The Journal of Kink & Community Has Arrived
At Progressive Therapeutic Collective, we work at the intersection of therapy, sexuality, trauma, and justice. We’ve long wished for a journal that could hold all of that - with care, clarity, and consent.
This month, that wish came true.
On 1 July 2025, the Journal of Kink & Community officially launched - a new, open-access, peer-reviewed journal exploring the ethical, cultural, and therapeutic dimensions of kink and BDSM.
It’s the first of its kind.
Why It Matters
Kink has always existed. But too often, it’s been misunderstood - pathologised, sensationalised, or erased from clinical and academic spaces.
This journal changes that.
Led by Editor-in-Chief Dr. Yulinda Renee Rahman (Doc YuRoc) — a trauma-informed, board-certified, kink-conscious sex therapist and clinical sexologist — the Journal of Kink & Community brings together voices from across the field: researchers, clinicians, educators, practitioners, and community members.
Together, they’re creating a home for:
Kink-informed trauma recovery models
Somatic and symbolic healing through BDSM
Ethical frameworks for kink and power exchange
Cultural reflections on stigma, consent, and liberation
Practical insights for therapists, educators, and clients
And they’re doing it without paywalls. The journal is open-access, multilingual, and explicitly committed to breaking down traditional academic gatekeeping.
What’s Inside the First Issue?
The inaugural issue is titled:
Opening Doors: The Intersection of Kink, Community, and Ethical Practice
It includes:
Therapeutic BDSM™ & Self-Reconciliation Therapy, by Dr. Rahman — exploring BDSM as a healing framework for trauma, particularly in Black women.
PERK: Principles of Ethical Relational Kink, from the Kink Professional Standards Alliance — outlining best practice principles for therapists, educators, and community leaders.
Community essays and lived experiences, including Silence in the Exam Room, which reflects on racism, sex work stigma, and clinical care.
This journal doesn’t just analyse kink — it honours it.
Why We’re Excited
At PTC, we’re proud to be a kink-affirming practice. We support our clients to explore their desires, dynamics, and erotic identities with curiosity and consent. We know kink can be a site of healing, empowerment, and community — and we see it every day in our work.
So when a journal emerges that blends rigorous research with real-world insight, and centres ethics, liberation, and community, we pay attention.
We didn’t create the Journal of Kink & Community. But we’re deeply grateful to those who did.
We’ll be reading every issue - and we hope you will too.
Explore the journal here: https://journalofkink.community
Want to talk to a therapist who understands kink? Get in touch with us.