Kink and trauma
What is trauma play in BDSM?
Trauma play is the consensual reenactment of scenes or themes tied to past harm. People engage in it for different reasons, including processing, reclaiming agency, intensity, or finding meaning in something that once happened to them without their consent.
Like all kink, trauma play carries risk, but it sure has potential for emotional payoff, which is why preparation, negotiation and aftercare matter so much.
If you 're curious to learn more, I offer trauma-informed kink coaching and teach trauma play as a workshop. Check out my coaching services here and keep an eye out for classes on trauma play on my events page.
Important distinction: It sure is different from child play therapy, which is where most search results for the phrase lead!
What separates a supportive scene from a destabilizing one is preparation, trust, clear communication in the conversations before and after, and a plan for what happens if things go badly. It is an advanced practice and a part of edge play, and it is worth learning the basics of kink, and of how trauma shows up, first.
Keep reading: Trauma Play 101: How To Play Intense Without Playing Unsafe
Written for the kink community by Aidan Sunassee.