Polyamory Essays

Open Relationships vs. Polyamory: What’s the Difference?

When you first decide to make the brave leap from a lifetime of monogamous relationships to the world of consensual non-monogamy (also known as CNM), you get asked a lot of…erm…interesting questions by friends, family, and pretty much anyone else who you knew up until that point. Questions like, “isn’t that just cheating with permission?”, …

Open Relationships vs. Polyamory: What’s the Difference? Read More »

Overcoming Polyamory Distress through Healing Complex PTSD and Anxious Attachment

“Own your shit.” “Do the inside job.” “It’s your soul’s journey.” “You are responsible for your emotions, not me.” “If you truly loved me, you’d be happy for me.” I don’t consider myself a polyamory proponent. I believe it works for some and not for others. I do believe that polyamory has the potential heal …

Overcoming Polyamory Distress through Healing Complex PTSD and Anxious Attachment Read More »

Is It Really About Polyamorous Vs. Committed Relationships?

I AM polyamorous AND… ALSO in committed relationships. It’s not exactly your grandma’s brand of commitment but commitment nonetheless! Unlike Grandma, I’m no longer interested in living the unrealistic expectation of “forsaking ALL others till death do us part”. Emotional and sexual exclusivity for life may be the definition of commitment for others but it …

Is It Really About Polyamorous Vs. Committed Relationships? Read More »

How to Write an Open Relationship Rules Agreement that Works

One of the first concepts I came across in reading polyamory and consensual non-monogamy bibles such as Opening Up and More than Two was a relationship rules agreement. This is a set of boundaries or guidelines designed to allow each person in an open relationship to engage with the outside world while protecting the original relationship. In my first marriage, …

How to Write an Open Relationship Rules Agreement that Works Read More »