BDSM Basics & Talking Kink in Therapy
Kink and BDSM are still heavily thought of with disdain. Misclassified as some sort of deviance, participating in the intimacy and lifestyles associated with BDSM may still feel rather isolating due to harmful myths. But it doesn’t have to be this way. For so many folx who identify as kinky or use BDSM dynamics as a part of their relationship structure, the positive impacts on mental wellness will come as no surprise. Let’s talk about them anyway.
This is the Isolating Truth About Anxiety
You do not always need to be a Strong Black Woman, but you might feel like you do. It’s a shitty and unfair expectation that’s been put on us through societal pressure and an expectation that we bear the burden of discomfort, so others don’t have to. When that pressure manifests itself as anxiety, the feeling of being alone and utterly lost can become isolating.
Hot Take: Imposter Syndrome is Sometimes Just Racism
Doubting yourself and your abilities is often called “imposter syndrome.” But could this term be misused to avoid acknowledging how decades of oppression and prejudice in professional spaces impair minority mental health and performance? In a world where biased corporate and social systems make people who identify as BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ feel like they’re taking up space and force them to prove their humanity and abilities, it’s time to recognize that imposter syndrome isn’t a problem individuals have or need to fix. It’s sometimes just racism and bias from systems that historically view BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ folx as outsiders. In online therapy and in-person sessions at Essence of Healing in California, clients are encouraged to discover, grow, and embrace their authentic selves. They're seen for who they are, not the frauds systemic racism makes them feel like or who society says they are.