Workshops

 

Tristan has taught hundreds of workshops (on everything from negotiating relationships to female orgasms) at colleges, conferences, community events and retail stores throughout the world. As a keynote and guest speaker at a diversity of events she’s spoken about GLBT issues, sexual liberation and community building.

In addition, Tristan has given the keynote addresses for events such as Women’s History Month, LGBTQ History Month, Pride Week, Take Back the Night, Sexual Health Week and other similar functions. She is also open to addressing a new and/or custom topic if you would like a specific speech about issues being discussed on your campus or in your community.

Selected Workshops (click for details about each workshop)

Tristan Taormino at FascinationsOpen Relationship Intensive (6 hours)
How do people create nontraditional partnerships that are loving and fulfilling? There are few established scripts or visible role models for open relationships, so people in them can often struggle without support and guidance. In this four hour intensive program, sex and relationship educator I share some of the key principles that can help your open relationships succeed. I will review some of the most common styles of open relationships, from partnered nonmonogamy to solo polyamory, and discuss how to customize them to meet your individual needs and wants. I will share wisdom from the over 100 people she interviewed and profiled in her bestselling book Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships. The workshop will address common issues and problems including: new relationship energy, time management, sexual and emotional safety, boundary setting, agreement violations, and coping with change. Through creative exercises, you’ll discover how to unpack all the different elements of jealousy and identify what triggers your jealousy and how it manifests for you; learn to develop coping strategies and find access points to the practice of compersion. Learn how to tackle challenges including: communicating about highly-charged topics, conflict resolution skills, the art of re-negotiation, roadblocks to fulfillment, and confronting fear. Whether you’re a newcomer or veteran to the world beyond monogamy, come discover strategies to help you nurture and grow your open relationships. Open to people in all kinds of relationship configurations as well as solos and singles of all genders and sexual orientations. Seating is limited and pre-registration is strongly encouraged. 

Designing Your Open Relationship
Are you considering an open relationship? Does your current open relationship need some tweaking? There are few established scripts or visible role models for open relationships, so people in them can struggle without support and guidance. In this interactive workshop, relationship expert and author of Opening Up, Tristan Taormino gives practical advice on how to craft responsible, fulfilling nonmonogamous relationships. Tristan will explore common myths, real-life benefits and challenges, and how to decide if an open relationship is right for you. She will share some of the most common styles of open relationships—from partnered nonmonogamy to solo polyamory—and discuss how to customize them to meet your individual needs and wants. Through creative exercises, you’ll learn to articulate what you want, identify and negotiate limits and boundaries, communicate with your partner(s) in productive ways, and create relationships that work for you.

Making Open Relationships WorkTristan Taormino G-spot Workshop
Making Open Relationships Work Do open relationships really work? How do people create nontraditional partnerships that are loving and satisfying? Tristan Taormino, relationship expert and author of Opening Up, shares some of the key principles that can help your open relationship(s) succeed. She’ll discuss common issues and problems—from “new relationship energy” and time management to jealousy and agreement violations—and ways to address and resolve them. Tristan will offer tips on communication, negotiation, and boundary setting, as well as how to cope with change. Learn how to get to the root of jealous feelings and transform them by embracing the concept of compersion. Whether you’re a newcomer or veteran to the world beyond monogamy, come discover strategies to help you nurture and grow your open relationship(s).

Anal Sex for Everyone
Welcome to the wonderful world of anal pleasure! In this funny, educational class, Tristan covers a wide variety of topics, including: myths about anal sex; anal anatomy, the G-spot, and the prostate; basic preparation and hygiene; lubes, anal toys, and safer sex; anal penetration for beginners, and much more! Learn the facts about this exciting, yet often misunderstood, form of pleasure and get all your questions answered.

Advanced Anal Pleasure
So, you’ve got the basics of the butt down. Are you ready to take the next step in anal pleasure? Tristan will discuss many advanced topics, including: the ins and outs of anal penetration; pros and cons of different positions; orgasms through anal penetration;  extended butt plug wearing; pegging/strap-on anal sex; advanced anal toys; anal fisting; plus, an extensive Q&A.

The Art of Spanking
Let’s celebrate the over-the-knee art form of spanking! We will go over safety tips, different positions, techniques to create different sensations, and how to discover your personal spanking style. Find out about all the amazing things you can do with your bare hands as well as toys of the trade from paddles to canes. Plus, we’ll go deeper into the psychology of spanking, creating scenes around spanking, and how to develop and deliver the unique intentions and meanings behind your spankings.

Fantasy Role Playing
Do you have a secret yearning to dress up like a school girl and be spanked by a teacher? Want to be a relentless military superior in charge of unruly recruits? Have you ever dreamed of being kidnapped? Do you like to imagine you are someone else during sex? Welcome to the wonderful world of erotic role playing! From dressing up to sexual role play, writer/sex educator Tristan Taormino introduces you to the ins and outs of making fantasy a reality, covering a wide variety of topics, including: how to tap into your hottest role play fantasies; sharing your fantasies with a partner; popular erotic roles from history, Hollywood, and your own imagination; how to choose, create, and become a character; how to execute a role playing scenario from beginning to end; exhibitionism, voyeurism, and public fantasies; gender play, age play, and other transgressions; and exploring the taboo fantasies.

The Expert Guide to The G-Spot & Squirting
The G-spot is an important erogenous zone for folks with vulvas and vaginas and here’s your chance to find out all about it, whether you don’t know how to find your G-spot or you’re an experienced G-spotter looking for some new techniques. We’ll cover G-spot anatomy, how to find your own or your partner’s G-spot, great G-spot positions and toys, and tips for orgasmic G-spot stimulation. Then we’ll delve into the world of squirting (aka vaginal ejaculation), discussing myths and truths about this phenomenon. Learn what it’s all about, why some people dribble and others gush, and tried and true techniques to help you learn to do it.

Kick It Up a Notch: Taking Sex to the Next Level
From her popular books and website to her sex ed videos and workshops, Tristan Taormino has garnered raves for her unabashed straight talk about sex. Now, you can hear it from the sexpert herself! Whether you’ve been in a relationship for six months or six years, Tristan will discuss what happens when the honeymoon is over and real life sets in. She’ll cover a variety of topics, including how to: let go of the myths of what sex should be like; improve your erotic communication skills; add something new to the mix; explore dirty talk and fantasies; get the low down on the G-spot, anal pleasure, and sex toys. This unique, intimate class will be a supportive, non-judgmental environment where you can ask questions and openly discuss your sexual issues and goals. Join Tristan as she takes you on a tour of all you need to know to have adventuresome, mind-blowing sex.

Kinky Sex for Curious Couples
Tristan Taormino offers a gift that will keep on giving! Tristan will introduce you to a world of kinky sex for everyone. She’ll teach you how to tap into your fantasies and bring them to life in the bedroom. Find out how to become a pro at dirty talk, role play, sensation play, blindfolds, spanking, hot wax, bondage, and more! Plus there will be lots of ideas about the best toys and tools for kinky sex and how to get kinky on a budget.

Sex Positions From Mild to Wild!
Sex educator Tristan Taormino has written 8 books, taught workshops all over the world, and directed 2 dozen porn movies, so she knows a thing or two about positions! Come learn the ins and outs of classic, advanced, and unique positions to bring your more connection, pleasure, and orgasms. Tristan will cover the pros and cons for each position, plus how to put your own spin on your favorites. You will also discover the best positions for: maximum clitoral stimulation, using sex toys, limited mobility and flexibility, bodies of different sizes, double penetration, and threesomes. Spice up your repertoire with this fun, informative class from one of the world’s leading sex experts.

The Expert Guide To Sex Toys
Are you looking to liven up solo sex, hit hot spots more easily, or give your partner new sensations? Sex expert, writer, and adult filmmaker, Tristan Taormino, author of The Big Book of Sex Toys, wants to help you use toys and other accessories to take your sex life to the next level! She’ll share her picks for the best lube, vibrators (including compact, clitoral, wearable, insertable, dual-action, and luxury vibes), dildos, strap-on harnesses, butt plugs, men’s toys, G-spot and prostate toys, sensation play tools, bondage, and more! She’ll talk about creative ways to use toys and other sexy goodies to transform your bedroom into an erotic playground. Plus, you’ll be able to ask her all your burning questions in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. Join Tristan as she takes you on a tour of all you need to know to have sensational, mind-blowing sex!

Tristan Taormino Female Orgasm Workshop

Pegging 101
Welcome to the wonderful world of strap-on anal sex for couples, where the dames dish it out and the gents take it! Tristan will she cover a wide variety of topics, including: how to talk about pegging with your partner; myths about pegging and anal pleasure; anal anatomy and the prostate; basic preparation and hygiene; lubes, anal toys, and safer sex; anal penetration for beginners; how to choose and use a strap-on; pegging positions; simultaneous pleasure for giver and receiver; and much more! Learn the facts about this exciting, yet often misunderstood, form of pleasure and get all your questions answered. This class is geared for people with prostates and their partners, although everyone is welcome!

Planning Multiple-On-One Scenes
Come learn about how to develop, organize, and execute a group sex scene that revolves around one (lucky) person. Let’s reclaim and redefine the gang bang and create something even better that includes all genders, all bodies, all identities, and all styles of sex and play. We’ll talk about expectations, participants, boundaries, etiquette/best practices, power dynamics, and more. There will be nuts and bolts organizing and managing skills, how to develop your vision and ideas, and examples of different types of group sex scenes.

Kink 101
Are you ready to expand your erotic horizons beyond the ordinary? Kink is an all-encompassing term to describe BDSM, sadomasochism, kinky sex, dominance and submission, role play, sex games, fantasy, fetish, and other alternative erotic expressions. Kink is built on the radical notion that people can express their erotic needs and desires and have them met. Kink is an intimate experience, an exchange of power between people that can be physical, erotic, sexual, psychological, spiritual, or, most often, some combination. In this workshop, we’ll cover all the basics of kink, including: the principles of kink: consent, safety, responsibility, aftercare; are you a top, a bottom, or a switch; differences and intersections between sadism, masochism, dominance, and submission; how to communicate with your partner about your fantasies and negotiate for what you want; exploring your physical, emotional, and psychological limits; spanking, sensory deprivation, roleplay, sensation play, bondage; plus, an interactive Q&A.

Perimenopause, Menopause and Pleasure
If you’ve got ovaries, you will experience perimenopause and menopause, two phases of life that come with physical and emotional changes that often many people experience without much knowledge or support. Loved ones may not understand or downplay the intensity of our experiences. Health care providers often disregard the impact on our quality of life or offer one-size-fits-all solutions. Our bodies are changing in myriad of ways, including irregular periods, hot flashes, libido shifts, mood swings, insomnia, vaginal dryness, pain during penetration, and orgasm changes. Let’s talk about how these ‘pauses’ affect our self-image, sex drive, desires, intimacy, and relationships. We’ll discuss coping strategies, Western and alternative treatments, and creating your own holistic care plan. We absolutely can reclaim our bodies and our pleasure!

The Zen of Pornography: Ethical Consumption and Creative Uses of Porn
Let’s challenge the old ideas and stereotypes about pornography and de-stigmatize watching it. We’ll discuss how to consume porn ethically and where to find feminist, ethical, and alternative porn online (with Tristan’s own recommendations!). People are making work that is POC-centered, queer, trans, and showcases diverse bodies, you just have to know where to look! We’ll also talk about how to mindfully incorporate porn into your solo or partnered sex life and use it as a tool for communication, arousal, and fantasies. For folks in relationships, let’s tackle common conflicts around porn. Plus, we’ll give you concrete ideas on how you can directly support sex workers during the pandemic and beyond.

Past Conferences and Organizations

KinkFest PDX, Portland, OR, 2019 (Keynote), 2010, 2003, 2002
Sex Down South, Atlanta, GA, 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015 (Keynote)
Swingset Takes Desire, Cancun, MX, 2017-2019
[SSEX BOXX] LGBTQ+ Conference, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2018 (Keynote)
International Ms. Leather and Ms. Boot Black Contest, 2015-2018, 2012 (Keynote)
Pleasure As Resistance, Los Angeles, CA, 2017
PolyDallas Millennium, Dallas, TX, 2016 (Keynote)
Explore More Summit, 2016
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom Consent Summit, Seattle, WA, 2016 (Keynote)
PolyTalks and Wry Relationships, Los Angeles, CA, 2016
LA Academy of Sex, Los Angeles, CA, 2015
CatalystCon West, Los Angeles, CA, 2013-2015
OpenSF Conference, San Francisco, CA, 2013 (Keynote)
Muestra Cine y Sexo, la Mirada Femenina (The Film and Sex Show: The Female Gaze Conference), Mexico City, Mexico, 2012 (Featured Filmmaker)
Xplore More Conference, Sydney, Australia, 2012
Pleasure Salon, Melbourne, Australia, 2012 (Keynote)
Transcending Boundaries, Worcester, MA, 2011 (Keynote)
Femina Potens, San Francisco, CA, 2011
The Floating World, Edison, NJ, 2011
Momentum, Silver Spring, MD, 2011
Queer Play Con, Hartford, CT, 2011
IDKE XII, Baltimore, MD, 2010 (Keynote)
Transforming Gender, Boulder, CO, 2010 (Keynote)
Creating Change 10, Dallas, TX, 2010
Center for Sex Positive Culture, Seattle, WA, 2010, 2008, 2001
Dark Odyssey: Summer Camp, Darlington, MD, 2003-2010
Dark Odyssey: Winter Fire, Washington, DC, 2005-2010
Winter Wickedness, Columbus, OH, 2009 (Keynote)
Whole DC, Washington, DC, 2009
Poly Pride Rally, New York, NY, 2008 (Keynote)
Desire, Palm Springs, CA 2008
New England Dungeon Society, Boston, MA, 2006
TES, New York, NY, 2006
Sexy Spirits, New York, NY, 2006
Xplore: Festival on the Art of Lust, Berlin, Germany, 2004
Pacific Friction, Portland, OR, 2004
Leather Retreat, Southeast PA, 2004, 2002
Queer Paradise, Richmond VA, 2004
Black Rose, Washington, DC, 2003, 2002, 2001
Erotic University, Los Angeles, CA, 2003
Capex, Charlotte, NC, 2003
Lair De Sade, Los Angeles, CA, 2003
N’awlins in November, New Orleans, LA, 2003
Thunder in the Mountains, Denver, CO, 2003
South Plains Leatherfest, Dallas, TX, 2003
Baltimore Educational & Social Society, Baltimore, MD, 2002
The Crucible, Washington, DC, 2002
FIST, Baltimore, MD, 2001, 2002
Leather Leadership Conference, Los Angeles, CA, 2002
Women’s BDSM Discussion Group, Dallas, TX, 2002
Ladyfest East, New York, NY, 2001
Lesbian Sex Mafia, New York, NY, 2000-2001
LA Radical and Wicked Women, Los Angeles, CA, 2001
MOB, Boston, MA, 2001
National Leather Association, Columbus, OH, 2001
International Ms. Leather Contest, Toronto, Canada, 2000
Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, Hart, MI, 2000
William Way Community Center, Philadelphia, PA, 2000
The Learning Annex, New York, NY, 1999
Living in Leather, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 1999
Quality SM, San Francisco, CA, 1999

Click here for a list of past appearances, then read feedback from students, professors, and staff.

Don’t see what you want? Email Tristan with your course idea.

  One Response to “Workshops”

  1. GirlieGirl Army's 2018 Dreamy & Eclectic Valentine's Day Gift Guide - GirlieGirl Army | GirlieGirl Army says:
    February 3, 2018 at 7:30 pm

    […] your relationship to its hottest possible levels! Nobody has to know… or consider attending a sensuality workshop […]