This case study presents some specific highlights in the work with a client over the course of 6 years, from a time when he saw BDSM/kink as a shameful fantasy to a fuller acceptance of it as part of his identity. It demonstrates how clinical professionals can support the exploration and acceptance of alternative sexual activities and identities. Significant milestones in treatment that will be presented include eradicating shame, self-acceptance, moving beyond erotic fulfillment to identity, and the impact of relationship and community. The psychological frameworks presented in this article are psychoeducation, including metaphor and bibliotherapy; EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing); and Hakomi. Psychodynamic theory and narrative therapy were also employed in working with this client, but in more minimal ways, so they are not presented here.
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