Imagine…
sitting in a therapy or counseling session. You want to talk about something directly or indirectly related to your kink. But suddenly you notice yourself holding back. You hesitate, leave out details, or fall silent. Because you don’t know whether the person across from you understands what you mean. Whether they really get you, or worse, jump to conclusions, judge your preferences, or even see them as pathological. In short, they label you.
Unfortunately, this still happens far more often than you’d think. Especially when it comes to sexuality, power, fetish, or non-monogamous relationship models. In traditional support systems, sexuality is still often viewed through a normative lens. Those who live outside that norm are quickly misunderstood or pathologized.
Many people in kink or poly communities know the feeling: taking that first step toward professional support can feel like jumping into cold water.
Why Kink Aware Professionals?
This is where Kink Aware Professionals, or KAPs, come in. These are specialists from various fields such as psychotherapy, counseling, coaching, medicine, law, sex education, and more, who explicitly engage with kink, BDSM, and alternative relationship models. They bring knowledge, experience, and an attitude that goes far beyond mere openness.
The term originally comes from the United States. In the 1990s, a network was created there to bring together kink-competent therapists. Initially, the focus was on supporting people seeking help in the field of psychotherapy, but over time, the areas of medicine and law were added.
Today, the idea is widespread internationally. In Germany, for example, the association BDSM Berlin provides a regional list, which can be found at sm-outing.de.
Since 2020, however, there has been another initiative serving the entire German-speaking region: the Kink Aware & Poly Aware Professionals Association in Austria, or KAPA for short. Under the leadership of President Natascha Ditha Berger, the association continues this concept beyond the field of therapy and, through kapa-expert.com, creates a space where professionals can connect, exchange ideas, and become visible. People who truly know what they’re talking about. And yes, you’ve guessed it: this isn’t just an informational piece, it’s also an announcement. But more on that later.
What KAPA does
KAPA isn’t just a static directory. It’s an active platform with multiple purposes.
- Directory and Search: People seeking support can find verified, kink-aware professionals in German-speaking regions, with filters, specialties, and detailed profiles.
- Quality and Transparency: KAPA promotes quality through supervision, peer review, and professional exchange within its network.
- Education and Visibility: The platform raises awareness by publishing articles, offering resources, and helping make kink and poly topics less taboo.
- Diverse Disciplines: Beyond psychological counseling, KAPA also includes medical, legal, educational, coaching, and other professional fields, all informed by an awareness of kink and poly communities.
- Integration of Specific Topics:
• Sex counseling in the context of BDSM, fetish, and intimacy
• Negotiation of consent, boundaries, safewords, and aftercare
• Emotions such as jealousy, compersion, and time management in poly or open relationships
• Identity and coming-out processes, shame, discrimination, and internalized norms
• Protection from pathologization and retraumatization
• Practical strategies and affirmation for people navigating stigma or unsafe environments - Efficient and Supportive: Because you don’t have to test whether someone is the right fit, you save energy and emotional strain. KAPA does the groundwork, helping you find a trustworthy professional more quickly.
Three Levels of Awareness
KAPA distinguishes between three levels.
- Kink-Friendly: Shows goodwill but lacks deep understanding and specialized knowledge. It’s a good start but rarely enough for competent support.
- Kink-Aware: Indicates specific knowledge about concepts, practices, and the culture of kink and polyamory, usually based on direct experience working with clients from these communities.
- Kink-Competent: Represents advanced knowledge and an affirming, supportive stance, often described as “kink affirmative.”
Everyone listed on kapa-expert.com operates at least at the “aware” level. Their core philosophy is non-pathologization. Kink, BDSM, or polyamorous relationships are not seen as conditions to be corrected, but as valid forms of identity and expression.
Our Partnership: Deviance and the Kink Aware Professionals Association (KAPA)
At Deviance, it’s about creating spaces where people can fully be themselves, with everything that comes with it. That also means ensuring access to professionals who understand and respect this diversity. And yes, you guessed it: we’re proud to announce our partnership with KAPA Austria.
Why It Matters
- We’re expanding the network of professionals who truly know what they’re talking about.
- Members of the BDSM, fetish, and poly communities gain easier access to competent support.
- Together we increase visibility for topics that still live too often in the shadows.
- We’re taking a stand for respect, for resource-oriented care, and for spaces where you don’t have to explain yourself.
In short: we’re creating more visibility, more access, and more safety for everyone seeking support without judgment. A collaboration that strengthens not only our network but the entire community.
Learn more about KAPA and the association’s mission here, or go straight to the list of active professionals on kapa-expert.com.
