Nicole Martinez
August 19th 2025
The 2024 doctoral dissertation from Amanda Bonus earned her a PsyD for her proposed approach of therapeutic-assisted trauma play. The framework recognizes that traditional therapeutic approaches to healing from trauma and especially sexual assault, may be ineffective or inappropriate for some people, including sexual minorities. Dr. Bonus points to the possible benefits of BDSM as a source of further and more inclusive recovery from past traumas when combined with therapy. To form her argument, she draws from Cascalheira’s five themes of healing through kink that many practitioners have already experienced: restructuring the self-concept, liberation through relationships, reclaiming power, repurposing behaviors, and redefining pain.
Dr. Bonus is particularly concerned with the role that stigma can play in the healing process. Specifically, mental health clinicians can contribute to the stigma experienced by BDSM practitioners, either by blaming kink activities for previous traumas or mistakenly believing that past trauma is the reason for someone’s interest in BDSM. As a result, some patients may avoid therapy or discussions of trauma or BDSM with their providers. The dissertation suggests that therapeutic facilitated trauma play as a possible solution for such patients.
The author also explores the scholarly origins of trauma play, initially referred to as shadowplay by pioneer Dottie Easton, but more recently known as trauma play by Joe Kort and others. She ultimately uses Dr. Jeremy’s N Thomas’ definition of trauma play, which centers on BDSM activities that are consensual, related to past trauma or abuse, and consciously connected to said trauma in the patient’s mind. She argues that consciously exploring those issues can be “an expressive method of processing trauma,” similar to art. The author also explains how participating in BDSM communities allows others to witness a person’s trauma, removing it from a place of isolation, so they can feel seen and experience healing.
While Dr. Bonus recognizes the lack of research in this area, she adapts Dr. Judith Herman’s work on trauma play, which she describes as one of the most influential pieces of trauma writing,” which many clinicians may be familiar with. Dr. Herman’s stages of recovery, safety, remembrance and mourning, and reconnection are foundational to a framework that emphasizes safety, consent, suitability, realistic expectations, and the potential unknown risks of trauma play. Although TASHRA hasn’t suggested a specific framework for clinicians, our work, including the Kink and Flourishing and Authority-Transfer Relationship studies, depicts the potential benefits of BDSM/kink and educates clinicians, much like Dr. Bonus introduces the concept of BDSM and trauma play to clinicians before she advises them on how to help their clients navigate restorative BDSM scenes with their problems alongside therapy.
Dr. Bonus emphasizes the healing relationship as the foundation for further work, just as Dr. Herman did, because recovery “cannot occur in isolation.” This enables the patient to feel empowered during their healing process and is necessary for the patient to work through the stages of safety, remembrance and mourning, and, finally, reconnection. Dr. Bonus doesn’t change the stages of recovery; instead, she informs clinicians about BDSM and advises them to approach therapy much like kinksters approach a BDSM scene. As a result, clinicians can become kink-informed when providing therapy and when attempting such an intervention.
The dissertation also draws from Dr. Cascalheira’s work, which outlines five themes of using kink for healing: restructuring the self-concept, liberation through relationships, reclaiming power, repurposing behaviors, and redefining pain. Although practitioners may consciously explore these themes in their BDSM, Dr. Bonus sees the potential for therapy to more formally incorporate them when it would be appropriate and beneficial to do so. If therapeutic trauma play is successful at helping patients heal from their past traumas, Dr. Bonus expects that they will participate less in trauma play–and potentially in BDSM altogether.
However, for those whose interest in BDSM persists, her work can contribute to the de-stigmatization of BDSM and kink–and those who participate in it–by clinicians, something we can all appreciate.