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Clinician Biography & Practice Ethos • LCSW #81327

Therapy grounded in empathy, clinical rigor, and radical sexual acceptance.

Meet Damon Holzum, LCSW (#81327) — psychotherapist, clinical educator, and founder of The Sex Positive Practice.

I believe you shouldn't have to educate your therapist about the fundamentals of your identity, sexual practices, or relationship configurations just to be understood. Healing begins when shame is dismantled, not when it is quietly tiptoed around.

My clinical perspective was forged through years of boots-on-the-ground community mental health across Los Angeles: supporting LGBTQIA+ youth, counseling neurodivergent adults, working within frontline HIV prevention and harm reduction, and facilitating progressive adult sexuality workshops at institutions like The Pleasure Chest and community-led health collectives.

12+ Years Clinical & Community Care
100% Sex-Positive & Kink Affirming
CA #81327 Licensed Clinical Social Worker
psychology
Damon Holzum, LCSW California BBS Board Licensed
KAP Verified
Roots & Lineage

The Journey to The Sex Positive Practice

A trajectory carved through direct community service, unapologetic queer activism, and specialized somatic trauma training.

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2012 — 2016

Community Health & Harm Reduction

Trained at the frontlines of LGBTQ+ support in West Hollywood and Downtown LA. Facilitating drop-in centers, needle exchange advocacy, HIV testing counselors, and direct crisis interventions.

Focus: Non-Stigmatizing Somatic Care
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2016 — 2020

Sexology & Pleasure-Based Education

Staff sex educator and seminar leader with progressive platforms including The Pleasure Chest and sexual health coalitions. Bridging clinical psychotherapy with candid anatomical and erotic literacy.

Focus: Consent Protocols & Erotic Agency
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2020 — PRESENT

The Sex Positive Practice

Founded an independent clinical haven in West Hollywood offering specialized individual therapy, relationship counseling for polyamorous constellations, and affirmative kink/BDSM care.

Focus: Integrative Relational Psychotherapy
Theoretical Architecture

Three Pillars of Our Philosophy

Therapy should never demand that you edit out your desires, relationships, or body to conform to an outdated clinical standard. Here is the foundation of our work:

Pillar 01

Clinical Rigor Without Clinical Coldness

Traditional psychoanalysis often relies on an aloof, impassive clinician staring from behind a notepad. We replace this outdated hierarchy with profound relational warmth, collaborative inquiry, and somatic attunement. Damon brings genuine human presence into every session while upholding stringent evidence-based therapeutic standards.

Attachment-Focused Somatic Experiencing Relational Warmth
Therapeutic Dynamic Collaborative
Traditional Stance (Hierarchical) Distanced
Sex Positive Practice Relational & Empathetic

"You are the expert on your life; I am your clinical partner in excavating insight."

Pillar 02

De-Pathologizing Difference

We reject the clinical tendency to view consensual kink, BDSM, ethical non-monogamy (ENM), sex work, or unconventional desire as symptoms of unprocessed trauma or personality disorder. In our practice, these are understood as valid expressions of human intimacy, creative vitality, play, and somatic identity.

check_circle No requirement to explain terminology. Sessions focus on your actual emotional goals, never interrogating your kinks.
Pillar 03

Anti-Oppressive & Trauma-Informed

Individual suffering does not exist in a vacuum. We actively analyze how minority stress, cis-heteronormativity, white supremacy, and class structures register in the nervous system. Our care integrates nervous system regulation, addressing both interpersonal wounds and structural weight.

verified Trauma resolution honors bodily wisdom, polyvagal mapping, and deep nervous system safety without forced disclosure.
Rigorous Standards

Clinical Licensure & Affiliations

Damon holds full independent clinical licensure in the State of California, operating under strict legal, ethical, and confidentiality protections governed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

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LCSW Licensure

Licensed Clinical Social Worker #81327 regulated by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

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Master of Social Work

MSW with clinical concentration in adult mental health, trauma treatment, and systems analysis.

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KAP Directory Member

Verified clinical member of the Kink-Aware Professionals (KAP) global directory.

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LGBTQ+ Competencies

Advanced training in gender-affirming clinical evaluations, somatic polyvagal practices, and ENM relational dynamics.

The Container

A Physical & Virtual Haven for Vulnerability

Our West Hollywood studio was created with intention: warm acoustic insulation, soothing natural lighting, quiet privacy, and physical textures that invite your nervous system to down-regulate.

Located on Santa Monica Blvd with discreet elevator entry
Fully soundproofed consulting suite with private waiting alcove
High-speed encrypted telehealth for clients anywhere in California
Transparency First

What Entering Therapy with Me is Like

Answers to the real questions prospective clients have about comfort, pacing, and what actually happens behind the door.

Not at all. You control the dial. Our initial consultation and intake are designed to explore your overarching goals, current distress, and attachment history. We go at your speed. Knowing you are in an explicitly sex-positive space simply means that whenever you do choose to bring these facets of your life forward, you will be met with clinical understanding rather than curiosity, awkwardness, or bias.

Complimentary Consultation

Experience care that meets you exactly as you are.

Schedule a free 15-minute introductory video call with Damon to discuss your goals, ask any questions, and see if our practice feels like the right fit for your journey.