Code of Ethics
As a Somatic Sexological Practitioner & Intimacy Coach:
1. I, Amy Baker of The Pleasure Principal and D-I-V Design Agency, support individuals and couples who want more out of their social, emotional, and intimate relationships, sexual and non-sexual, romantic and otherwise, familial and professional, in order To Be in connection, in balance, in stability, in wholeness.
2. Amy Baker, The Pleasure Principal, D-I-V Design Agency, and its agents, employees, volunteers, or other staff will be professional in attitude and conduct, responsible in relations with Clients and colleagues, reliable in agreements, and timely in appointment schedules.
3. I recognise the importance of consent and choice in all professional interactions with individuals and groups, and will strive to provide a range of options from which the Client can actively elect that which will serve their own growth. At no time shall a Client be required or coerced to participate in any activity, event or exercise. The Pleasure Principal will inform and educate its Clients about consent and choice and actively create learning environments where clients are empowered to exercise those skills.
4. Amy Baker may use physical touch if deemed appropriate. If I do so, I touch consciously and with the attitude to do no harm, with concern for the client’s growth; for the safety of both/all parties; and to honour the agreed boundaries established. I agree to co-create clear agreements with Clients before engaging in any form of bodywork. This is why it is crucial that Clients use our written intake forms where consent is given in writing as best practice.
- a. Sessions are Client-centered and the Clients' boundaries are of primary importance.
- b. We acknowledge the importance of maintaining and respecting agreed boundaries. Boundaries are to be discussed, agreed and set at the beginning of each session; including the stipulation that boundaries may not be renegotiated or changed during that session. Maintaining the agreed boundaries also includes stopping touch when Clients request it.
- c. Amy Baker, as The Pleasure Principal, understands the inherent inequality of power I hold relative to Clients in my role of practitioner/teacher and agree not to use this power for the sexual exploitation of Clients.
- d. Amy Baker, as The Pleasure Principal, agree that I will not seek to meet my erotic appetite through my Clients. I am conscious that, and make Clients conscious that, sessions will neither fulfill my, nor my Client’s, desire for romantic sexual connection.
- e. I agree not to have any form of sexual contact with Clients outside sessions.
- f. When attraction occurs within the professional relationship (either from Client towards practitioner or from practitioner towards Client) we agree to discuss the attraction at professional supervision with the aim of maintaining clear professional boundaries and protecting the Client’s ability to access the work.
- g. This clause, 5 g., applies only to Certified Sexological Bodywork (CSB), Certified Somatic Sex Education (CSSE) and Psychosexual Somatics® Therapy (PSST): In CSB, CSSE & PST sessions, the practitioner remains clothed when touching Students/Clients and erotic touch is unidirectional only, practitioner to Student/Client. If Students/Clients wish to learn interpersonal erotic skills, we request they bring their partners or invite them to share and learn with other Students/Clients when appropriate.
6. I acknowledge the importance of physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and sexual well-being. To protect the health of both Client and practitioner, I recognise the need for risk-reduction and professional protocol in all individual and group Somatic Sexology. As such, I take steps to minimize any harm, in active collaboration with all Clients. I do not provide intimate, internal, or genital skin-to-skin contact with Clients.
7. I engage in regular supervision as a routine part of my practice. This could be peer/group supervision and/or expert supervision/mentoring or, optimally, both. I further agree to request supervision and guidance when experiencing ambiguity or difficulty with interpretation of what constitutes ethical behaviour.
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a. Perform any clinical tasks
Unlike a licensed mental health professional, I am not your vehicle for change--you are. You are accountable to that work. At any time, however, if you feel you need help with deeper psychological issues, I will recommend and encourage you to seek help. -
b. Make decisions for you
The notion of self-determination guides my work with you. It is your work, your life, your relationship, your body. My work is to help you embody who you say you are in the world and to offer immediate feedback to you according to the goals of your work. -
c. Disclose our work with anyone outside of our practice together
You made the decision to work on yourself in this way, as an individual or as a couple. This is your work. It is completely confidential and unique to you. -
d. Project my judgment onto your experience
From my website and my writings, you will have a good idea of who I am and the objectives of my work. I will be attuned to you and will align myself to the relationship of our work together. You will have chosen me because you felt my attitudes about your goals were in alignment to how you want to be. I will not shame or blame you when my personal beliefs are not in alignment with yours because I operate from the perspective that YOU are the expert on you. - e. Shame you Much of our shame in today's society feels like trauma. You don't need more of it here. You will be received, nurtured, cared for, and attuned-to within the boundaries of our work together.
9. I will terminate professional relationships with Clients when such services are no longer required or no longer serve the needs and interests of the Clients. I may unilaterally terminate services, on just andreasonable grounds after careful consideration of all situational factors and any possible adverse effects. I am responsible for making appropriate referrals and to provide support to Clients during such transitions.
10. I refrain from providing bodywork, training sessions and/or presenting any instructional material while either the practitioner or the Client is under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.
11. I will refrain from the exploitation of professional relationships with Clients, whether current or past, for personal gain, whether financial, professional, emotional, sexual, or for research purposes.
12. I will respect, defend, and preserve the privacy of all information gained from Clients, and will preserve the anonymity of Clients when using information for purposes of teaching, research, and supervision.
13. As a Somatic Sexology practitioner, I am co-creating the profession, which intends to fill the public need for accurate information and embodied learning opportunities. Any public representation of the profession shall be respectful, in integrity with this Code and shall have the intention of furthering the profession.
14. I will aid ASIS in upholding this Code and co-operate fully with any investigation of possible violations.
15. I will not solicit colleagues’ Clients.
16. I will encourage appropriate communication between Clients and their current or recent therapists.
Somatic Sexology is a diverse field. My aim as a somatic sexual health practitioner is to support Clients’ individual personal growth, empowerment and integration, and their emotional, physical, mental, spiritual and sexual well-being. My work broadly encompasses talking (e.g. coaching, counselling, education, psychotherapy), somatic modalities (e.g. body coaching, breathwork, somatic mapping, tapping, reflexology, trauma release) and energy work (e.g. sexual & spiritual shamanism, Tantric and Taoist practices, Reiki).
These specific modalities used may vary between practitioners, Clients or between different session with the same Client. However, my Ethical Code applies equally to all work-related professional activities including individual or group work, teaching, training, assisting, supervision and consulting and provides a common set of values upon which Members of ASIS continually build their professional work. The term “Client” in the Ethical Code refers to any person or corporate entity who is paying for our services or undertaking a free or reduced price session.
This Code is intended to provide both the general principles and the rules covering most situations encountered in my practice. Its primary goal is the welfare and protection of the individuals and groups with whom I work, and I aspire to the highest possible standards of conduct. Members respect and protect human, civil and sexual rights, and do not knowingly participate in or condone unfair or discriminatory practices.
The development of a dynamic set of ethical standards for my work-related conduct requires a personal commitment to a lifelong effort to behave ethically; to encourage ethical behaviour by colleagues, employees, supervisors, and students, as appropriate; and to consult with others as needed concerning ethical problems. While I may supplement this code, I do not violate this Ethical Code’s values and rules on the basis of guidance drawn from personal values, culture, context, and experience.
The Ethical Code is not exhaustive. The fact that a given conduct is not specifically addressed by the Code does not mean that it is necessarily either ethical or unethical. In the process of making decisions regarding their professional behaviour, I must consider this Code, in addition to the requirements of law. When the Code establishes a higher standard than the law, I must meet the higher ethical standard. If the Code’s standards appear to conflict with the requirements of law, I will take steps to resolve the conflict in a responsible manner. Actions ASIS may take for violation of the Ethical Code include reprimand, censure, and termination of membership.
Embodiment & Somatic Awareness
SOMATIC
Somatic practice/Tactile Awareness
- Somatic exercises
- Sexological education sessions and workshops (clothed, focused on education, boundaries, asking for what you want, identifying desires and needs, language around desire and disappointment)
- Hands-on practice of body and breath awareness
- Mapping embodied and disembodied systems, as well as held trauma
Yoga (asana, pranayama, dhyana)
- Poses with hands-on adjustment/tactile awareness Embodiment through the physical aspect of yoga that works with the here and now of this body, your body.
- Breathwork: Embodiment and grounding through breath
- Meditation: Body scanning, grounding, quieting the mind
Qi Gong/Tai Chi
- Grounding/Softening to Grace
- Morning forms
Reiki
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Energy work using Usui's Reiki Ryoho
Reiki = "true self"
Ryo = "to cure," "to heal"
Ho = dharma (teaching, method) - Healing the energy of the True Self
Energy Points/Center
- Tapping
- Reflexology
Crystal Gridwork & Aromatherapy
Visualization/Journeying
Energy Work
Reiki
-
Energy work using Usui's Reiki Ryoho
Reiki = "true self"
Ryo = "to cure," "to heal"
Ho = dharma (teaching, method) - Healing the energy of the True Self
Energy Points/Center
- Tapping
- Reflexology
Crystal Gridwork & Aromatherapy
Visualization/Journeying
Yoga (asana, pranayama, dhyana)
- Poses with hands-on adjustment/tactile awareness
- Embodiment through the physical aspect of yoga that works with the here and now of this body, your body.
- Breathwork: Embodiment and grounding through breath
- Meditation Body scanning, grounding, quieting the mind
Qi Gong/Tai Chi
- Grounding/Softening to Grace
- Morning forms