Workshop Series on Relationship Counseling: Inclusive Therapy Skills for Pleasure, Polyamory & Queer Affirmation

At Karma Care, we are committed to fostering inclusive, affirming, and empirical-based counselling practices. This internship program is designed for mental health professionals and students seeking to expand their understanding of relationship diversity, pleasure, and queer-affirmative therapy. Through this workshop series, participants will develop essential skills to work with clients across diverse gender and sexual identities, relationship structures, and pleasure paradigms.

Topics Covered

• Understanding Pleasure & Privilege: Pleasure is often viewed as a luxury rather than a fundamental part of well-being. This session unpacks the sociocultural factors that shape access to pleasure, including privilege, stigma, and systemic barriers. Participants will learn how to integrate pleasure-focused approaches into therapy while recognizing their own biases and social positioning. 
• Kink Affirmative Counselling: Kink is frequently misunderstood and pathologized in mainstream mental health spaces. This session will equip participants with kink-aware and kink-affirmative therapy skills, enabling them to create safe, non-judgmental spaces for individuals practicing non-conventional expressions of intimacy.
• Poly Affirmative Therapy: With more individuals exploring consensual non-monogamy, it is crucial for therapists to provide informed and affirming support. This session covers relationship dynamics, communication challenges, and boundary-setting in polyamorous relationships, offering tools to navigate the complexities of multiple-partner connections.
• Asexuality & Pleasure: Asexuality is often misunderstood or dismissed in discussions about intimacy and pleasure. This session explores the spectrum of asexual identities, the role of intimacy beyond sexual attraction, and how to support asexual clients in navigating societal expectations and relationship dynamics.