Workshops

Relationships

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 Work 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). Open 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. 

Sex Education

Anal Sex for Everybody 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. 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! 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. The Zen of Pornography: Ethical Consumption & 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. 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 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! Hot, Healthy Safer Sex When most people think of safer sex, they conjure up images of condoms on bananas. Condoms, dental dams, gloves, lube, PreP are one part of the equation, and you need to know how to choose and use them effectively in addition to regular testing, but there are also many more tools. Let’s look at safer sex holistically as as a practice to protect your body, mind, and spirit during sexual encounters. We’ll discuss understanding consent, developing boundaries, and finding your voice to say “Hell yes!” or “No.” Context matters: what role do self-confidence, power dynamics, and trauma play in negotiating safer sex, asking for what you need, and sticking firm to your boundaries? How do oppression and inequity in our society affect how we communicate about safer sex? Learn how to talk openly about sexual history and health and de-stigmatize dialogue on sexually transmitted infections. Come discover how to make safer sex healthy and hot.

Kink & BDSM

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. 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. 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. How to Plan A Gang Bang 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.

Health & Wellness

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