Thursday, October 1 · 6:00 to 9:00pm
CinemaWest Boulevard, Petaluma, CA (a private 61-seat theater, all to ourselves)
In person · Film screening + clinical discussion
2 CE hours for CA LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs
When a client's desire doesn't fit the script
A client describes a dynamic that thrills them and unsettles you both. Impact, restraint, power exchange, a kind of intimacy the textbooks either pathologize or skip entirely. You want to stay curious. You want to affirm without fumbling. But the clinical language for kink, consent, and queer male intimacy isn't something most of us were ever taught.
This evening is where that changes. We'll watch one of the most talked-about films of the year, then unpack it together, clinically, with two people who have spent their careers in exactly this territory.
Great cinema. Real community. And CE credit while you're at it.
WHAT THE EVENING HOLDS
Three parts, one unforgettable night
01
A private screening
Join other sex-positive therapists for a private viewing of Pillion, provocative cinema in a room full of people who get it. Small drink and popcorn included.
02
Kink, consent, and attachment
Stay after the film for a clinical discussion of its themes. Leave with a deeper understanding of the nuances of consent in kink culture, particularly within queer male communities.
03
Two CE credits
Two Continuing Education credits, approved for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs in California through CAMFT/CEPA. Other license types should check their board guidelines.
YOUR HOSTS
Who you'll spend the night with
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this event, attendees will be able to:
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Identify three common media tropes about BDSM that contribute to clinical stigma and misdiagnosis.
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Describe the four components of the “4Cs” framework (Consent, Communication, Caring, Caution) as applied to kinky relationships.
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Explain the clinical difference between a “laissez-faire” approach to consent and a lack of consent in established BDSM dynamics.
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Apply two boundary-setting strategies for gay men navigating dual relationships within small kink subcultures.
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Use three techniques for reducing internalized shame in clients whose relationships don't meet mainstream “happily ever after” standards.
FROM OUR LAST SCREENING
What attendees said
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 on screen.
ABOUT THE FILM
Pillion (2025)
A romantic dark-comedy drama written and directed by Harry Lighton, based on Adam Mars-Jones's novel Box Hill. It stars Harry Melling as a timid gay man and Alexander Skarsgård as an enigmatic biker who begin a BDSM relationship. The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it won Best Screenplay, and went on to critical acclaim for its writing, direction, and lead performances.
TICKETS
Limited seats for our in-person screening and clinical discussion
Student & Associate
$59
8 tickets available
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3-hour in-person gathering
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Private screening of Pillion
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Small drink and popcorn
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Evidence-based tools you can use in session Monday
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A great community of therapists
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Introvert- and extrovert-friendly networking
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Certificate of completion
Early Bird
$69
16 tickets available
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Everything in Student & Associate
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2 CE credits for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs
VIP
$175
10 tickets available
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Everything in Early Bird
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An extra hour of wine and conversation with Midori, David, and other kink-affirming practitioners at a nearby wine bar
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Talk shop, ask practice-building questions, bring your kink questions to Midori
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Drinks and appetizers included (N/A options available)
Group discount
Groups of 4 or more receive 10% off General Admission. Email david@rouse.academy to arrange.
FAQS
Frequently asked questions
Does this meet license renewal requirements?
Is this suitable for beginners?
What's the venue?
I want to be social, but sometimes I'm tired.
An evening you won't get anywhere else
A great film, a room of kink-affirming colleagues, a clinical conversation that actually goes there, and two CE credits to show for it. Seats are limited, and this room fills up.
Approved by CAMFT
David F. Khalili, LMFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs licensed through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. David F. Khalili, LMFT maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
