[Oakland, In-Person] The Art of Pressure Play, a hands-on workshop

A 4-hour, in-person, hands-on, fully clothed workshop with Reid Mihalko

Curious why being pinned, squeezed, held down, playfully wrestled, or deliciously squished can feel so exciting, grounding, or hot?

There’s a reason for that.

Our bodies are full of fascinating connections most of us know nothing about! Imagine your muscles, fascia, ligaments, and nerves working together like a complex system of ropes and pulleys all running to your pelvis, and —when skillful pressure, leverage, positioning, and touch are applied!— can unlock new kinds of pleasure, arousal, confidence, and body awareness. In other words: there’s some gloriously nerdy science behind why playing with pressure can make people melt, wriggle, sigh, squirm, squeal, and ask for more.

In this playful, practical, fully clothed workshop, relationship educator Reid Mihalko of ReidAboutSex.com will teach you the fundamentals of Pressure Play, a term Reid coined to help adults understand how pressure, leverage, body positioning, and playful restraint can unlock new kinds of sensation, pleasure, confidence, and connection.

This is a Show ’N Tell Then Try class, so you’ll watch live demos, learn the “why” behind what works, and then get to practice in a guided, consent-forward, fully clothed environment. Participation is optional. You're as welcome to watch and ask questions as you are to bring a partner, find a partner, or try things out solo.

You’ll explore how to use pressure, body positioning, and simple leverage to create more sensation, more fun, and more confidence. Topics may include:

• Why pressure in one area of the body can be felt somewhere else
• How shoulders, hips, pelvis, posture, and positioning affect pleasure
• Why wrestling, pinning, squeezing, and playful restraint can feel so good
• How pressure and body weight can amplify arousal and connection
• Why some people love being held down, flipped over, or deliciously squished
• Better ergonomics for comfort, confidence, lasting longer, and stronger sensation
• Creative ways to use simple items like towels or pillowcases to inspire communication and play
• How to explore all of this with more consent, clarity, and care

Pressure Play gives people practical, playful tools they can actually use.

You’ll leave with practical skills, a better understanding of your body and your partners’ bodies, and a whole new menu of ways to describe, ask for, and create pleasure, connection, and playful intensity — all without needing to take your clothes off.

This workshop is for adults who want to:

• Build more confidence with touch, pressure, and body-based pleasure
• Understand why certain kinds of consensual physical play feel so good
• Add more creativity and skill to partnered play
• Understand how folks who love primal play, acroyoga, Brazilian jiu jitsu, partnered dance, and bodywork could leverage that wisdom and knowledge in fun ways in the bedroom!
• Learn in a shame-free, inclusive, sex-positive space

No prior experience is required. Your curiosity and enthusiasm is enough.

“This might be my favorite workshop of the entire festival this year. This one left me so excited and inspired to try new things and explore. I left feeling confident and more in tune with my own body and desires. Reid did an absolutely INCREDIBLE job facilitating and has such a powerful presence on the stage. Do us all a favor and bring us more of these workshops!”
— Anonymous

• In person
• 4 hours long
• Fully clothed
• Hands-on
• Live demonstrations
• Guided practice
• Q&A included

Bring comfy clothes you can move in, a bath towel or sarong, water, a notebook, and snack in case you get peckish during our 4 hours together! :)

We no longer require proof of covid vaccination at in-person events, but will require covid testing (see below). If you are not feeling well, please stay home.

• Present a timestamped photo of a covid rapid antigen test taken the day of the event at the door.
• Present the results of a PCR test administered within 48 hours of the event.
• Bring your own COVID test to take on site. If you use this option, please wear a mask into the venue. There will be a limited supply of rapid tests available for purchase - PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN.

If you need to take a covid test on-site, you must wear a mask.

Under the Weather/Emergency Refund Policy: To support the stability & sustainability of Reid's in-person events, we do not offer refunds. However, if you contact Reid via [email protected] within 24 hours of missing the event, stating it was due to illness or emergency, you will be credited your ticket price in "Reid Bucks" good for 3 months, which you can redeem towards any of Reid's digital courses and products available on his online store.

A limited number of partial scholarships are available for those in need — email Reid at [email protected] with your request and situation.

Reid Mihalko (he/him) of ReidAboutSex.com is an internationally known relationship educator who helps adults build greater self-esteem, self-confidence, and better health and accountability in their dating, intimacy, and relationship lives through an inspiring blend of humor, personal stories, keen insight, and comprehensive sexual health information.

To date, Reid’s workshops and college lectures have been attended by over 80,000 people from around the globe. His teaching and communication frameworks — including The Difficult Conversation Formula, the Safer Sex Elevator Speech, and Reid’s Casual Sex Protocols — are regularly recommended by therapists, educators, podcasters, and life coaches.

Reid has appeared in media including OWN, Netflix, HBO, CBS, Bravo, Fox News, Newsweek, Seventeen, GQ, and The Washington Post.

In early 2018, some very brave people came forward during #MeToo sharing harms that Reid had caused them. Reid stepped down from teaching and initiated a restorative justice-based accountability process to address his misconduct and make amends where possible. The formal, year-long process, along with Reid’s apology and related resources, can be found at ReidAboutSex.com/reidaccountability. Going forward, Reid’s projects and appearances include pointing people toward restorative and transformative justice-based accountability resources.

Follow @ReidAboutSex on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.

Event Venue

East Bay Community Space, 507 55th Street, Oakland, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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