Kinky, Poly, NRE, and Mental Health with Guest: April (TW: SA)

Sage in Time: The Podcast

Summary
TW: Sexual Assault, Violence
This is the Pilot episode of the Sage in Time Podcast hosted by Derek Wittman, LMHC, LPC. His guest, April Strickland, a kinky poly podcasting business owner, discusses her experiences and insights into polyamory and BDSM. She explains the differences between polyamory and BDSM, emphasizing the importance of informed consent and communication in ethical non-monogamy. April shares her journey of coming out to her family and the challenges she faced, including setting boundaries and dealing with abandonment trauma. She also discusses the concept of hierarchy in relationships and the impact of NRE (new relationship energy).
April explores the intersection of mental health and polyamory, highlighting the need for self-care and navigating endings well. April discusses the impact of trauma on her dating life and personal identity. She shares how the experience of rape has changed her internally while everything externally remains the same. April talks about the process of adjusting to a new normal and grieving the loss of her old self. She highlights the effectiveness of EMDR therapy in softening the sharp edges of her trauma and allowing her to regain control of her life.
She emphasizes the importance of working on mental health and the challenges and rewards of therapy. She also discusses the supportive role of loved ones and the need for education and support in the aftermath of trauma. April shares her experiences in the kink community, highlighting its welcoming and non-judgmental nature. She introduces her podcast 'Freaks, Kinks, and Geeks' and the resources available on their website, Freaks, Kinks, and Geeks.
Takeaways

• Polyamory and BDSM are separate lifestyles, but there can be overlap, especially with ethical non-monogamy.
• Informed consent and communication are crucial in ethical non-monogamy, and boundaries should be set to protect oneself.
• Coming out to family and navigating their reactions can be challenging, but setting boundaries and seeking therapy support can be helpful.
• Hierarchy exists in most relationships, but striving for autonomy and recognizing individual connections is important.
• Challenges in mental health can impact polyamorous relationships, and self-care is essential in navigating these challenges. Trauma can have a profound impact on a person's dating life and personal identity, leading to internal changes while everything externally remains the same

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If you live in New York or Pennsylvania, or know someone who does, and might be interested in learning more about working with me in the context of mental health therapy, check out my profile on PsychologyToday.com or at the Sage in Time website. Unfortunately, I am not able to accept any Managed Medicare or Medicaid, regardless of the branding.
I am a sex-positive mental health counselor who specializes in griefwork and working within the space of non-traditional lifestyles, offering services to individuals, couples, families, other systems of multiple individuals.
A special thank you to Melissa Reagan for providing the voice talent over the episode theme music.
Disclaimer may be found at the Sage in Time website and covers the website as well as the podcast, podcast host, and podcast guests.