Ari Levine, LPCC (they/them)
Therapist | Lead Trainer at Neurodiversity-Affirming Psychotherapy Training Institute | Kink Educator & Group Facilitator

Ari is a neurodivergent, trans non-binary, queer therapist, educator, and kinkster with a passion for liberatory frameworks and challenging "shoulds." With a background in art and design education, Ari blends creativity and clinical knowledge to bring a unique perspective to their presentations. They have been polyamorous for over a decade and have identified as a kinkster since 2018, bringing an openness, curiosity, and excitement for everyone’s unique experiences into every space they inhabit. Ari’s special interest is understanding the whys of the things we do, just as much as the hows, to support individuals in discovering their own wild, authentic truths.

https://fetlife.com/UnboundTransform

https://www.instagram.com/mx_ari_levine/

https://www.instagram.com/unboundandtransformed/

This presentation explores BDSM through liberatory frameworks, engaging the Neurodiversity Paradigm alongside crip theory, neuroqueering, and social models of disability. Rather than viewing kink or neurodivergence through a pathological lens, BDSM is positioned as a radical practice of resistance, intimacy, and meaning-making. By weaving research, lived experience, and liberatory theory, we will consider what it means to honor diverse needs, embrace authentic selves, and reimagine BDSM as more than erotic practice—as a transformative site of resilience, resistance, and liberation.

 

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