About Us

Our Story

Beyond Normative was born out of many long conversations (okay, many rants) between Ari and Rose about the state of kink and BDSM education available to mental health clinicians. Both Ari and Rose have witnessed the genuine interest and desire among clinicians to become better informed about working with these populations, particularly when kink and BDSM intersect with other marginalized identities (queer, trans, neurodivergent, BIPOC). Yet, much of the education they encountered offered only a surface-level understanding of kink.

As two people deeply invested in the BDSM community and the well-being of those who inhabit it, Ari and Rose know how impactful community education and deeper clinician education can be.

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Rather than keep having the same conversations (and, okay, the same rants), Ari and Rose decided to do something about it.

And thus, Beyond Normative and its initial offering, When Power is the Relationship, was born.