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Pillion in Practice:
Petaluma Edition
Pillion & Practice: Special Screening for Sex-Positive Practitioners
In Person
CinemaWest Boulevard, Petaluma, CA
Sunday July 19, 1 to 4pm
(2 CEs Included)
Exploring the impact of minority stress on self-harming and suicidal trans youth while introducing the person-centered model of self-injury recovery and narrative expressive arts interventions.
Private Screening
Join and meet other sex-positive therapists looking to rub shoulder, watch provocative cinema, and dish the dirt...clinically speaking.
Kink, Consent & Attachment
Stay after the film for an engaging clinical discussion of the film and it's themes. Leave with deeper understanding of the nuances of consent in kink culture, particularly queer male communities.
 Two CEs
Two Continuing Education Units approved for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs in California through CAMFT/CEPA.
Other license types should check with your board guidelines.
Pillion & Practice is an exclusive gathering for therapists and other helping professionals, created by David Khalili, LMFT, and Midori—your hosts for this special event. (Partners and bestie's welcomed!)
Held at the CinemaWest Boulevard Theater in Petaluma on Sunday, July 19, 2026, this program features a private screening of A24’s award-winning film Pillion, followed by a clinically grounded, kink-affirming discussion led by David F Khalili, LMFT and Midori.
Together, we’ll explore how kink, BDSM, queerness, power, and intimacy are represented in popular media—and what that means for therapeutic practice, cultural competence, and client care.
Attendees will enjoy an intimate private screening, meaningful professional dialogue, and a rare opportunity to connect with a community of sex-positive, kink-aware practitioners.
Earn 2 Continuing Education (CE) credits.
ÂDETAILS:Experience an evening exploring media representation and realities of kink, BDSM intimacy, and authentic connection through cinema and clinical expertise.This immersive workshop features Pillion, a kinky romantic tale of two men whose journey illuminates the complexities of desire, vulnerability, and consensual power dynamics—essential themes for affirming clinical practice with kinky and BDSM communities.
About the Presenter
Midori
Dubbed the “Supernova of Kink” by Dan Savage, Midori emerged from the Sex Positive movement in San Francisco in the early 1990s as a grassroots activist educator to became a well-regarded educator and thinker on BDSM sexuality, kink, consent, and sex ways in Japan and the US.Â
She is known for her book “The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage”, the first English instruction book on Shibari. She contributed the chapter on BDSM and women of the Asian diaspora in “An Intersectional Approach to Sex Therapy: Centering the Lives of Indigenous, Racialized, and People of Color”, and has contributed to numerous articles, columns, works of fiction, and instructional books.Â
When she’s not traveling and teaching, she’s creating social practice art and performances. She’s a UC Berkeley graduate and served in the US Army.Â
About the Presenter
David F Khalili, LMFTÂ
David F Khalili is a licensed marriage and family therapist, board-certified sexologist, and founder of Rouse Relational Wellness, a boutique couples and sex therapy center in San Francisco, and authored Mental Health Workbook for Men and Sex Worriers: A Mindfully Queer Guide for Men’s Anxiety to Sex and Dating.
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David pulls from many influences in the world of mental health and sexual wellness, as well as cultural and spiritual influences from his heritage from Iran. David aims to help those in the margins feel less lonely and more connected with their communities. Specializing in couples and sex therapy, David draws from his diverse background, which includes peer sex education, work in adult boutiques, and a Master's degree in Sexuality Studies from San Francisco State University. For more information about David's practice, visit rousetherapy.com.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify three common media tropes regarding BDSM that contribute to clinical stigma and misdiagnosis.
- Describe four key components of the "4Cs" framework (Consent, Communication, Caring, Caution) as applied to kinky relationships.
- Explain the clinical difference between a "laissez-faire" approach to consent and a lack of consent in established BDSM dynamics.
- State two specific boundary-setting strategies for gay men navigating dual relationships within small, kinky subcultures.
- List three techniques for reducing internalized shame in clients whose relationship structures do not meet mainstream "happily ever after" standards.
FAQs
Does this course meet license renewal requirements?
Is this course suitable for beginners?
Can I get more info on the venue?
Do you offer group discounts?
What's included?
I want to be social but sometimes I'm tired...
Held at CinemaWest Boulevard, Petaluma, CA
We'll have a 61-seat theater all to our selves!
Limited tickets available for our in-person special screening at the CinemaWest Theater and Clinical Discussion.
CE-Add On available so General Admission Tickets are accessible
Hear from our Oakland audience:
"I loved seeing and connecting with other professionals I’m in community with while enjoying an engaging film together."
"Great movie, fantastic company, and an amazing post-film discussion!"
"The perfect blend of an engaging film and meaningful professional community."
"Loved being in a space where we could collectively grapple with big ideas and unpack the deep concepts presented on screen."
Approved by CAMFT
David F Khalili, LMFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for MFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs licensed through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. David F Khalili, LMFT maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. Contact him at www.rouseacademy.com, phone 415-448-6743, 4124 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94114, or david@rouse.academy. Â
