What is desire? What Shapes desire?
Moderator Aubrey Aust and her guests, Goddess Viktoria Sway and Mistress Madeline Pryor discuss the topic and dispel kink as the root of a trauma.

Core ideas
● Kink is not “random.” It often functions as a symbolic solution to unresolved relational or
emotional tensions
● Many kinks address needs that were once unsafe to want openly
● Understanding desire psychologically reduces shame and moral panic
Moderator questions
1. When you hear the word desire, what do you think people usually misunderstand about it?
2. What are some of the most common emotional or relational needs you see people trying to meet
through BDSM dynamics?
3. Can you give an example of a desire that might seem “strange” or taboo socially, but makes clear
psychological sense when you look underneath it?
4. When someone claims a kink identity — “I’m submissive,” “I’m a domme” — what does that do
psychologically? What does it stabilize or organize?

Moderator: Aubrey Aust – is a researcher, educator, and host of Hint of Trauma podcast, specializing in relational psychology and the psychology of desire. Aubrey’s work investigates BDSM as a healing modality, exploring how kink functions as a site of psychological integration and nervous system regulation. Through accessible conversations that bridge depth psychology, attachment theory, and philosophy, Aubrey helps people build relational safety and reclaim authentic desire.

Panelist: Goddess Viktoria Sway – is a New York City professional dominatrix, coach, and educator specializing in transformational BDSM grounded in somatic processing and conscious kink practices. With over a decade of experience integrating Tantra, power exchange, and embodied healing, she has developed Healing BDSM: a methodology that guides practitioners in using kink as a pathway to psychological integration and self-discovery.

Panelist: Mistress Madeline Pryor – is a New York City dominatrix, sex and intimacy coach, and co-host of the kink podcast You Like It. Trained in Tantra and conscious power dynamics, her multi-modality practice alchemizes taboo into pleasure and explores the intersection of eroticism and psychological healing. Her work focuses on developing ethical frameworks for navigating complex desires and cultivating authentic intimacy within structured power exchange.

Please Presentations, hosted by Please, an educated pleasure channel, a platform for open and informed conversations about sexual health and wellness. We also have a shop located at 635 5th Ave. Brooklyn, NYC.
Visit us online at ⁠www.pleasenyc.com⁠

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