Gray Miller

This class gives an overview of the current challenges facing the alternative lifestyle communities and the ways they can be improved. The material draws from contemporary research in consent issues done by the NCSF and other groups, as well as practical experiences from Consent Rocks Crews in the field. Along the way it can broaden and deepen the understanding of consent incidents beyond the simplistic "law & order" mentality into a more inclusive understanding of the trauma and needs of those involved.Based on the

When it works, great chemistry between people can be a profoundly moving experience, sometimes described as “touching the divine.” But if “the divine” is not part of your worldview, you can be left wondering what the hell it was that you touched! Gray uses this class to explore non-spiritual contexts for understanding “romantic energy,” from neurochemistry to Eastern medicine to neurolinguistic programming and evolutionary models. More importantly, the class will help you make informed decisions about consent and dealing with that energy when it happens in a constructive way for both yourself and your partner. You don’t have to ignore it when the woo happens, nor does it have to freak you out. Knowledge is power, and learning how to get what you want out of the weird stuff that happens when your heart leads the way can add a powerful tool to your relationship skillset.

There is a lot of focus on trust in relationships, but there’s another quality that is necessary for intimacy: the discomfort and risk of vulnerability from all sides of the relationship. Can you risk being all of yourself, even the parts that you aren’t proud of? Can you still believe your partner will love you even after they know you? Authenticity carries risk. This class explores some of the barriers to intimacy, including things we often substitute for the scary feeling of “being in the mess together”. Drawing on the work of experts on vulnerability such as Brené Brown as well as hard-learned personal experience, Gray leads the discussion of how to take the plunge and fully realize the potential of an intimate relationship.