This is a class I (dawn) have been teaching for many, many years. After our first OLF (Ohio Leather Fest) at the beginning of our relationship, I knew this was something I wanted to teach. People were asking questions about it and there weren't many presenters that were willing to talk about it at the time. I had been working on my healing path. So, I decided it was going to be a class. It took a couple of years before I thought I was ready. Then, I taught it to a local group, had asked for war stories not to be shared, but of course someone decided not to follow the rules. I had a panic attack, turned my back on the audience. Dan stepped in to block me, pressed his back against mine as he took the steps to stop the person telling the details. and reached back and held my hand. I was able to get myself under control, but realized I still wasn't ready.
Another year passes while I continue to go to therapy and work on my self and my reactions. Then, it was time to present the class again. I put up big signs around the room that stated 'No War Stories Allowed'. Then, I explained that I would not be sharing my details and that I wanted no one else to share theirs. This was a workshop about tools. And that I truly believed everyone needs to shine the light on their details or their trauma, at a workshop at a kink event was not the place to do it, as I'm not good at providing aftercare. I haven't had an issue since then.
It's never a packed class, and Dan doesn't have to tag along with me anymore like he did at the beginning. But, the class has the people in it that need to hear what I have to share about my journey and the tools I've used and the tools Dan has used with me. Both submissives and Dominants can learn from what I have to share.
So, instead of the little chapter about this that I put in our Power Exchange book 10 years ago, 'Living M/s'....I've written a much larger, more thorough chapter (with 10 more years experience added to it), for our next book. No title yet for the book. Soon.
And as a gift to our $5.00+ patrons, we have wrapped it up as a 27 page e-book that you can get right now when you become a patron of us and our podcast, Erotic Awakening.
I wish each of you a healthy and healing journey.
~dawn
www.patreon.com/eroticawakening