It's important not to use "therapeutic" and "therapy" synonymously.

You can be stressed, have sex, and feel better afterwards. That's therapeutic.

You can have a problem, such as a trauma that created lasting psychological effects, and see a person who consciously applies treatment modalities with the goal of transforming those effects. That's therapy.

So, yes, anything we do can be therapeutic, including kink. But that doesn't make it therapy.

Can it be therapy? I think it's possible. The problem is that one's healing process can easily be undermined by making it erotic (you're practically asking for transference, for one). It's why ethical regulations in the professional practice of psychology say you can't do the sexy with your patients.




Why roll your eyes, Asp? If you aren't interested in how people may use their sexuality as a means to heal then simply disregard them.



The truth is that it is valuable to people. It may not be to you, or others reading this, but using BDSM as a tool for healing has created tangible change for people.

And as far as trying to legitimize sex work: I personally like to somewhat normalize the erotic trade, reduce the fear and stigma around it, and find ways to help people relate to it. I believe this will help get certain activities decriminalized.

One way to do this is to get people to understand that what sex workers do isn't just tits and dicks and fucking and cum (or whips and chains and whatever else people think we do), but it includes companionship, intimacy, acceptance (sometimes radically so), and even forms of love. Sure, for some it is just getting off, but I bet that most people -- especially those who are more serious participants -- would say that it's helped them feel better in a multitude of ways.