I knew about BDSM from a few years back, but didn't really know that it was what I needed until this year...
My experience and training:
I am self-taught and am a natural at dominating people. I was always in the role of a disciplinarian, even to my (now deceased) father and mother, who never really emotionally matured. My attitude is "just add water" BDSM. My main ingredient being mind control and behavioral modification (which is comes from my years of disciplining everyone around me as well as myself).
My techniques and philosophy:
I integrate the core with, let's say, pain, humiliation and behavioral modification, torture, role play, toys, gear, mood and setting. All the while I consider what I want to do to my chosen victim as in what he/she really enjoys as well as what I enjoy. I also add the element of surprise to spice things up by having them use something totally new or do something totally new. That way something that was a "been there done that" task or activity gets redefined, renovated, and reinterpreted. I also try to figure ahead of time how to conclude the session...which is with a coup de grace. That is my formula. It's simple but can be scaled to any level of complexity.
There is always room for growth and learning. I'm befriending Doms and Dommes have provided lots of advice, knowledge, and experience. There are classes/seminars I plan to take because there certainly are things that you cannot teach yourself to do.