUa0tKivbqQ

Open Deeply podcast is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Please know this episode has themes of sexual and emotional abuse and neglect. If you catch yourself becoming emotionally overwhelmed by this episode’s content, please get support. Call a friend, therapist, or an emotional support hotline, such as 988.