Silence in The Exam Room: The Cost of Clinical Discomfort

Authors

  • Shanel Pile, LMFT-S Author

Keywords:

cultural competence, clinical bias, kink-affirming care, ethical practice

Abstract

This article examines how Black sexuality and kink are often met with discomfort or erasure in clinical spaces. Anchored in personal narrative and supported by current research, it highlights how implicit bias, historical trauma, and provider discomfort impact patient care. Drawing from lived experience and therapeutic insight, the piece argues that tools like the Implicit Association Test and reflective SOAP notes can support more inclusive, trauma-informed practices. It calls for a deeper commitment to presence, humility, and accountability, not as add-ons, but as essential to ethical care.

Author Biography

  • Shanel Pile, LMFT-S

    Shanel Pile, LMFT-S, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, certified kink-conscious
    therapist, certified substance and behavior addiction therapist, certified meditation teacher, and
    RYT 500 yoga instructor. Her work bridges clinical care and trauma-informed healing, supporting clients across a wide range of lived experiences—including those navigating non- normative identities, addiction recovery, complex relational dynamics, and embodied healing. She integrates meditation and somatic practices to foster holistic wellbeing in both clinical and
    community settings.

Downloads

Published

01-07-2025

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025): Opening Doors: The Intersection of Kink, Community, and Ethical Practice

Section

Community Reflections

Categories

How to Cite

Silence in The Exam Room: The Cost of Clinical Discomfort. (2025). The Journal of Kink & Community, 1(1), 76-81. https://journalofkink.community/index.php/access/article/view/6