Quintimacy! Level 2 returns!

Back in May 2023, we held our first level 2 event in Leicester, for 3 days. It was an amazing success and we just really want to do it again!

Quintimacy level 2 events are for those who have already attended a Quintimacy in-person weekend at level 1. If this applies to you, you have been part of the unique, unfolding, amazing work and play that happens at our events. You were part of the learning and growing of consent culture based on the Betty Martin Wheel of Consent and Sexological Bodywork principles and practice. You explored yourself and others within different forms of queer intimacy and laughed, cried, processed and experienced touch and pleasure.

So, level 2 is those who want to keep exploring, and maybe want to go further and deeper, with other queer and trans folk who have also experienced deep learning from Quintimacy events, and be a part of the circle of folk that has become a sort of ‘community’.

Quintimacy Manchester level 2 will be facilitated by Beck Thom and Skylar Haven. We feel it opens up expansive possibilities to be amongst people who already have an established relationship to doing this kind of conscious sexuality work in a consensual and trauma informed way with other queer and trans folk. 

 Quintimacy - the 'Kink edition'!

It turns out that the themes of playing with power and stronger sensation, and exploration of the erotic self/ves and mind was very popular amongst our Quintimacy audience, so Leicester focussed on the realm of 'Kink' as well as opportunities to go further and deeper with erotic touch, pleasure and asking for what you want. 

So, based on what we explored previously, we are excited that the programme will include;

• Going further with intimate parts/genitals/ass – erotic and explorative touch.
• Playing with power, erotic authority, leading and following and expressing dominance, submission and surrender.
• Experimenting with stronger sensations, play with toys and tools, pain and pleasure.
• Exploration of the erotic mind, fantasy and 'kinky' queer intimacy.
• Opportunities to work in pairs and groups to negotiate and create experiences based around your curiosities, desires and limits.
• A specific invitation to work 'beyond the dyad' (playing and working with more than one other person). 

This will all be a continuation of previous Quintimacy workshops, with as much care around building a consensual container and trauma-informed space to enable us to explore these themes bravely, with as much self consent and honouring of our needs and boundaries as possible. For a level 2, there is the expectation that everyone attending contributes to this group culture, and everyone benefits from what it opens up.

We will be taking feedback and listening to participants and the programme will emerge from what is arising in the group, whilst still offering structure for the group experience. Level 2 (further/deeper) events will likely be opportunities for people to being their own journeys and process to the event, and we imagine a room in which people are taking their explorations into creative enquiries of all different kinds, and diversity is welcome.

As usual, we consciously resist pressure to be on any kind of ‘escalator’, except one that you choose and negotiate with your working partners/peers. There will always be opportunities to rest, spend time in den, colouring, journaling, cuddling, doing solo touch, etc. All the activities we did at Level 1 will be available to revisit (e.g Genital/Ass interview, canoe holds, Bossy Massage, listening pairs).

Venue

We are returning to The Pathways Studio. Lord Byron Square, Salford, M50 2XH

Booking your place

If you would like to attend this Level 2 Quintimacy event in Manchester in October 2023, all you need to do is book a ticket (limited 2 day only tickets available) at the sliding scale level you decide. 

If you have not attended a Quintimacy event for a while and have things you would like to share with us about your situation and access needs, please complete this mini questionnaire https://forms.gle/bRZoV6cf6fgUNvbF7

(If you book, you will receive this link later and have another opportunity to complete it.) 

In the unlikely event that Beck and Skylar feel that Quintimacy level 2 is not right for you at this time, you will receive a full refund or a transfer to a Level 1 event.

NEVER ATTENDED A QUINTIMACY EVENT?

If you have never attended an in person event and are interested in coming to this one, there is an opportunity to attend a Level 1, in Bristol in September 2023 (see here - https://buytickets.at/quintimacy/953049)

You must have attended at least the first 2 days of a Level 1 event to join us for a Level 2.

Revisiting some information and logistics....

What is Quintimacy?

Quintimacy® is a unique opportunity to explore intimacy, consent and erotic desire from a trans centred and queer point of view. Quintimacy is an exclusively Queer space, held by experienced and qualified professional practitioners in Sexological Bodywork, Yoga Therapy and Somatic Coaching. Consent and respect are at the core of the work.

Everyone is encouraged and supported to take care of their own needs and boundaries. You don't have to touch or be touched at all to be fully welcome and a part of the workshop. Whether you're an established part of the Quintimacy community, a workshop regular or brand new, you are warmly invited to share this (now 3 day long!) weekend with us.

Offerings will include embodied consent exercises, touch, deep and authentic connection, deep listening and empathy, and cuddles/holds, as well as intimate and erotic embodiment and sensual touch and massage. There is a focus on gender freeing and gender affirming approaches to the body, including the genitals.

Safety and Safeguarding

Beck and Skylar deliver Quintimacy events in keeping with the code of conduct for Certified Sexological Bodyworkers (CSBs) and the Quintimacy weekend is held on the basis of these ways of working, which are deeply consent-based and trauma-informed.

We ask all attendees to use barriers (nitrile gloves) for body fluids, following the same hygiene protocol that CSB's use in our work. This applies even if you are attending and working with a fluid bonded partner, or touching your own genitals, and this is keep the space clean.

7 Principles for level 2

With regards to the new content around penetration/circlusion, sharing of fantasy, and activities that involve stronger sensation and experimenting with power, as well as the intimate parts/genital work, we recognise that there are more things that could concern people or go 'wrong'. For this reason, there will be clear guidelines about the limits and boundaries for this workshop, which we ask everyone, including experienced members of the kink community and established partners to play within. More detail will be communicated to booked participants as we get closer the the weekend date.

We take a number of steps to ensure that people attending the event are able and willing to create a consent culture together and this might mean turning people away on occasion if we don't feel there is a good fit at this time. The team are all operating under some agreement about ethical boundaries between us and attendees. 

There are anonymous ways to report any consent violations or accidents that you believe occur at a Quintimacy event (including this form - https://forms.gle/XNuLvG2deuBCx9X9A ). If you have any concerns, please approach Beck or Skylar to discuss at the nearest opportunity.

There are Group Agreements that detail how we behave at Quintimacy events to create the most conducive environment for doing this important work. These are sent out to participants in the weeks before the event.

Attending solo or as a pair

You can attend Quintimacy alone, or with a friend or a partner, but for Level 2, it is highly likely the room will feel like a group of old friends! You can choose to work with your partner exclusively, or not. Each person attending will need to purchase a separate ticket in your own name.

Venue

The venue is The Pathways Studio. Lord Byron Square, Salford, M50 2XH. We made the Pathways Studio, Salford our home for an event in October 2022, and we are excited to return!

Pathways is disabled accessible and has free parking in front of the building and surrounding streets, and is a specially dedicated venue for sexuality work, and private and secure.  

Please contact us to discuss any accessibility requirements or if you have any questions.

Venue website - https://www.thepathwaysstudio.com/

Cost

Tickets are offered on a sliding scale, depending on your income and financial situation. Most people should pay the STANDARD ticket, so please look at this first and consider if you can afford to pay this. If you are on a low income/marginalised in various ways and unable to afford the Standard ticket, you are welcome to purchase a SUBSIDISED ticket. The only way we can afford to offer subsidised tickets is if people support by paying extra when they can, and this is where generous supporters come in! If you can afford to buy a SUPPORTERS ticket, we would be very grateful. Also, on any ticket tier you have the option of adding an extra amount to support.

2 or 3 day tickets

There are limited tickets for the Friday and Saturday only, but you can 'upgrade' to attend on the Sunday if you decide this is what you want to do. The cost of this will be a standard £50 for all tiers of sliding scale, and can be paid into Beck's bank account by BACS/bank transfer before you arrive on the Sunday morning. 

Sponsored places

If you really are unable to afford the lowest price, subsidised ticket and feel called to be at this event, we are offering a maximum of 2 SPONSORED places where we negotiate how much you can afford to pay for 2 days. Priority will be given to QTBIPOC/disabled people/people with multiple intersecting marginalised identities. If you want to express an interest in one of these places, please email Beck on info@quintimacy.com. Discretion assured. 

Cancellations

Cancellations 28 days before event - a full refund (minus all booking fees) will be offered.

Cancellations 14 days or more before event - 50% refund (minus all booking fees) or option to transfer whole amount to a future event.

Cancellations less than 14 days before event - I regret no refunds can be given.

Unfortunately, no refunds can be offered once the event has started, if you decide to leave for any reason, or in the case we ask someone to leave for any reason.

Refunds are done via BACS (bank transfer) and we would require your bank details to complete this.

Instalments

In some circumstances we can offer for you to pay your chosen sliding scale ticket in instalments to make it easier to manage the costs of the event. The full balance must be paid 14 days before the start of the event. The cancellation policy applies to all payments made by instalments.

If you wish to pay by instalments, please contact us as soon as possible on info@quintimacy.com and tell us whether you are paying standard, subsidised or supporter ticket fee. Please also tell us when you will make your payments and of how much (ensuring full payment has been received 14 days before the event starts). We will create an access code to purchase a free ticket so you are registered in our ticket system.

COVID

As with previous Quintimacy events, we prioritise the safety and wellbeing of the group. We take sensible precautions such as asking participants NOT to attend if you have cold/flu symptoms, to consider doing an LFT test the morning of the event, and use hand sanitisers etc.

Unfortunately, we cannot offer refunds to people who cannot attend due to illness or COVID, but may be able to offer you a subsidised place on a future event.

Food

Hot/cold drinks and snacks will be provided, including vegan snacks and fruit. We are inviting you to ‘bring and share’ vegan or vegetarian food for lunch on each day (there are kitchen facilities including a fridge/coolboxes, and microwave to heat food). If you prefer you can bring your own lunch. 

On previous Quintimacy weekends, in the evenings, people arranged to go out to eat in local restaurants together, or maybe you will prefer a quiet meal at your accommodation.

Accommodation

We are unable to arrange accommodation locally but will set up a Facebook group for participants to arrange sharing accommodation, travel, and maybe a meal on Saturday night.

There will be a private Facebook page for the event where you can make arrangements with others. (As with everything we offer, engaging with this is optional.)

Facilitators

Beck Thom (of Quintimacy/Somatic Sex Educator) and Skylar Haven (of Queer Somatics) will be holding the space for us on these two days.

Beck Thom is a Somatic Sex Educator and Certified Sexological Bodyworker. They are experienced in delivering online and in-person workshops for queer and trans people around embodiment, sex and pleasure. They work in a trauma-informed, consent-based way and aim to create spaces where together we develop enough safety and trust for intimate and transformative work to happen. Beck is a registered member of Association of Certified Sexological Bodyworkers and is fully insured.

Skylar Haven (they/them), is based in The Netherlands and aims to create spaces with healing potential for folks - especially queer and trans folks - to gently explore loving, trusting and enjoying their body. They identify as queer and trans non-binary and are a certified yoga therapist, somatic coach and Certified Sexological Bodyworker and support folks with topics related to sex, health and wellness. They are the founder of Queer Somatics and some of the key themes in their work include: embodiment, rest, pleasure, and self-compassion.