As with any group that doesn't follow the dominant narrative, finding support as a non-monogamous person is not the easiest thing. Support networks are often taken for granted until you NEED one to help get through something. Generally speaking, coming from a place of need is not always the best starting point. What happens when [...]
Lately, I’ve become enamored with the idea that we have a language we prefer to care for ourselves in. If you’re not familiar with The 5 Love Languages, take a moment to check them out and maybe even take their short quiz. Caveat: it’s incredibly mononormative, but many non-monogamous folks have found it useful. Take [...]
Stop me if you've heard this before: “In a healthy relationship, it's all about communication, communication, communication!” I really should add a fourth one in there because there are Four Basic Types of Communication: Passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive. One of the least understood is passive communication and as such, it can be a sneaky [...]
Not too long ago, I was asked what the term "partner" meant to me. I think I said it was feeling like I was part of a team working towards the common goal of a healthy relationship. I recently realized a critical component of that for me is accepting and working with the aspects of [...]
Forgive me for the play on words. It couldn't be helped. 'Tis the season! It's a sentimental time. The observation of traditions, time off work, exchanging of gifts, sharing food and space, and a connection to something larger than ourselves - whether that be God, or family, or love, or stringing more than two days [...]
When do I tell someone I'm interested in that I'm polyamorous? I see this question posed a lot in online forums when the topic of dating is up for discussion. My answer is very simple: first thing. I'm on one or two online dating sites, and my status as a non-monogamous person is very clearly [...]
I have two very different romantic relationships: an open relationship with a woman whose other partnerships are pursued without any obligation to me as far as notification and whose love interests I rarely meet until they become more serious, and a more structured relationship with a man whose love interests I am well aware of [...]
Jealousy is a thing, peeps. It is the dead horse beaten on a regular basis when discussions of polyamory are on the table, but that's because It Is A Thing. And it's not the biggest monster in my closet . . . but I have one - it's just more like a pocket monster. I carry [...]
If you have landed on this page, please click here to read a more current version of this essay: Strengthening Relationships with Courageous Conversations One of the practices I've found helpful as a polyamorous person is the having of courageous conversations. I like to call them this as opposed to "difficult discussions" because I want to [...]
If you have landed on this page, please click here to read a more current version of this essay: Non-Monogamy and Visibility: Coping Strategies for Hidden Partners I'm going to go out on a limb and say that secrets are almost always colored with pain. When people feel some level of insecurity in their own relationships, [...]
Poly With a Big Heart 