HMU Academy: Exploring Subspace & the Psychological Benefits of Submission

If you're curious about the psychological benefits of subspace & power dynamics through a strengths based perspective, this one's for you This Hit Me Up event is open to the public, 21+. About the Class Experiencing subspace in kink scenes can be a profound experience for people who enjoy power dynamics. There is a lot of healing and embodiment that happens in subspace that releases a lot of feel good chemicals in our brains. This is a class that focuses on everything subspace related. In this class, you will learn: * How to negotiate scenes and power dynamics * Different ways to see consent * Psychological benefits of being in sub-space * Recent research pertaining to the submissive experiences * Discussion of affirming aftercare exploration for people of color and queer people * Tools for navigating subdrop This class will be an educational presentation with interactive demonstrations, discussion and exercises. The exercises for this class will involve interacting with other people. About Your Instructor Nikita Fernandes (she/her) is a Psychotherapist and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist in New York City. She is an active member of the kink scene and brings her lived experiences to her work. Nikita's clinical identity lies in supporting people seeking culturally sensitive, poly & kink-friendly, and gender-affirming therapists. As a queer and kinky person of color, she can resonate with clients who share this experience. She works with individuals and people in relationships in addition to running therapy groups for non-monogamous people. Nikita prioritizes fostering self-compassion in the face of systemic oppression, rather than just numbing pain. Rooted in evidence-based techniques, her methods acknowledge the impact of trauma and embrace diverse cultural perspectives. Nikita graduated from new York University with a Masters in Mental Health Counseling and a dual degree in LGBT Health, Education and Social Services. Nikita has been featured on Huffpost and Feeld before. FAQs FAQ: what should I bring? supplies for note taking FAQ: any skill pre-requisites? (i.e., is this for beginners, advanced, everyone?) everyone! FAQ: what should I wear? anything you'd like FAQ: can I attend solo, or do I need to come with a partner? solo or with friends and partners BIPOC and Equity Ticketing The full fee reflects the true costs of running the event, including supplies and compensating facilitators for their labor. If you are able to afford a full price ticket without experiencing financial hardship, please choose this option. For those who identify as BIPOC, and/or those who cannot afford a full fee ticket are welcome to use our discount code EQUITY26 at checkout. STAY IN TOUCH! ✨ Instagram @hitmeupnycity ✨Join our public newsletter ✨ Support HMU -- We're On Patreon. Many of you have asked how you can help out! Other than spreading the word, attending parties and volunteering, becoming a patron is an opportunity to help us succeed — while receiving special perks in the meantime. Interested in becoming a patron? Click here. ✨Volunteers: Limited volunteer spots available. Please email [email protected] to express interest. ✨Location: 120 Walker St in Lower Manhattan. The space has an elevator. Please email [email protected] if you need any accessibility accommodations. ✨Full vaccination is required. While we recommend getting the booster shots, we are not verifying them at this time. ✨Membership: We reserve the right to refuse entry if needed. Hit Me Up also hosts private events which are invite only, and anyone new to Hit Me Up must apply and be approved to attend—no guests or plus ones. Please visit https://www.hitmeupnyc.com/join to join. You are welcome to inquire as to your status or that of your friends, but please do not act as if you have an entitlement to access our space or members. Building special spaces is hard, and while we are inclusive and welcoming, we reserve the right to curate our membership as needed to maintain our flourishing community. If you'd like to sponsor a new member please have them apply as soon as possible. If they wait until a few days before the event we cannot guarantee they will be able to be approved in time. ✨Please stay home if you are feeling ill or if you have had recent close contact with someone who tested Covid positive (within the past 5 days). You could be incubating and still test negative. Any requests for refunds for any reason will be honored up to the day of the event. Remember: safe, sane, and sanitary Just email [email protected] and we will give you a full refund, no questions asked. ✨Consent Policy: All of our events are ASK FIRST events. The rules of respectful and consensual behavior WILL be enforced. You will be responsible for reading our consent policy and behaving appropriately. Read our consent policy in full: https://www.hitmeupnyc.com/consent. If you have questions, want to make a report, or need support, please contact our third party consent reporting service, available at [email protected].