We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Leann Herron a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Leann, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
My journey to becoming a Kink and BDSM coach and educator began with a deeply personal transformation following the end of a twenty-year marriage. I had been raised with traditional values, modeled after the 1950s housewife archetype, where self-sacrifice was expected, and my own needs were always secondary. For much of my life, I didn’t know how to advocate for myself. I knew how to take care of others, but I had never been taught how to communicate my own needs, wants, or desires.
Our marriage lacked emotional and physical intimacy, and after the divorce, I found myself living alone for the first time. With my children grown and independent, I was finally able to pause and reflect. I embarked on a journey of self-discovery, asking myself meaningful questions: Who am I beyond being a wife and mother? What brings me joy? What kind of connection do I want in a partner? What do I value, and what am I no longer willing to compromise? Most importantly, I had to learn how to truly love and honor myself before I could offer that love to someone else.
Eventually, I began dating again and met someone who introduced me to the world of kink and BDSM. Though I had little knowledge at the time, I was deeply curious. With his support, I was introduced to a local community where I could explore safely and consensually. As a lifelong learner, I immersed myself in research, workshops, and educational experiences. What I discovered was profoundly eye-opening.
Contrary to common misconceptions, I found that the foundation of the BDSM lifestyle is built on trust, communication, consent, negotiation, and safety. Each of these principles is practiced with intention and depth, allowing for meaningful, empowering, and safe experiences. I explored different dynamics and learned to clearly articulate my boundaries, needs, and desires. For the first time, I understood what it meant to fully own my pleasure, and to do so unapologetically.
That transformative experience not only healed parts of me but also lit a fire within me to help others do the same. Today, I support others on their journey, whether they’re exploring kink for the first time or looking to deepen their understanding within their relationships. My work is rooted in empowerment, education, and creating safe, shame-free spaces for exploration and growth.
In my personal life, I am a married collared submissive, married to my Sir in a monogamous relationship where we embrace our unique kink lifestyle. I have over 11 years of personal experience in the BDSM community.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Kink Your Way was born out of my desire to create a safe, empowering space for individuals curious about or already exploring alternative lifestyles. Through this brand, I offer coaching and education that help people embrace their authentic selves without shame, while prioritizing consent, communication, and personal growth.
I imagine a world where adult sexuality, in all its consensual forms, whether that’s dominance and submission, bondage and discipline, kink, leather, fetish play, polyamory, or gender expression like cross-dressing, is not just accepted but respected. A world where people are free to explore and express who they are without shame or judgment.
My Mission: At Kink Your Way, Mental Health Comes First—Exploration Begins with Emotional Safety
We believe that true exploration starts with emotional safety. In a shame-free, judgment-free space, you’re empowered to live fully, feel deeply, and embrace every part of who you are, without apology. This is more than just kink; it’s a path to deeper authenticity, radical self-acceptance, and holistic healing.
Over the past six months, my role in the educational space has expanded significantly. I’m proud to be a teacher and educator with AVAIYA University, where I guide others through topics such as Shame-Free Sex and Healthy Intimacy. In addition, I’m a monthly contributor to Shame Free Sex magazine, writing in the “Getting Kinky” column to help normalize and celebrate kink in everyday life.
Kink Your Way is honored to align with MyJoyToys, a global first in adult toy brands founded entirely on mental health, in a strategic content collaboration, supporting sexual wellness, empowered intimacy, and unapologetic self-discovery.
As Kink Your Way continues to grow, I’m actively exploring further collaborations with sexologists, coaches, and educators who share a vision of breaking down taboos, amplifying diverse voices, and creating holistic spaces for both sexual and mental wellness.
This work is more than a business; it’s a mission. One that is deeply rooted in education, liberation, and the belief that we each deserve to define pleasure, intimacy, and connection on our terms.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1. Emotional Resilience & Self-Awareness After my divorce, I took the time to understand who I was without the roles I had previously embodied. This self-awareness became the foundation for everything that followed—my healing, my boundaries, my joy, and my redefinition of intimacy and connection.
Advice for others:
Start by getting radically honest with yourself. Ask deep questions: What do I value? What beliefs about myself or my sexuality am I carrying that no longer serve me? Journaling, therapy, or working with a coach can be invaluable tools for this. Developing emotional resilience means permitting yourself to feel everything without judgment, and then using that awareness to take empowered action.
2. Lifelong Learning & Curiosity
My hunger for education transformed what started as curiosity into a calling. I didn’t just dabble in kink, I studied it, immersed myself in the community, sought out trustworthy sources, and took the time to understand it on a deeper level. My commitment to growth allowed me to step into the role of educator and coach with integrity.
Advice for others:
Stay curious. Don’t be afraid to question what you think you know, especially around sex, relationships, and identity. Seek out reputable educators, attend workshops, read widely, and talk to others in the community. The more informed you are, the more empowered and confident you’ll feel in your journey. And remember: learning is ongoing, there’s no finish line.
3. Authentic Communication & Boundary Setting
One of my biggest personal shifts was learning how to identify and express my own needs, after years of putting everyone else first. In the kink and BDSM space, this skill is not only essential, it’s foundational. Being able to communicate openly and hold firm to my boundaries gave me agency over my pleasure, safety, and relationships.
Advice for others:
Practice stating your needs, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. Start small. Set a boundary and stick to it. Learn the difference between compromise and self-abandonment. In kink, communication isn’t just important, it’s everything. Take the time to explore what your boundaries are and find language that feels empowering when expressing them. Consent begins with knowing yourself.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I’m looking to collaborate with individuals and organizations who are passionate about sexual wellness, mental health, empowerment, and education, especially those committed to creating shame-free, inclusive, and affirming spaces.
Specifically, I seek to partner with:
Sexuality educators, sexologists, and therapists who share a trauma-informed, consent-based, and pleasure-positive approach to their work.
Life and relationship coaches who support clients in breaking free from shame and embracing their authentic selves, particularly around intimacy, identity, and lifestyle choices.
Mental health professionals and advocates who recognize the deep connection between sexual well-being and emotional health, and who are open to holistic, alternative approaches.
Adult toy brands and sexual wellness companies with a strong focus on education, empowerment, inclusivity, and mental health.
Content creators, podcast hosts, bloggers, and educators who are already breaking taboos and uplifting conversations around kink, BDSM, body autonomy, and non-traditional relationships.
Event organizers and educators looking to add workshops or speaking engagements around kink, BDSM, shame-free sex, or healthy intimacy to their offerings.
Above all, I want to collaborate with those who are heart-led, forward-thinking, and dedicated to dismantling shame while promoting informed, empowered exploration.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kinkyourway.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannherron/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kinkyourway.
- Other: Email: [email protected]
