FRIENDS
Here you will find links to people and places that have inspired, influenced and taught me along my journey.
Colleagues
Colleagues and friends to whom I feel very attached for various reasons. To whom I am deeply grateful for the self-confidence, the esprit, the sex and the desire with which they understand and perform their work, each with an inimitable signature.
Mara Morgen
Frollein Mara Morgen is a tantric sensual dominatrix, bizarrelady, pain woman, sWITCH. To expand sensual horizons and as part of dominant submissive boundary explorations into sexual landscapes and bizarre fantasies, she offers play sessions, SMassages, hands-on coaching and personal counseling on BDSM, fetish and conscious sexuality.
Undine de Rivière
Undine from Hamburg has been a role model for me from the beginning with her self-confidence, intelligence, expertise, diversity and incredible sexiness! She describes herself as a “perverted accomplice” who is confidently at home in active and passive roles and shamelessly bends and mixes them. A true diva and master of the bizarre game. Under the label Hypnokink, founded by her, you can experience and learn erotic hypnosis.
Josefa Nereus
Josefa Nereus stands for sensuality, joie de vivre and tenderness. With her charisma and her interest in people and bodies, she makes intimate encounters playful and easy. For her, the appeal of working with bodies lies in guiding people into relaxation and making it possible for the curious to experience an adventure. Every Sunday on her YouTube channel, she dispels myths and prejudices about sex work and sex, gives useful tips and imparts practical know-how.
Dominus.Berlin
Master André, aka Dominus.Berlin, is the very epitome of male-bizarre sex work in the German-speaking world. With a high degree of empathy, an open approach to all BDSM topics and enthusiasm for unusual fantasies, he plays the entire range for his clients – regardless of sexual orientation and gender: from gentle sado-maso with candlelight and subtle yet dominant tones, to heavier stuff, all the way up to extreme torture at the limit of what is tolerable.
Johanna Weber
Tender dominance with intelligence. Johanna is an eloquent, sensitive woman who skillfully finds out what sparks the desire of her customers. She is also a founding member of the sex worker professional association BesD e.V. She travels throughout Germany and runs her own small studio in Berlin.
Pixie Pee Magic
Bizarrdominant lady, tantrika, BDSM freak. Or in Pixie’s words, “I love perversion and surrender to pleasure. To me, those are the best answers to the delusions of modern society.”
Salomé Balthus
Founder and most prominent member of an exclusive club of emancipated young women who freely and self-determined enjoy their existence as modern courtesans. A revolutionary concept.
Emma Steel
Walks at the erotic limit. Newcomers to the amazing world of BDSM will find in her an empathetic and respectful mentor and companion on the road to bad fetish, perverse horniness and hair-raising satisfaction. Emma welcomes people of all genders and bodies, with and without disabilities, driven by pleasure or by pain.
Lena Morgenroth
Lena is a head and body person, undogmatic and thoughtful. A woman who loves bodies and elicits reactions from them with joy. She creates free erotic massages on the foundation of years of tantric massage practice, spiced with elements of BDSM and bizarre eroticism. Gripping, tender, tantalizing and stalling, close and intimate, occasionally daring. Lena is currently no longer active as a sex worker, but for very appealing requests she has an open ear now and then. Try your luck.
Bondage
Gorgone
Is one of my best teachers. Very few people are as well trained and advanced in bondage as Gorgone. She has traveled all over the world and gained experience and knowledge with the best bondage artists. Since she knows both sides well, both as an active rigger and bondage model, she is an especially good teacher. She knows about good technique as well as about what kind of experiences can be triggered in a bondage session. She can answer questions from models and riggers alike.
Matthias Grimme
Nobody interested in the tradition of Shibari as practiced in the western world can afford to ignore him. Matthias Grimme is a bondage luminary who has been practicing this “story of affection” with his partner Nicole for 12 years; his approach to Shibari is legendary. He is the author of countless books on the subject of bondage and S&M that are considered to be fundamental literature in the scene. He lives, practices, and teaches mostly in Hamburg, but also travels outside of Germany for workshops and performances
Dasnya Sommer
The dancer and choreographer has developed her own anarchic approach to shibari, dance and performance with her partner Frances D’Ath.
Eru
Teaches as an independent personal trainer in Berlin to connect couples in the art of bondage with rope and passion. The bondage training sessions can be booked either at home, in the hotel or in the bondage room in Berlin-Neukölln and at desired times.
Yoroi Nicolas
Yoroi Nicolas, along with Felix Ruckert, is my biggest inspiration for bondage as an art form and creative free tying. We both put the body and the process of bondage in the center of our practice. He breaks away from traditional forms and develops his own style. His background as a martial artist (Aikido), his knowledge of bodies as a massage therapist, his intangible presence and aesthetic sense make his bondage sessions into unforgettable experiences.
Amalion
One of the best riggers and teachers of Shibari I know. He has accompanied my first steps into this world and shaped it significantly. Technically brilliant, and at all times in contact with the partner. As a teacher: precise, patient and at the same time demanding. Highly recommended, I will put you in contact if you wish.
Tantra & Sexological Work
Ananda Cologne
The largest institute for tantra massage and sex coaching in Germany. With a team of about 30 qualified employees, they are known for original Tantra massages according to the criteria of the Tantra Massage Professional Association. Further offers include sex coaching, touch coaching, sex counseling and workshops. ANANDA stands for a contemporary sexual culture, respectful and liberal. Their work is explicitly LGBTQ-friendly.
Mareen Scholl
As a body-oriented sexuality counselor, sexological bodyworker and coach, Mareen accompanies people with workshops and individual sessions in exploring their own sexuality and living more consciously in body, mind and desire.
Yella Cremer
Yella is a leading expert in the field of sex education in Germany. 2012 she founded the LoveBase in Berlin – in her lectures, workshop and coachings she supports people to find and deepen their very personal access to sexuality and intimacy. Yellas vision is a world, where everybody accepts all facets of their sexual identity, is free to enjoy pleasure, receives and gives with awareness.
Amakido Berührungs<wbr></wbr>kunst
The Amakido is the outstanding address in the German southwest for professional body work, tantric massages, workshops and seminars on the topics of sensuality, love and conscious physicality. Head Michael König is a certified tantra masseur according to the guidelines of the Tantra Massage Association (TMV). The cultivation of sexual experience is the mission of Amakido with a team of around 30 people.
Katja von der Forst
Katja is a Somatic Sex Coach, Tantric Bodyworker & Creative Therapist in Berlin who offers personalized sessions, coachings and workshops: She guides and supports her clients to understand, explore and discover their bodies, genitals, pleasure spots, boundaries and desires in order to be able to become active co-creators of their sexuality. With her work she pro-actively contributes to a sexual culture that enables humans to enjoy their sexuality in a sovereign way and as a vital part of their life.
Sexological Bodywork
The Institute for Sexological Bodywork in Zurich brings the profession of the Sexological Bodyworker to Europe and offers a comprehensive training for this purpose. In addition, the IISB® is constantly developing new courses and opportunities around the topic of somatic learning and sexological bodywork. It collaborates with Joseph Kramer, one of the leading experts in erotic bodywork, and with numerous other lecturers.
AnandaWave®- School of Tantric Art of Touch
AnandaWave is an official training institute of the Tantra Massage Association. In their seminars, they teach the art of touch in a way that humans naturally feel and understand best: Via joyful discovery, playful lightness and a lot of humor. Due to competent, clear and loving guidance you will experience closeness and sensuality directly and intensely, connected and protected. Through a supportive process strengthened by the group, you will unfold your sensual talent.
Klaus Schorn
Claus helps people who have no experience with sensuality, sex or relationship as adults and who would like to change that. He himself was an absolute beginner and knows the situation from his own experience. And he has experienced that it can be changed.
Lea
As a healer and sex-pro Lea is “the” address, if one would like to learn something about the exploration of the vaginal interior. Exclusive lessons for every gender type – also on the topic of vaginal fisting.
Stefanie Dörr
Lovetoy store from their own manufacture – online and in their Berlin shop for almost 20 years. For women* and all who love them… All toys and accessories are made of plasticizer-free materials. Stefanie will be happy to advise you.
Manuel Harand
Manuel provides experience spaces for intimacy, sexuality and relationships in Vienna – he combines a sensual-tantric approach to the body with his therapeutic work. He sees this fusion as one of the most powerful and pleasurable ways in human consciousness development.
Daniel Vonwil
Daniel advises and connects people around the topics of sexuality and relationships. With a lot of depth and yet with a playful lightness, he explores new approaches to conscious living in protected realms of experience. He is a trained tantric masseur at Amakido in Freiburg and gives sexual counseling as well as seminars and workshops under his label L!IEBENSFREUDE.
Men - Tantra
A space for male touch culture – tantric massages, seminars, coaching, training school and open groups for men, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Iva Samina
Iva loves and lives sensuality and a conscious, aware and satisfying sexuality and shares her knowledge of how to live a fulfilled (love) life with her clients. Her sessions, workshops and trainings create a safe space for curious body explorers. Iva shares know-how from Sexological Bodywork, Tantra, Yoga, Self:Cervix and Womb Wisdom and explores with you ways and tools for your fulfilled sexuality, your authentic expression & honest intimacy.
Trusted Bodywork Plattform
The boundaries of tantra, holistic massage and sex therapy are changing rapidly. For a few years now, a new professional group of highly qualified women, men and non-binary people has been emerging, who are often found only by chance. Unfortunately, there are also many unprotected professional titles that are not used in an appropriate way. At Trusted Bodywork, by using a simple search function you will be able to find people with a completed certified training in your area.
Queer Porn
Paulita Pappel
The Spanish filmmaker, producer, director and intimacy coordinator has been making feminist porn for a decade and is an advocate of a sex-positive culture based on consent and communication. She is also the founder of Lustery – a documentary platform about the sex lives of real couples, a creative half of HardWerk (feminist hardcore porn and gangbang), and co-organizer and curator of the Pornfilmfest Berlin.
Inspiration
Felix Ruckert
Felix is a dancer, choreographer, conceptual artist and curator – his main interests are the endless possibilities of the human body. With his practical and theoretical investigation of BDSM and the exploration of connections between BDSM techniques and artistic practices, he developed an art of touch and a philosophy of sensual communication. He was instrumental in popularizing Shibari in Europe and is considered one of the pioneers of the sexpositive and Conscious Kink movement in Berlin. Since 2021 he directs the IKSK- Institute for Body Research and Sexual Culture on the Holzmarkt in Berlin-Mitte.
Laura Meritt
For over 20 years, her store “Sexclusivitäten” and the adjoining salon have been a Berlin institution. She is a pioneer in the field of sex-positive feminism and the exploration of female pleasure, runs sexual-political campaigns and is the initiator of PorYes, the Feminist Porn Film Award of Europe.
Barbara Carellas
Another of the women who laid the foundations of a sex-positive culture, feminist consciousness, spirited playfulness, and individual freedom.
She is the author of the book “Urban Tantra” and a thought leader for a contemporary, genderqueer, non-esoteric tantra – as well as the director for the UrbanTantra Professional program, which I also graduated from.
Dossie Easton
From the same generation: psychotherapist, teacher and author Dossie Easton. Her works “The (new) bottoming book” and “The (new) topping book” show the way to joyful, ecstatic and responsible BDSM play in a practical way. Her books “Radical Ecstasy” and “The Ethical Slut” were groundbreaking for an entire generation.
Annie Sprinkle
Dr. Sprinkle: retired prostitute and porn star, now a performer, sex educator, lecturer and author.
Magical Places
Zwischenwelten
A wonderful and exciting place in Zurich, where our senses are sharpened, colors appear brighter and the taste of sweat on the skin tastes saltier. In this land, foxes and rabbits play erotic games, unicorns and demons linger in shibari sessions, and friendly witches and devilish fairies dance through the night. Travelers enter in search of connection to themselves, to others, and to learn. Workshops, educational courses and events on topics such as tantra, bodywork, alternative lifestyles, BDSM and intimacy are offered here.
IKSK - Institut für Körperforschung und Sexualkultur
Successful physical and sensual encounters arise on the basis of strategies of action from the interaction process of self-understanding and understanding others. The IKSK Institute at Holzmarkt in Berlin-Mitte has been under the direction of Felix Ruckert, the founder of the unforgotten Berlin institution Schwelle 7, since 2021. The IKSK is a multifaceted learning space dedicated to experience, explore and develop the individual physical self relationship and physical understanding of others. A space of recognition in which all persons, including those who do not conform to common norms of attractiveness, are accepted, considered and integrated; a space in which sensual-erotic experiences are possible, which contribute to the satisfaction and good life of persons.
Luhmen D'Arc
Under their label, Beata and Matís invite to workshops, jams and sessions mainly in Berlin and Zurich. Besides teaching proficient techniques on bondage, flogging or role playing, Luhmen d’Arc is a protective space for all the strange, alien-like, hilarious, tenderly groping and delightfully awkward sides of all things sexual. Amongst other forms, their experimental formats include erotic games with silliness or laziness, the delving into creepiness or the turning of the fantasy of endless orgies into reality. www.luhmendarc.com
Schwelle 7
The most important and inspiring place for me in my wanderings between dance, bondage, BDSM, experimental bodywork and exploration. Play, magic, gentle madness. The Schwelle 7 was borderline, was community, was zen, was deep silence and freakout, was controversial, was place for deep experience of happiness and exploration of abysses, was dance, was improvisation and creation. It is certain that there is hardly anything conclusive to say about this place – thanks at this point personally to Felix Ruckert for his power and personality in having founded and created this place. Since 2016 the Schwelle 7 no longer exists – but it remains unforgettable for me and many, many others.
Guided Tour: Berlin's History of Sex
Why is Berlin “the most sexual city on Earth” – both today as well as 100 years ago? Why is Berlin the birthplace of modern sexual science and the modern LGBTIQ emancipation movement? What were sex workers in the 1920s up to, how was their life and work? Thanks to augmented reality technology, this historical city tour gives an extraordinary insight into the history of my city of choice – a clear recommendation for history nerds and everyone who wants to get to know Berlin from its most exciting side!
https://berlinguide.de/stadtfuehrungen/berlins-geschichte-der-sexualitat-in-augmented-reality/
Sexpositive Therapists
Aino Simon
Couples therapist and author in Berlin. With her work she supports couples to love better and happier – no matter if they live in a monogamous, open or poly way. Aino has been living in an open marriage herself for 18 years. In her book she writes about the limits of monogamy and how one can work through cheating.
Marianne Kreissig
Certified VITA™ Sex, Love and Relationship Coach as taught by Layla Martin. 1:1 coaching for men and women around the topic of sexuality and dating.
Karina Kehlet Lins
Karina is a psychologist and a couples- and sex therapist who speaks Danish, Dutch, German and English fluently. Apart from her clinical work, she teaches and writes, and has published several books for health professionals on how to have better and more inclusive conversations on sexuality related issues. She is known in the LGBTQ+ community for her open and norm questioning approach, and is a kink aware therapist.
Helen Hagemeier
Helen works as a sex and couples therapist in a group practice specializing in LGBTQIA+ issues in Cologne, but also works internationally and especially online. Her range of topics includes empowering sexual identity, transition support, femininity*practice, sexual communication, and analyzing sexual needs. She also talks about relationships, intimacy, and self-care in her podcast “Liebe Machen”. As a sex educator, she offers educational trainings, workshops, panels, and talks.
Sex Work Organizations
Between mystification and vilification: Important contributions on the topic of sex work, sexual services and around the political demands of sex workers, can be found here, among others.
Berufsverband erotische und sexuelle Dienstleistungen
After the 2012 prostitution law made some first steps towards the profession’s emancipation (although it wasn’t fully thought through), backwards-thinking legal initiatives are once again being discussed. However, the answer to poor legislative and social conditions surrounding prostitution cannot be to prohibit it altogether. In this association, the sex workers organize themselves. Johanna Weber and Undine De Riviére played a major role in making this happen.
Hydra e.V.
Meeting place and counseling for prostitutes for over 30 years. Against human trafficking, supporting prostitution.
Global Network of Sex Work Projects
NSWP strengthens and unites the voices of organizations working for sex workers’ rights and self-determination and against abuse, discrimination and punitive laws. The network works primarily with regional networks and supports the development of sex worker-led organizations.
www.sexarbeitforschung.wordpress.com
Collection of scientific research on sex work in Germany
www.researchprojectkorea.wordpress.com
Scientific research on sexual exploitation and human trafficking in South Korea and worldwide
www.menschenhandelheute.net
Critical online magazine by historian and sex work researcher Sonja Dolinsek
www.itsplay.weebly.com
Heath Pennington is a Fellow at the University of California Santa Barbara researching BDSM cultures and practices at the intersections of performance studies, queer, gender, and affect theories.