Show Notes
Thank you to listener MoonBunny5 for sharing a difficult and vulnerable question. After experiencing a very negative interaction with a rigger, she now struggles to even look at rope without feeling disgusted. She wants to know whether it's possible to return to rope after an experience like this, and if so, how. While neither Mya nor Fox are therapists, this episode explores some of the concepts that may be helpful when approaching recovery from rope-related trauma. Topics include: • Why trauma can occur in rope communities more often than many people realise • The role of nervous system regulation and emotional safety • Understanding the difference between thoughts and feelings • Using free writing to process difficult experiences • Exploring alternative contexts and associations • Reintroducing rope slowly, beginning with rope as a simple object • The principles behind exposure therapy • Practising self-compassion throughout recovery • Creating safe environments for trauma work Important note: We strongly encourage seeking support from a qualified therapist where available. The ideas discussed in this episode are intended as general discussion and are best explored alongside professional support.
More from Rope Podcast
Do you have to be completely upside down for it to count as an inversion? The answer might surprise you.
Can it be harder for a rope top to stop a scene than for the bottom? Listener writes in to ask why calling a halt can sometimes feel particularly difficult or risky for the person tying. We often talk about bottoms having permission to stop, slow down or change a scene, but tops can face their own pressures: expectations around performance, responsibility for the experience, and the feeling that once a scene has started they should be able to see it through.
Decorative rope can look intricate and intimidating - but what happens when the person wearing it starts moving, or you take it out of a controlled environment and into a busy party? Fox and Mya continue their conversation with Roper_Ducky, a husband-and-wife Rigger/Bunny couple from Jacksonville, Florida, known for their colorful, playful decorative and wearable rope. This time, the conversation gets into the practical side of decorative rope, including: • The risks that can come with decorative ties • How movement can change the rope once it is on the body • The bottom’s role and responsibilities when wearing decorative rope • What changes when you tie at a party rather than at home • The particular challenges of creating decorative rope in a busy social environment • Why decorative rope doesn’t need to be as daunting as it looks • Advice for people who want to start experimenting with it • Roper_Ducky’s cross-legged/agura rainbow weave tie • The community that can grow from sharing ties online and seeing other people recreate them Along the way, they explore the balance between aesthetics and practicality, what both partners can contribute to making decorative rope work, and why you don’t need to start with something enormously complicated to create something beautiful. You can see more of Roper_Ducky’s work on Fet/Instagram at @roper_ducky.
This week, Fox and Mya are joined by Roper_Ducky, a husband-and-wife Rigger/Bunny couple based in Jacksonville, Florida. They’ve been tying together since November 2025, developing a distinctive style centred on decorative and wearable rope, bright colours and playful themes. For them, rope is at once a way to connect through touch, a creative outlet and a collaborative art form - with plenty of experimentation along the way. In this episode, we talk about: • How they got started tying together • The value of rope mentors • Learning to dye their own rope • Why decorative rope can offer more egalitarian opportunities to tie • Using decorative rope as an icebreaker at parties • Swinging, creativity, connection and finding your own way into rope • And plenty more When they’re not tying at home, you can find Roper_Ducky at local rope and kink events around Jacksonville — and you can see more of their colourful work on FetLife at @roper_ducky.
What happens when you add one extra rule to a rope scene? In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss a type of rope game they call stipulations: additional restrictions or conditions that change how a scene works. A top might be forbidden from using their left hand, for example, or the partners might agree on another rule that disrupts their usual way of tying. The fun comes from discovering what that restriction changes. A familiar tie may suddenly require more communication. The top may need to abandon their usual sequence and improvise, while the bottom may become more actively involved through balance, movement, problem-solving or verbal guidance.