Thursday, November 12th 7:30pm-9:30pm
Reclaiming Pleasure: Trauma Informed Queer Sexual Practices
Join us for an empowering, inclusive workshop designed to help queer individuals and partners build deeper pleasure, autonomy, and safety in their intimate lives. Led by two licensed therapists specializing in trauma and LGBTQIA+ mental health, this presentation and interactive session explores how trauma impacts the nervous system during intimacy and offers practical tools for navigation.
Bio:
Presenter 1: Anthony Lopez, MA, LPC (he/they)
Psychotherapist | Relationship Manager
Anthony is a Licensed Professional Counselor and trauma-informed therapist whose work is deeply rooted in embodiment, relational safety, and community care. As a bilingual (English/Spanish), queer Latino clinician, Anthony’s practice is shaped by the Latine and LGBTQIA+ spaces that raised him—communities that taught him healing is never meant to happen in isolation. He specializes in supporting neurodivergent individuals, folks navigating complex PTSD (C-PTSD), and queer people of color.
Anthony brings a strong passion for psychoeducation to this workshop, viewing accessible education as a vital path toward bodily autonomy and self-advocacy. In his practice and community presentations, he guides participants to understand their nervous system responses with curiosity rather than judgment, helping them unpack how systemic oppression and shame impact intimacy. Through this workshop, Anthony aims to help community members release survival patterns, reclaim their breath and pleasure, and reconnect with the wholeness already living within them.
Presenter 2: Kristin Kazyka, PHD (She/they)
Psychotherapist | Founder of Velvet & Vine
Kristin is a Licensed Psychologist, clinical supervisor, and educator specializing in trauma-informed care and evidence-based treatment modalities, including EMDR. Growing up queer and gender-fluid in the Bible Belt, her personal path through environments where survival meant staying small deeply informs how she holds space today. She brings that lived resilience, paired with the transformative care modeled by queer community, directly into her work as a therapist and educator.
Known for being both compassionate and direct, Kristin leads with love, self-compassion, and practical accountability. In her role as a therapist, Kristin's approach is grounded in the belief that intimate healing is inherently political—that every moment we choose joy, set a boundary, or honor our body’s truth is an act of resistance. Kristin co-facilitates this workshop to offer accessible, actionable tools that support collective liberation and authentic connection.
You must be 18+ to attend. Face Masks are required at all events. We will happily provide you one if you forget yours.
Workshops are held at our Chicago store - 5138 N Clark St. You must be 18 years old to attend a workshop.
There are no refunds on ticket purchases. If you cancel up to 2 days before the workshop, you will be issued a store credit for your ticket purchase price. If you cancel later than that or do not show, no credits will be issued.
** If it is sold out, please email us at [email protected] to get on the waitlist. ***
