Playing Doctor: Therapy That Understands Power Exchange with Dr Dulcinea Pitagora

Join us on Thursday, December 4th at 6:30pm ET for our discussion with Dr Dulcinea Pitagora.

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🔍 What We’re Talking About

In this episode, Dr. Dulcinea Pitagora joins Dustin to explore what happens when clinical insight meets lived experience within the worlds of kink, queerness, and polyamory. As a therapist who is also an active participant in these communities, Dr. Pitagora dismantles the outdated notion of neutrality in therapy, revealing how awareness of power exchange—both erotic and therapeutic—can lead to more ethical and embodied care. They speak to the harm caused when clinicians pathologize desire, and how even subtle judgments can fracture trust.

Drawing from years of practice and activism, Dr. Pitagora outlines what kink-aware therapy truly looks like: grounded in consent, attuned to autonomy, and informed by the client’s own understanding of power, not the therapist’s projections. This conversation invites listeners to imagine therapy as a collaborative scene of healing rather than correction, one where curiosity replaces fear and difference becomes a source of wisdom.

Can a therapist hold space for surrender without needing to control it?

🎙️ Meet Our Guest

Dr. Dulcinea Pitagora is a NY-based psychotherapist and sex therapist (also licensed in NJ, PA, and CO). They have a brick-and-mortar private practice in NYC that includes individual, couples/multi-partner relationship, and poly/leather family therapy, as well as supervision and mentorship. Dr. Pitagora is an out and proud member of the queer, trans, kink, and polyamory communities, and is equally proud to be a former sex worker, as well as an anti-racist/anti-oppression/anti-exploitation activist. Dr. Pitagora holds a Master of Arts in Psychology from the New School for Social Research; a Master of Social Work from New York University; a Master of Education and a Doctorate in Clinical Sexology from Widener University; and is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, CST Supervisor, and CE provider along with their colleague Dr. Jillien Kahn. Dr. Pitagora teaches sexual health at New York University; has published articles and chapters in peer-reviewed journals and books; and presented at conferences on the topics of alternative sexuality and gender diversity. Dr. Pitagora is the founder of ManhattanAlternative.com, a nationwide alternative lifestyle affirmative provider listing; and was a co-founder and -organizer of the AltSex NYC Conference.

https://www.dulcineapitagora.com/

https://kinkdoctor.com/

http://www.manhattanalternative.com/

https://fetlife.com/AltTherapistNYC

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This episode of the Dominance Dialogues is brought to you by:
Kink Collective: https://kinkcollective.net/
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