Code of Conduct
Version 1, 11th August 2022
We acknowledge that our offerings exist within the context of a culture with societal norms and conditions, ingrained inequalities, and inherent power dynamics.
We live in and are part of a capitalist culture that preferences doing, drive and productivity over being, dropping in and sensitivity. We orient towards creating a new culture that dissolves the dominant paradigm and supports healthy, enlivening and integrative ways of being.
Whilst we hold an intention for wholeness and integration, we acknowledge the complex and sometimes messy business of dismantling assumptions and pre-conceptions in order to create and support a better vision of humanity in relation to sex and sexuality.
The Code of Conduct is an agreement between Tantra Massage Training and our participants/community and will continue to evolve as we continue to learn and grow.
Before
We have an intake process of application form, online interview, and may request potential participants to come for a private session where appropriate.
Your application and information is held in confidence and in line with data protection laws.
We ask about your level of experience and awareness in order to ascertain whether joining TMT is the right next step on your journey. We only accept participants that we consider at the right level of readiness. Otherwise we will recommend other trainings or modalities for you to explore first.
We ask about trauma and sexual abuse in order to create safeguarding in the space as best as we can for you, for the group and for the team. Many people have experienced transgressions in relation to their bodily autonomy and sexual expression. Therefore, trauma is rife and the impact cannot be underestimated. We wish to ensure that you have sufficient resources in your life to support you before, during and after the workshop.
We are open and transparent about workshop fees, payment plans, and our cancellation/refund policy.
We offer a limited number of bursary places for each workshop, specifically for people in communities with less access to resources in order to make the work more accessible.
We only accept payment by instalment (payment plans) where it supports your capacity to join a workshop. We do not encourage anyone to over-extend themselves financially, particularly if there is a sense of “last chance” for healing or transformation.
We communicate with you in a timely way about any changes made by TMT to our workshop schedule or programme. We give choices as to how you engage with any changes made by TMT, including offering a full refund.
We only teach and guide what we are qualified and experienced in teaching and guiding.
We are in humility to the scope of the offering within our workshop containers. Whilst healing and transformation may occur within the workshop space, we do not make claims for therapy, healing or transformation.
During
We commit to creating a culture of communication and consent. We offer tools and practices to support this commitment in an embodied moment to moment way.
We make space for and encourage conversations around consent at each stage of the workshop; not just at the beginning.
We offer options as to the level of engagement within exercises and encourage you to choose what feels good and right for you. There is a practice of “opting in” rather than “opting out”.
We agree to confidentiality within the workshop as regards participants personal experiences and sharing.
We communicate and ask consent for any alterations to the agreements of the workshop container with the group.
There may be nudity in the space but it is never a requirement. Whilst we work with sexuality and sexual energy, there is a boundary of no penetrative sex (i.e. penis in vagina or ass) within the workshop space at all times.
The TMT team are in service to the group and not there to have their personal needs for sexual or emotional intimacy met by participants.
Where there is a current ongoing connection between a TMT team member and participant, this is declared to the group. The priority for the TMT team member remains to be in service to the group as a whole rather than focused on their individual connection.
There is no sexual or romantic engagement with participants during the time of the workshop. Please see “After the Workshop” for our protocols beyond the workshop container.
The TMT team have crew check-ins before, during and after each workshop in order to raise any areas of concern, triggers and receive support from one another. We hold one another accountable for our conduct before, during and after the workshop.
After
We communicate with the group to share next steps, resources, and support within 48 hours of the workshop ending.
We offer email support and one phone call check-in for any participants who require support within one month of the workshop. Group call retreat.
We offer a feedback form for workshops, which includes the option to share anonymously.
We have an anonymous Incident Reporting Form on the TMT website, which can be used at any time not only in relation to a workshop, to report complaints and raise concerns.
We commit to receiving feedback and listening to complaints with a view to understanding how we can do better and to restore integrity where required.
Following a workshop, we have guidelines regarding the length of time a member of the TMT team will wait before initiating contact or forming a connection with a participant. This varies depending on the duration and location of the workshop and perceived level of power of the TMT team member holds in relation to participants and the workshop space.
For a week long residential container, we have the following guidelines:
- Lead Facilitator – six months
- Assistant Facilitator – three months
- Practical Assistant – one month
We are a member of The Association of Somatic and Integrative Sexologists (ASIS) and work under their Code of Ethics and auspices.
