kink-aware professionals
You deserve care from people who understand that kink between consenting adults isn't a problem to be fixed. A kink-aware professional can focus on what you actually came in for, without you having to defend how you play. These directories and organisations are a good place to start.
We don't run, vet or endorse any of these organisations or the professionals they list. Check anyone's qualifications and licence yourself. See our legal policies.
find a professional
- Kink & Polyamory Aware Professionals (KAP)A free directory, started by the community in the 1990s, of therapists, doctors, lawyers and other professionals knowledgeable about kink and non-monogamy. Most listings are in the US, with some international ones.
- Pink TherapyA UK directory of therapists who specialise in gender, sexual and relationship diversity, including kink and non-monogamy. Many offer online sessions.
- GLMA provider directoryA US directory of LGBTQ+-inclusive doctors and health providers. It's a good start for sexual health and primary care, even when kink isn't listed.
legal help from ncsf
The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom is a US organisation that advocates for the rights of kink, leather, fetish and non-monogamous communities.
- Incident Reporting & ResponseFree, confidential help if you face discrimination, harassment, custody problems, job loss, police trouble or a legal case because of kink or non-monogamy.
- Consent CountsA project to change how the law treats consent in BDSM.
- Legal resourcesExplainers on consent and the law, including how the American Law Institute's revised Model Penal Code treats consent to BDSM, plus cease-and-desist templates for defamation and a guide for US military members.
- State-by-state lawsHow US state laws treat consent, assault and related issues.
Laws on consent and BDSM vary a lot. In many places, including England and Wales and most US states, consent is not a legal defence once an injury goes beyond something minor, however clearly it was given. Local LGBTQ+ legal organisations are often the best first contact outside the US.
talking to a professional
- Ask before you book. "Are you comfortable working with clients who practise BDSM or kink?" is a fair question, and a good professional will answer it plainly.
- Tell your doctor what's relevant to the problem you came in with, such as how an injury happened. You don't have to share more than that.
- Watch for red flags: a therapist who treats your kink as the cause of everything, insists you stop, or seems more curious than helpful.
- Confidentiality has limits. Ask what a therapist or doctor would have to report where you live.
