Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What happens when a client's sexuality falls outside a therapist's experience?
In this episode of Therapist Confidential, Travis Heath sits down with certified sex therapist, educator, and forensic social worker Dr. Stefanie Goerlich to explore how clinicians can work more thoughtfully with clients whose sexual interests, identities, or relationships exist outside conventional norms.
Together they unpack common misunderstandings about kink and BDSM, why many forms of kink are far more common than therapists are taught to expect, why consent distinguishes healthy power exchange from abuse, and how to provide culturally informed care without pathologizing—or romanticizing—clients' sexual lives.
The conversation also ventures into Stefanie's work as a forensic expert witness, where questions about sexuality, stigma, and perceived deviance can have profound legal consequences.
Whether you're a seasoned clinician or simply curious about the complexities of human sexuality, this episode offers a nuanced conversation about assessment, ethics, and meeting clients in the context of their own lives.
What happens when a client's sexuality falls outside a therapist's experience?
In this episode of Therapist Confidential, Travis Heath sits down with certified sex therapist, educator, and forensic social worker Dr. Stefanie Goerlich to explore how clinicians can work more thoughtfully with clients whose sexual interests, identities, or relationships exist outside conventional norms.
Together they unpack common misunderstandings about kink and BDSM, why many forms of kink are far more common than therapists are taught to expect, why consent distinguishes healthy power exchange from abuse, and how to provide culturally informed care without pathologizing—or romanticizing—clients' sexual lives.
The conversation also ventures into Stefanie's work as a forensic expert witness, where questions about sexuality, stigma, and perceived deviance can have profound legal consequences.
Whether you're a seasoned clinician or simply curious about the complexities of human sexuality, this episode offers a nuanced conversation about assessment, ethics, and meeting clients in the context of their own lives.
