Interested in having me present for your event or group? Contact me!
I most often teach on play piercing & hypnokink. If you’re looking for an introductory workshop on using hypodermic needles, Needles 101: Practicum is a great choice and includes hands-on practice time to establish muscle memory. For both beginners and people already familiar with hypodermics, Small but Fierce is a popular choice. If you’re in search of an introduction to hypnosis, Mutual Trance for Couples, Hypnokink for Sadists and Masochists, and Slipping into Hypnosis each approach the topic from a different angle.
I also present on other forms of SM, power exchange / authority transfer relationships, event planning, and negotiation. One of the classes I’m currently most excited about is Making It Worse: Collusion as Active Consent.
The list below has descriptions for these and many more of my classes. I always have new classes in the development phase, and I’m glad to create or adapt workshops to fit an event.
A Painful Frame of Reference: Stabbing, Burning, and More
Hypnotic suggestions of pain can fall flat if someone doesn’t have a frame of reference for what the specific sensation feels like. Through demos and optional hands-on practice, you’ll learn to use lancets, surgical staples, and other simple tools to expand your sadistic repertoire. Then, we’ll discuss using these skills to lay the groundwork for a wide variety of hypnotic scenes.
(for audiences with existing knowledge of hypnokink)
But Thou Must! with LeocantoKosta
“Always use your subjects’ modalities.” “Never use negatives in your suggestions.” Sound familiar? We’ve all heard “the rules” that we need to follow in order for hypnosis to be effective. But what happens when you break them? Come watch Najalaise and Chris put the rules to the test and see just how flexible hypnosis can be. Have you been wondering about something that you’ve been assured is impossible? Is there something that you’re certain is one of the few hard and fast laws of hypnosis? Bring it!
(for audiences with existing knowledge of hypnokink)
Charting the Hypnotic Constellation: Recognizing Signs of Trance
The physical manifestations of hypnosis- the glassy gazes, the soft faces- can be among the hottest aspects of a scene. For hypnotists, this class will be a chance to hone your skills in recognizing those physical signs, so that you’re able to stay perfectly in step with your partners as they move into trance. For subjects/hypnotees, this class will be an opportunity for group trance, and for building increased self-knowledge about your own process of going into hypnosis. Switches can get the best of both worlds, using trance to quickly internalize powerful skills.
(for audiences with existing knowledge of hypnokink)
Combinatorial Creativity in Kink
Unleashing your creativity when planning scenes makes the process more absorbing and often results in play that’s more satisfying- and makes a better story later. “Combinatorial” creativity is the view of creativity as a process which synthesizes multiple ideas, concepts, or skillsets, sometimes in unexpected ways. This workshop will not attempt to teach you how to be creative. We all have that skill already. Instead, we’ll explore ways to keep the creative machinery fed with new and diverse tidbits, to build contexts which incite imaginative thinking, and to use the camaraderie we find at kink events to build lasting collaborative connections.
This workshop is geared toward tops who are interested in making their scenes “as beautiful as the chance meeting on a dissecting-table of a sewing-machine and an umbrella.”
Crafting Clear Invitations
The way a workshop is described or an event is promoted tells potential attendees whether it is designed for them and whether they will be welcome. Without clarity in these invitations, the intended audience of an event may choose not to attend. Worse, people may attend only to find that they feel unwelcome, unsafe, or that they have wasted their time. Through discussion and exercises, we will explore ways to hone our event descriptions to invite exactly the people who will get the most out of the event or group.
Getting Physical: Adding SM to Hypnotic Play
Including physical sadomasochism in your hypnosis play can invigorate your creativity, add exciting visual elements to a scene, and leave marks that can act as tangible reminders of your fun. Whether you’re just starting to explore pain play or you’re always hungry for new ideas, join us for demos and a lively facilitated discussion. Depending on group interest, demos may include face-slapping as an induction, a dimmer switch slider made of surgical staples, fearsome eye fixation methods, and more. In each demo, you’ll not only see one way to combine SM with hypnosis, you’ll also get a brief lesson in how to use the implement or technique & the risks to consider. Demos will have opportunities for tops as well as bottoms to participate if desired. Afterward, share your own ideas and experiences with us!
(for audiences with existing knowledge of hypnokink)
Getting Under Their Skin & Into Their Head: Hypnosis Through Needle Play
If you enjoy play piercing, you know how effectively it can change mental and emotional states. This quality makes it a perfect, though unusual, vehicle for hypnokink. Through demonstrations and discussion, you’ll learn to use your existing needle skills to create a smooth induction into trance, a very tangible trigger for a post-hypnotic suggestion, and much more.
While this class will touch on safety considerations, this is not an introduction to play piercing.
Hands, Bare and Gloved
Even if your toybag is at home, you most likely have your hands with you. In this workshop, learn how to use these intimate tools effectively. Slapping, punching, poking, pinching, and more will be discussed, with tips on technique and safety. We’ll also take a brief look at going beyond the bare necessities and using gloves, from exam gloves to weighted-knuckle gloves. This class is designed as an overview for newer players, and will include ideas to bring into play immediately & thoughts on additional education you may want if your interest is piqued!
Hypnokink for Sadists and Masochists
Curious about adding hypnosis to your kink toolset? If you play with SM or bondage, it’s likely that you’ve already encountered mental states (in yourself or others) which are very similar to hypnotic trance. This demo-heavy workshop will show you how to use existing kinky skills to create hallucinated experiences, make training faster, and more! We’ll also discuss negotiation, rapport, and other details of ensuring that it’s a great experience for all involved.
Hypnotized to Obey: Trance & Training
Behavior modification and training can be faster, easier, and simply hotter with hypnosis. This hands-on workshop is designed for couples in committed D/s relationships. Through a series of guided exercises with individual instruction, you’ll learn to go into trance or take your partner into trance. Then, we’ll explore establishing post-hypnotic triggers and rewards, thinking through possible outcomes, and setting training goals. If you’re ready to embark on an exciting new training journey with your partner, come take the first steps together!
If I Want Your Feelings, I’ll Give Them to You
What do fear, anxiety, sexual excitement, euphoria, and anger have in common? They’re all associated with physiological arousal- that feeling of quickened breathing and pulse- and they’re all basically interchangeable using hypnosis. If you’re interested in getting your hands dirty in manipulating emotions, join this interactive class ready to engage in some scheming.
(for audiences with existing knowledge of hypnokink)
What do dread, rage, sexual excitement, euphoria, and panic have in common? They’re all associated with physiological arousal- that feeling you get when your heart beats faster, your blood pressure goes up, your pupils dilate, and perhaps you start to sweat- and they’re all interchangeable using hypnosis. If you’re interested in negotiated emotional manipulation, this hands-on workshop will show you simple but not at all relaxing ways to induce hypnosis, demonstrate methods of eliciting emotional responses and substituting one feeling for another, discuss negotiation and risk mitigation, and help you dream up ways to use these tactics in your scenes. No existing knowledge of hypnosis is needed, but please be aware that the content will include fearplay and may be intense or troubling for some attendees.
(for audiences which are new to hypnokink)
Indelible: Permanently Marking Property
The decision to mark your human property is a momentous one and deserves careful investigation of the techniques, risks, and probable outcomes. We’ll begin with an overview of many methods, then proceed to demonstrations selected based on attendee interest. Afterward, we’ll discuss attendees’ experiences with different forms of permanent and semi-permanent marking, allowing us to gather the considerable knowledge of our community and better understand how results can differ from person to person. Please bring your stories and questions, and if you’re willing, we’d love to see your marks!
Making It Worse: Collusion as Active Consent
Enthusiastic consent can be a difficult metric to use when negotiating edgeplay. When a scene idea is fearsome, dreadful, disgusting, or shameful, will enthusiasm be obvious? We’ll begin with demos rife with dirty talk, then pair up for a series of negotiation exercises, exploring ways for bottoms to become co-conspirators and for tops to distinguish between consent and assent. Establishing trust in the quality of consent, whether with new or long-time partners, will allow your play to blossom in ways that are both filthy and alarming.
More Than Skin Deep
Once you’re comfortable putting needles in skin, what if you want to go further? This class will highlight multiple locations on the body which are both easy to locate and safe to stab with needles. If you’re interested in causing more pain, curious what bones feel like when poked, or just enamored with fearful reactions, these are tricks you’ll want to learn. Demos and the opportunity to practice on the presenter will be included. This class assumes some knowledge of play piercing.
Mutual Trance for Couples
Bring an accomplice: the meat of this workshop is the partnered exercises. We’ll explore light trance states which don’t require an induction or any knowledge of hypnosis, much less a memorized script. This is a simple way to ease into erotic hypnosis, and can also help you build skills useful in other types of play. Established couples can use this workshop to reinforce the rapport and knowledge of one another they’ve already built, while folks negotiating pick-up play will have the opportunity to construct a foundation for intimate adventures.
Needles: Basics to Bondage with Sophia Sky
Join us to learn the basics of needle play, then explore ways to use temporary piercings to create devious restraints or inventive predicaments. You’ll learn about safety and skin anatomy, gain palpation skills to inform your needle placement, and practice piercing the uncomplaining (citrus) needle bottoms we’ll provide. Then, you’ll have time to try out these skills with a friend, or bring your curiosities & scene ideas to an interactive demo where you can see how your suggestions play out!
Needles 101: Practicum
Want to penetrate a partner in new ways? This introduction to playing with hypodermic needles will have a substantial practice component, so that you’ll leave with knowledge, skills, and new muscle memory. You’ll learn to set up your scene space, decide on needle placement for pain or aesthetics, minimize risks, and add the extra touches to make your needle scenes memorable. Supplies and (inanimate) practice bottoms will be provided.
Needles 201: Dialing In The Intensity
Once you’re familiar with the fundamentals of play piercing, the next step is to learn to get the scene you want.
Is the scene you envision
…cruelly sadistic with minimal marks?
…artistic and involved, requiring prolonged endurance?
…mild, providing a reassuring introduction to play piercing?
…hedonistic and focused on endorphins?
…terrifying, with lasting souvenirs on the skin?
This workshop will address which variables you can change and what effect they’re likely to have, as well as introduce advanced techniques sure to get a reaction. Multiple demos will highlight tricks from needle bondage to face needles, and you’ll have opportunities to volunteer to participate either as a top or as a bottom. Through discussion, demonstration, and optional hands-on experience, you’ll learn to adeptly dial in the intensity of your scenes.
This class is best for tops, bottoms, and switches familiar with the basics of play piercing. All genders, orientations, and pairings are enthusiastically welcome.
Negotiating Hypnotic Edgeplay
Darker themes have a nearly irresistible allure for some of us. Interrogation, rape, kidnapping, torture, and other nasty things show up with startling frequency in our fantasy lives, and hypnosis is one of the best ways to bring a fantasy to life. However, just because it’s hypnotic doesn’t mean there are no risks. Can we mitigate those risks enough to go forward? How can we, as tops, build scenes which evoke mindblowingly painful emotional responses without causing lasting damage? How can we, as bottoms, dredge up our desires, communicate them accurately, become certain about what we wish to consent to, and develop our abilities to heal afterward? How can we, as partners in play, work together to share responsibility for our scenes, to see one another’s darkest desires without shame, and to glory in the places we’re able to go together? This roundtable discussion will seek to explore these questions, rather than offering answers.
(for audiences with existing knowledge of hypnokink)
New to the Scene, Drawn to the Edge
When you first enter the kink community, you may hear a lot of messages about what activities are appropriate to begin your explorations. People may steer you toward spanking, flogging, rope bondage, or sensation play and away from kinks which are perceived as more extreme, such as rape play, mindfucks, blood play, and more. What if edgeplay is precisely what draws you to kink, though? This discussion-focused class will address devising risk mitigation strategies, deciding on your individual acceptable risk profile, spotting red flags, and even research methods. Gain the tools to do what you desire!
Sadistic Eye Fixation
Eye fixation techniques have a long history of use as inductions, and hold a special place in the mind of anyone whose introduction to hypnosis came through popular culture. However, eye fixation inductions can also feel a little stale, precisely due to that long history. As always, there’s nothing like sadomasochism to spice things up!
(for audiences with existing knowledge of hypnokink)
Sadomasochists’ Nature Walk
This is a chance to get to know our gorgeous surroundings in a more intimate way. We’ll take a walk around the area and see what we can find to use to hurt one another, as well as identifying a few plants which may be better to avoid. Sadists, come learn to be MacGyver in the woods! Masochists and submissives, come gain perhaps more skill than you’d like in selecting and cutting your own switches! After this expedition, it’ll be time for demos both with what we’ve found and with plants which grow locally but may not be available on the grounds. Please wear sturdy shoes you don’t mind getting muddy.
(PNW only)
Self-Hypnosis as Self-Sabotage with PlatonicKnife
Deliberate vulnerability is a core part of what a submissive person can offer their dominant partner. Intentionally becoming open to another’s influence- whether that’s referred to as training, conditioning, brainwashing, or colonization- can be among the most frightening things we do, feeling very much like self-sabotage or throwing oneself under the bus. It can also be one of the most rewarding things we do.
This workshop will approach hypnotic conditioning from the standpoint of active bottoming, treating it as something submissives can do in collaboration with their partners. We’ll discuss possible hypnotic effects, negotiation and risk mitigation, practical skills, and a range of goals. Demos, exercises, and plenty of filthy stories will give attendees many ways to get started and possibilities to consider.
Both dominant and submissive perspectives will be included, and people of all roles are invited to attend. However, the skill-building exercises are designed to focus on submissives’ skillsets. This is edgeplay: while we’ll discuss our thinking regarding risks and our precautions, please come prepared to make your own risk assessments. Attendees of all sexes, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and relationship orientations are welcome. Therapeutic hypnosis is outside the scope of this class and will not be discussed.
Shame Spirals
Shame pursues many of us in our erotic adventures- and some of us pursue it in return. Exploring shame in play can deepen the excitement of taboos, add a new flavor to emotional sadomasochism, or simply give us permission to dive into whatever feelings come up. This workshop will feature ideas on how to begin deliberately and thoughtfully playing with shame, a group conversation about risks and rewards, and the stories we all bring with us. Depending on time and interest, this class may include demos with potentially troubling content. Opportunities to step out & return at the conclusion of the demo will be provided.
(for audiences with existing knowledge of hypnokink)
Shaping Obedience: Operant Conditioning for Couples
Behavior modification and training can be faster, easier, and simply hotter with hypnosis. The hands-on exercises in this workshop are designed for couples in committed D/s relationships, but people attending solo are welcome to participate in discussions and take notes for later adventures. Through a series of guided exercises, we’ll explore establishing post-hypnotic triggers and rewards, thinking through possible outcomes, and setting training goals.
Slap Me Down: Face Slapping as Kinesthetic Induction
A slap in the face is viscerally jarring, arousing emotion like very little else can. This makes it a splendid route to hypnosis! We’ll discuss technique, negotiation, safety, and hypnotic applications, with plenty of demos and even hands-on exercises. This workshop is appropriate for people with a basic understanding of hypnosis, whether or not they have any experience with BDSM.
(for audiences with existing knowledge of hypnokink)
Slipping Into Hypnosis: Easy Ways to Play with Trance
Whatever your kink, hypnosis is a versatile addition – you can make fantasies come true, reward obedience, do BDSM without toys, or simply connect more deeply with your partner. In this interactive workshop, taught from a switch’s perspective, we’ll discuss negotiation and risks, practice ways to improvise hypnotic inductions & suggestions that fit our scene plans, and learn to recognize the signs of trance in ourselves and others. Whether you’ve tried hypnosis before or not, you’ll leave with the tools for playful explorations.
Small but Fierce: Acupuncture Needles & Other Innocuous Sharps
Acupuncture needles and other tiny jabby things can be mild to the point of imperceptible, or they can be terrifying. Attendees will gain the skills and knowledge to explore both extremes of this continuum. No experience is required, but come prepared to see intense and/or squicky things. Demos and the opportunity to practice on the presenter will be included.
Training: Practicality & Pitfalls
For many people, training is a natural part of authority transfer dynamics. It may be natural, but it often isn’t straight-forward, as most of us can testify. This facilitated discussion will introduce ideas about the psychology of motivation, touch on the use of hypnosis and operant conditioning in training, bring up questions to consider regarding your goals and risk profiles, and provide an opportunity to hear about what has worked for others- and what really hasn’t.
Under Your Skin: A Piercing and Palpating Extravaganza with Sophia Sky
Let’s play with pokey things! Join our team for 7 hours of instruction, from the basics of needle play through advanced related topics. The day is broken down into 3 parts: a structured hands-on workshop where you can learn all the skills needed for a play piercing scene; a discussion panel full of tips, tricks, and exciting stories; and a practice time with tastings, tutors, and small focus group skill-shares.
Utilization & Yes Sets: Patter for Pick-Up Play
Many subjects have had the experience of not being sure what or how much to tell a new trance partner, and many hypnotists have had the experience of not feeling they know a new trance partner well enough to improvise an induction. However, there are easy, naturalistic ways to create the foundation for Ericksonian utilization! With a demo and interactive exercises, we’ll use chains of suggestions to make scene ideas into hypnotic realities.
(for audiences with existing knowledge of hypnokink)
What Is It That We Do? And Why?
The spectrum of kink activities is astoundingly diverse, especially when it’s all new to you. With abundant time for questions and discussion, this class will address several of the first questions you may have:
What are some of the wild things people get up to?
Why do people do these things, and how can we figure out our own motivations?
How can we negotiate in ways that are both responsible and exciting?
How can we do the research needed to know the risks and how to minimize them?
Whether you’re new to the scene or simply looking for something new to try, come ready to think about both your concerns and your desires!
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