Podcasts about nnm

Jenna and Wendi are back! It's been three and a half years since we last talked to these two lovely humans and we're definitely not waiting that long until the next time! You don't need to go back and listen to Episode 209 to enjoy this conversation but we're pretty sure today's episode will leave you wanting more! Lots has changed but one thing definitely hasn't... These two are so full of love, life, laughter, and joy! We have a fantastic conversation about how they each 'star in their own movie' while also maintaining their connection. We also dig into changes around how Jenna has been dating and perhaps Wendi may have had an experience or two herself! One of the things we love so much about talking to Jenna and Wendi is how casually they normalize non-monogamy by weaving it into their lives. It's not flawless, nor is it always easy, but they show up for one another and for themselves with compassion in such a beautiful way. Enjoy! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Lola has been exploring non-monogamy since about 2009 and like many of us, their motivation has shifted and evolved along the way. In this powerful interview Lola takes us through their beautiful journey of self-discovery, healing, and untangling the web of misconceptions we're taught about sex, love, and relationships. Lola Phoenix is an American-born writer living in Sweden, working within digital marketing while trying to find an agent to represent their fiction work. Lola is the author of The Anxious Person's Guide to Non-Monogamy and The Non-Monogamy Journal as well as a weekly advice column and podcast called Non-Monogamy Help. Please check out nonmonogamyhelp.com for all of Lola's work! Lola is also an amateur Strongman athlete and has a special interest in fitness and nutrition. When not writing books, Lola is either at the gym, talking walks in nature, learning about sciencey stuff or baking new treats. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Megan and Brett are back! We last talked to these two just over a year ago on Episode 337 and it's been a busy year! Lots has changed... They still swing together and go to clubs together but they've also started exploring more solo dating, dabbling a bit more in kink, and they even talked about their open relationship style and choices on the pulpit in their congregation! Join us today as Megan and Brett catch us up on their adventure together in this lovely conversation! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Princess is back! She was first on the show with her partner DD back on episode 322 and today she's here to go a bit deeper on her own individual journey. Princess is a 30-something mother of a college-aged kid and has been practicing some form of non-monogamy for almost 15 years. Like most of us, she started exploring swinging after responding to an ad on Craigslist to be a nude receptionist at a clothing-optional swinger's resort... Oh, wait... That's not how you got here? Anyways! Princess took the job and over the last 15 years has been learning so much about herself, figuring out what relationship styles work for her, and exploring her sexuality. This interview is full of incredible stories, laughter, and powerful insights. Enjoy! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

As Celeste describes it, she's had a long and illustrious journey of exploring different relationships and relationship styles as she continues learning who she is and what works best for her. For so long she tried to fit herself into what she calls "primary possessive partnerships" and unfortunately spent much of her time being triggered. Today, Celeste identifies as "solo open" and has filled her life with lovers, partners, and friends that she feels deeply connected to while also feeling safe and securely attached. This conversation is so beautiful and full of vulnerability, laughter, and love as Celeste takes us on her powerful journey. Enjoy! Celeste Hirschman, MA, is a visionary in intimacy and personal transformation. As co-founder of the Somatica Institute, she merges profound insight with compassion, empowering individuals to unlock deeper connections and embrace their authentic selves. With a Master's in Human Sexuality Studies and a background in Women's Studies, Celeste has co-authored three transformative books and contributed groundbreaking research in adolescent sexuality. You can learn more about Celeste and all of her work at somaticainstitute.com. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Genevieve a.k.a. Chill Polyamory makes polyamory education and entertainment on Instagram, TikTok and Patreon. She's also on YouTube where she reviews polyamory in pop culture @chillpolyamory, and she hosts a non-monogamy storytime podcast called “I could never…” Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Jet is a 40 year old mother of two girls who has been married for over 20 years, and up until about two years ago she assumed she was monogamous. A few years ago she started to develop a deep friendship with a co-worker and ultimately realized she had fallen in love with him just as he was moving away. She decided to be honest with her husband about her feelings and as they were doing research about what to do and what this means for their marriage they discovered polyamory and non-monogamy. Through the same resources they were learning about polyamory, they also realized that her husband was likely on the asexual spectrum. For the last few years Jet and her husband have been trying to reinvent their relationship in a way that works for both of them since he has no interest in being in an open relationship and she is realizing she has been polyamorous her whole life without recognizing it. This interview with Jet is incredibly vulnerable and powerful as she shares the heartbreak and challenges she and her husband are navigating in their partnership as they continue to be deeply in love and otherwise happy in their marriage. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Sonia and Gabe were originally on the podcast back on Episode 193 and today we have the honor of having them back to talk about how their partnership has shifted and grown since then. Sonia and Gabe have been together for over two decades and a few years ago they intentionally removed the sexual component of their relationship. In our beautiful conversation today they share how they reached their decision and how they continue to deepen their connection, intimacy and commitment to one another without relying on sex. This conversation is really powerful and vulnerable and we hope you get as much from it as we did. Gabriel is also the director of a new adult animated educational series, called Welcome to Kinkyville, about kink and how to do it safely. The kickstarter campaign wrapped up back in 2021 and they've spent the last few years creating a pitch-pilot and it is incredible! You can check it out over at welcometokinkyville.com! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Holly grew up in a super religious and closed-minded environment and started rebelling in her late teens after moving out on her own. She fell in love, married her girlfriend, and a few years later they quit their jobs and bought one-way plane tickets out of the country to learn and explore other ways of living. While out exploring the world Holly was introduced to non-monogamy and has since been figuring out how she wants to be in relationship with others. Like many of us, her path is winding and ever-evolving. Holly currently identifies as solo polyamorous and is finding her way back to herself after her last relationship. Join us as Holly shares her beautiful adventure with us! Holly also does really powerful work and she describes it in her bio on SoulPlay's website better than we ever could: Born and raised in South Louisiana, Holly embarked on her transformative journey in 2009, leaving her career and letting go of everything she owned to forge a new path. Since then she's traveled extensively, immersing herself in diverse cultures and ways of life, seeking purpose and a way to channel her skills toward creating positive change. During her travels, she took on various odd jobs, including helping to produce a grassroots weekend music festival in New Zealand. That experience ignited a passion for event production, which became the foundation of her new career. Today, she lives in the Bay Area and produces events full-time, crafting spaces that invite personal and collective transformation. Since 2015, she's been honored to serve as a founding contributor and Executive Director for SoulPlay, where she's made community and connection the heart of her purpose and passion. Save $100 on your SoulPlay tickets here until April 19th! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Dani strongly identifies as polyamorous and feels that she was born this way. However, she's only been actively exploring and practicing polyamory for a couple of years. She's currently in a self-proclaimed "midlife crisis era" and has been reimagining and reinventing herself after coming out of a 16-year monogamous marriage. Spoiler alert! Figuring out what we want in life can be really hard! Dani's explored lots of different complex relationships and connections over the last few years and today she's in a place where she is longing to be in love again... At the same time, she has a real fear of enmeshment and getting swept away on the relationship escalator. Dani vulnerably takes us inside her emotional and challenging journey of navigating the discomfort of the unknown as she finds herself.  Dani is a writer, speaker, facilitator, storyteller, coach, business consultant, and the host of the "Another Way" podcast. She believes we all get to create the lives we want and that we don't have to settle or do what anyone else expects of us. And! We don't have to do it alone. To learn more about Dani and all of her work, please check out her website! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Eka is back! We first talked to her about two and a half years ago on episode 255 when she was just about to have her first child. She's in her mid-thirties and has been exploring non-monogamy in a variety of ways since about 2012. Since we last spoke, Eka and her partner Em had baby Elle and it's been an adventurous few years! Today Eka shares how having a newborn (and now a toddler) has impacted her life, her relationships, and her sexuality. She's been exploring her sexuality, demisexuality, kink, and multiple connections and partnerships all while figuring out how to be a new mom! There's never a dull moment and we absolutely love when we get to talk to Eka and hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Cathy and Steve are both in their fifties and have been exploring various forms of non-monogamy since they got together about six years ago. They met through a recovery fellowship program and built a friendship over a few years before they started dating and dipping their toes into non-monogamy as a way for Cathy to explore her bisexuality. Cathy and Steve come from very different relational backgrounds... Steve was married to his ex-wife in a multi-decade "mostly successful relationship that ran its course" whereas Cathy had been suppressing her sexuality for decades only to have it bubble up through infidelities in multiple marriages before she met Steve. Their relationship is built on a foundation of open and honest communication and friendship where they both feel like they're able to be their authentic selves. Their non-monogamous adventures have had ups and downs and have spanned the spectrum of swinging, hotwifing, cuckolding, and polyamory. They do a bit of everything and they're figuring it out as they go! After you listen to this beautiful interview we encourage you to check out Cathy and Steve's writing on Medium and on their website under the pseudonyms Sam and Kate! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Hilly first joined us on Episode 225 and now she's back to catch us up on all the ways she's been kicking ass over the last three years! She's a 38 year old pansexual, polyamorous, neurodivergent, BDSM practitioner of more than 20 years. She's also an ageplay advocate and educator, and the winner of the title of "Florida Little 2024!" This interview is so beautiful, uplifting, and full of love! Hilly shares some updates on her partnerships and takes us deep into the world of kink and BDSM title competitions. She also shares her own powerful journey of running for, and winning her Florida Little 2024 title in December! Hilly has also spoken on several other podcasts over the years and enjoys sharing her experiences both in the BDSM lifestyle, as well as her polyamorous journey with her partner of over 5 years. Her greatest goal is to create more supportive spaces and to foster a deeper understanding and acceptance for ageplay and many of the more niche kinks that exist under the greater umbrella of the BDSM lifestyle. She is an LGBTQIA+ ally, and makes a point of advocating for the rights of all people to live their truest and most authentic selves. You can find out more about Hilly and her work over on her website, her Facebook page, and her YouTube channel! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

James is an Australian living in the UK who has been practicing some form of non-monogamy since he met his partner at a kink club in London nearly 20 years ago. He currently describes his flavor of non-monogamy as sitting in the middle of the Venn diagram between kink, polyamory, and swinging... His relationships often blend these three together in some fashion. James is insatiably curious and passionate about relationships, connection, community, and life in general! He was also diagnosed with AUDHD (Autism and ADHD) a few years ago and shares with us how this has changed his whole understanding of how he's done relationships and life for over 50 years. We love this conversation and hope you enjoy it as well! If you're interested in more from James, you can find his writing on Medium as well. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Meshai and Fin team up together to answer amazing listener questions every fourth Friday of each month! Today we're answering questions from our virtual community! First, we talk about how to be the hinge partner in a dynamic where your two partners want nothing to do with one another. And then, we share some of our thoughts on how to maintain and deepen our connection with a partner when we have different libidos, sexual interests, and desires. Meshai is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and is certified in both Trauma Therapy and Sex Therapy, and she is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Learn more about Meshai and all of her work over at expansiveconnection.com! You likely know me (Fin) from over 300 episodes of Normalizing Non-Monogamy. Just in case you don't, I cohost the podcast with my partner Emma and we have been in an open relationship together for over 15 years. I also completed a sex and relationship coaching program through the Somatica Institute in March 2024! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

JoEllen woke up one day in 2011 and knew she needed to make some changes in her life. Not long after that she divorced her husband and sadly, her father passed away. She took about a year to collect herself while she figured out what was next... Coming out of her marriage, she didn't know what she wanted out of life and relationships but she definitely knew what she didn't want. So! She decided to start learning about sex because it was something she never really knew much about... She started researching and learning as much as she could and early in her research she discovered non-monogamy. Since then, JoEllen has been busy exploring her own style of non-monogamy, figuring out what works best for her, sharing her journey online, and generally being a badass who loves talking about all of the things most people are afraid to. JoEllen Notte is a writer, speaker, and mental health advocate whose work explores the impact of depression on sex and relationships. Since 2012 she has written about sex, mental health, and how none of us are broken at www.redheadbedhead.com. She is also the author of The Monster Under the Bed: Sex, Depression, and the Conversations We Aren't Having and In It Together: Navigating Depression with Partners, Friends, and Family. Please check out and support her incredible work on Patreon! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Ashley and Mark have such an incredible and inspirational approach to exploring non-monogamy and life in general! They've been together over six years and about two years ago Mark brought up the idea of non-monogamy. They spent a year researching and learning before diving in and going to their first swinging event. Today they take us through their beautiful story and how they've both been learning to support each other without abandoning or sacrificing themselves. They've also been figuring out how to explore non-monogamy at different paces that support their different comfort levels and interests. Plus! They're doing all of this while raising two kids in a blended family and while living with Mark's ex-wife and co-parent of his child. This conversation is so full of love and positivity and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Marie joins us today from Denmark! She has been with her husband for more than a decade and about two years into their partnership they slowly began opening their relationship. They started by going to swinging clubs and getting into the swinging scene for a few years before shifting to dating separately and exploring polyamory. Marie and her husband never really had a "plan" they were following for non-monogamy, and they still don't. Their journey together has brought so much joy and love into their lives but that doesn't mean it always came easily. Like many couples who have been together a long time, they had to do a lot of work to differentiate from one another and learn how to stand on their own as individuals while also maintaining their connection. Marie's story is really beautiful and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Marie and her husband run a support and education community for people who are exploring non-monogamy called Openwise. They also travel around in their campervan teaching sexual education at schools and Marie works as a relationship and jealousy coach specializing in non-monogamy. You can learn more about her work on her website and at www.openwise.community. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Orit is back! We first talked to Orit back on Episode 309 just as she was starting to go through some major relational shifts and transitions when her nesting partner began dating her recently former partner's other partner. Today, she takes us inside her healing and grieving journey over the last two years. It hasn't been easy (to say the least!) but as you'll hear in this beautiful conversation, she's now found herself in a really great place emotionally and relationally. Orit Krug is an award-winning Board-Certified Dance/Movement Therapist who helps individuals and couples heal from past trauma through their bodies and movement so they can move on from the past and create lasting, loving relationships. For over 12 years, Orit has transformed the lives of more than 5,000 clients from over 10 different countries. Her online programs have helped thousands break free from their unhealthy, trauma-driven relationship cycles and experience positive transformations in their love lives. Check out all of her work and learn about her retreats on her website! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Growing up in a small, remote, conservative town in Manitoba Alayna didn't even know that women could be gay... It wasn't a thing she even thought was possible. She was boy crazy in school to the point where her parents and teachers were a bit concerned. Today she takes us on her beautiful and complicated journey of discovering her own sexuality and ultimately coming out as gay when she was 29. Along the way Alayna was in a 10-year relationship with her boyfriend, explored polyamory, thought she was bisexual, and then slowly realized that she wasn't bisexual and that polyamory wasn't for her. Alayna's story is so powerful as she shows us how hard it can be to overcome the shame and societal expectations around our sexuality and relationships. Alayna described herself on her YouTube Channel better than we ever could... Alayna Joy is a therapist-in-training, climbing-obsessed, queer content creator who brings her frank and funny perspective to a wide range of topics, such as mental health and sexuality. She is the host of Sleeping Around: The Psychology of Sex, Dating, and Relationships and co-hosts the Chosen Family Podcast. Alayna is currently completing a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology as a part of her training to become a licensed psychotherapist. Across social media, Alayna shares her love for all things sexuality, climbing, and the great outdoors with a positive community of like-minded women and 2SLGBTQIA+ folks. No matter the type of content she's creating, Alayna's goal is always to keep laughter and education at the forefront. Check out all of Alayna's work here! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Meshai and Fin team up together to answer amazing listener questions every fourth Friday of each month! Today we're answering questions from our virtual community! First, we talk about polyamory breakups and then we follow it by answering a question about NRE (New Relationship Energy). Meshai is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and is certified in both Trauma Therapy and Sex Therapy, and she is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Learn more about Meshai and all of her work over at expansiveconnection.com! You likely know me (Fin) from over 300 episodes of Normalizing Non-Monogamy. Just in case you don't, I cohost the podcast with my partner Emma and we have been in an open relationship together for over 15 years. I also completed a sex and relationship coaching program through the Somatica Institute in March 2024! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Molly is so full of positive energy and good vibes! This conversation is an absolute delight and also so powerful as Molly shares her relationship journey and experiences with us. Normally we try to summarize what that looks like but the bio on Molly's website does a much better job than we ever could... "I've always been curious about (maybe even obsessed with) relationships. I've always loved big. I've always wanted to disrupt social norms that didn't seem quite right. So when I first learned that non-monogamy was possible in my early 20s, my mind and heart were forever changed. 15 years later, as I continue crafting my own unique flavor of non-monogamy, my mission in life is to help others heal and build the relationships of their dreams." We hope you enjoy our conversation with Molly as much as we did! Molly is also a relationship coach and therapist who loves working with people all across the relationship spectrum! Please check out all of her work over on her website at Bonobo Relationships! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Today Jaye takes us through pretty much his entire relationship history and it is an exciting and beautiful ride! After years of serial monogamy, Jaye and a friend(ish) started swinging together and his whole world began to open up. Shortly after finding the swinging lifestyle, Jaye met his (now) wife and then had to come out to her about swinging and being bisexual. Jaye and his wife took a few years slowly getting into swinging while building a foundation together. Fast forward to today... Jaye has multiple partners, he and his wife are exploring a pretty fluid open relationship dynamic, and Jaye started a rock band that plays at lifestyle events he hosts in Florida! Jaye brings so much love and positivity to our conversation today and to all of his work! You can learn more about Jaye's events and band over at his website metamourentertainment.com. Enjoy! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Kiley and her husband jumped into swinging about four years ago and hit the ground running... Or possibly sprinting. After their first trip to a swingers club they started going to clubs and events frequently and at the same time Kiley decided she wanted to share their journey of learning and exploration on social media. Kiley takes us through their journey over the last four years as she shares how much of an impact the experience has had on her life and who she is today. Swinging lifestyle events and social media consumed her life for years before she ultimately had to step back and re-evaluate what she was wanting from it and what parts of herself she needed to heal. Today, Kiley and her husband are still exploring swinging and non-monogamy and she shares with us what that looks like and how she has brought balance back into her life. Kiley George is a passionate sex and relationship coach, content creator, non-monogamy and sex work advocate, and host of the The Pineapple Express Podcast—A Millennial Swingers Podcast. With years of experience in the swinging and non-monogamous world, Kiley specializes in helping individuals and couples explore their desires and build meaningful relationships. She is also a dedicated advocate for sex-positive spaces and works closely with clubs, events, and thought leaders to create inclusive, educational experiences for the community. To find out more about Kiley follow her on social media. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Lizz and Gabriel found one another at an adult rollerskating class a few months after Lizz's husband passed away. Lizz came to their partnership with over twenty years of exploring polyamory with her husband and another longterm partner. Gabriel came to the relationship with zero experience in non-monogamy and had grown up very religious with no concept of relationships other than to meet someone, get married, have kids, and never ever get divorced. Lizz and Gabriel come from different backgrounds and have different styles of polyamory and preferences of relating. They don't have a ton of rules. other than to be honest and treat one another with kindness. And, they have a ton of fun and so much love and respect for one another as you'll hear throughout this incredible and vulnerable conversation. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Meshai and Fin team up together to answer amazing listener questions every fourth Friday of each month! Today we are answering questions from our virtual community! First up, we determine when you're allowed to call yourself non-monogamous. How many partners do you have to have to qualify? Come found out. Then we talk about how to show up authentically in a non-monogamous partnership when it feels like you can't really be yourself around your loved ones or may not even be able to be out in public at all. Meshai is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and is certified in both Trauma Therapy and Sex Therapy, and she is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Learn more about Meshai and all of her work over at expansiveconnection.com! You likely know me (Fin) from over 300 episodes of Normalizing Non-Monogamy. Just in case you don't, I cohost the podcast with my partner Emma and we have been in an open relationship together for over 15 years. I also completed a sex and relationship coaching program through the Somatica Institute in March 2024! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Today George takes us on his powerful relationship journey that spans more than thirty years... For the first ten years he was monogamously married and then separated amicably when he was about 30. In his thirties George remarried but ended up cheating on his wife every few years throughout most of their partnership. She found out early on and they sort of had an unspoken agreement which ultimately ended after about 11 years. After his second marriage George decided he wanted to do relationships differently. Lying, cheating, and dishonesty were not what George wanted in a partnership yet neither was monogamy. For the last ten years George has been diving deep into learning and exploring the world of ethical non-monogamy. He now identifies as solo poly and loves forming connections with women all over the world that are rooted in honesty, transparency, and clear communication. Not only does George love exploring relationships and connection in his personal life, he's also made it his profession. George lives in Australia and has been working as a legal male escort for the last year. For him, his work is about companionship, connection, and healing. To learn more about George and his work, please check out his website! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Irene's first "serious" dive into exploring non-monogamy came towards the end of her Master's program when she and a new partner both came to their relationship not really wanting monogamy... Yet, neither of them had done this before, they didn't have many resources to guide them, and they were in a brand new relationship together. And, those were just the hurdles they knew existed. Spoiler alert: They ended up finding some hidden ones as well! As Irene describes it, opening their relationship was chaos. Today, she takes us back to the beginning and shares with us how she and her partner moved through the chaos together while also healing themselves as individuals. The journey has not been easy and we're incredibly grateful to Irene for her vulnerability in sharing her story. Irene combines her own lived experiences with her extensive training in yoga therapy and her background in clinical sexual health counseling to bring an in-depth understanding of the mind and body to her coaching work. She is also the author of the bestselling book The Polyamory Paradox: Finding Your Confidence in Consensual Non-Monogamy. Please check out all of Irene's work on her website. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Over the last few weeks we have been bringing you updates from Christy, Rebecca, David, and Jason... They've all been on the podcast multiple times before and even came on Episode 143 all together at the start of the pandemic to talk about how they live under one roof. A lot has changed in the last four years and today we dig deep into it in this beautiful conversation. We highly encourage you to listen to this episode even if you haven't listened to any of the other conversations with these four and even if you never plan to live with multiple partners. The intentionality, skills, and communication needed to live together with five adults and a toddler are really not much different than living with one other person... You just need a lot more of it when there are more people and you can't get away with sweeping as much under the rug. We learned so many incredible and valuable lessons in this interview and we hope you do as well.  It's really just about the vibe, ya'll! Enjoy! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Christy and Jason met on Fetlife a bit over six years ago and have been together ever since. They've both been on previous episodes (Episodes 46, 72, 143, and 367) but we've never had an opportunity to talk with just the two of them about their relationship and how it came to be. In this conversation, they take us back to the beginning and share with us how they've grown their partnership from a starting point where they were not at all aligned in how they approached polyamory. Christy was living a very integrated life with her husband and multiple partners in a kitchen table polyamory dynamic while Jason was exploring solo polyamory and healing from multiple recent relationships that left him scared to ever have his partners meet one another and never wanting to live with anyone. Six years later, Christy and Jason are married and live on five acres with their two year old kiddo, Christy's other partner and former husband David, his wife Rebecca, Christy's sister, eleven chickens, two dogs, and a cat...  Easy as that. Except it wasn't quite that easy. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Rebecca is back! David is back! Rebecca shared her story on Episode 142, David has been on the podcast with his partner Christy on Episodes 72 and 367, and David and Rebecca were both on Episode 143 with their polycule... Yet, Rebecca and David have never been on the show together with just the two of them to share their story. So, here we are! David had been polyamorous for a few years when they both swiped right, but this was Rebecca's first experience in a polyamorous relationship. Today, Rebecca and David have been together almost six years and they take us through how they came together and built a beautiful and collaborative partnership while navigating a global pandemic and living together with other partners and family members. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Meshai and Fin team up together to answer amazing listener questions every fourth Friday of each month! Today we are answering questions from our virtual community... We get a bit personal and talk about our own journeys into the world of coaching and working with people in sex-positive and non-monogamous spaces. We also talk about when and how to have conversations with new potential connections about their approach to non-monogamy and... We make an official ruling on what counts as being in an orgy! Meshai is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and is certified in both Trauma Therapy and Sex Therapy, and she is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Learn more about Meshai and all of her work over at expansiveconnection.com! You likely know me (Fin) from over 300 episodes of Normalizing Non-Monogamy. Just in case you don't, I cohost the podcast with my partner Emma and we have been in an open relationship together for over 15 years. I also completed a sex and relationship coaching program through the Somatica Institute in March 2024! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

"In the half decade since we first spoke... We have moved several times, grown the polycule, and gotten divorced... Oh, and had a baby. Well, me and you didn't have the baby. But, there is a baby in the house!" Christy and David are back! It's been more than five years since we first talked with these two on Episode 72 and every time we get the chance to talk it's absolutely amazing... Today is no exception. You do not need to listen to our previous conversations with Christy and David for today to rock your world. This conversation is full of love, determination, hard work, stubbornness, and more love as Christy and David take us deep inside their relationship and the incredibly beautiful journey they have been on together and as individuals. Enjoy! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

HAZL is a passionate and driven 29 year old queer, polyamorous, kinkster, writer, and musician who first learned about non-monogamy when she was 19. She is also an incredible storyteller and takes us on her decade-long relationship journey that's filled triumph, struggles, laughs, and beautiful transformations. HAZL's story takes us into the familiar messy first few years of exploring polyamory where she's learning and unlearning so much about life and who she is. After a few years she found herself in a monogamous partnership that was her safe space and anchor as she gave everything she had to chase her dream of becoming a professional musician. As she ended that partnership, she made her way back to polyamory again... But this time it feels different to her with a whole new perspective and purpose. Professionally, HAZL is a Queer singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon. Graduating with a full ride from Los Angeles Academy for Artists and Music Producers (LAAMP) in early 2024, HAZL has created an infectious, vivid, and inspiring sound that's all her own. Beginning as an acoustic artist, she is now playing in the world of electronic sound. Influenced by Labrinth, Sylvan Esso, and Imogen Heap, HAZL is on track to release her Debut EP R.E.A.L. (Real Emotions Are Loud) on March 24th, 2025. Connect with HAZL via Instagram or check out her Linktree for all of her work! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Our interview with Fox is full of energy and so much love! Fox and her partner eloped after being together for just a few weeks, and then eight years into their marriage she realized she's queer and polyamorous... They've now been married over 11 years and have been working together for the last few years to redesign their partnership in a way that feels safe, supportive, and authentic for both of them. Fox's story is a vulnerable, beautiful, and powerful reminder that each of us is continually learning about ourselves, growing, and evolving. As we evolve, so do our relationships and it's not always easy... Yet, the challenges and growth that we encounter are also opportunities to bring us closer together. Fox wrote a better bio for herself than we ever could have! And so, a bit more about the lovely Fox! Fox Eros (M.A., AMFT), known as 'The Polyamory Therapist' has earned a reputation as an incandescent, deeply empathetic and passion filled Psychotherapist, Writer and Speaker. She has a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, and is an expert in Consensual Non-Monogamous Relationships, as well as Sex Therapy. Fox's calling is to radicalize pleasure, love and sexuality. She is currently at work on her first book on polyamory and is a contributing writer and educator in the polyamory field. Fox continues to be sought out to help those with life stress, self-worth, identity, impacts of trauma and issues in relationships, sex and intimacy. Fox identifies as a pansexual, panromantic, polyamorous, multi-ethnic, BIPOC femme person; and lives on the land of the Chumash and Gabrielino-Tongva First Peoples. Her pleasures include being a Beloved, forest bathing, morning mochas in the sun, crushing on our infinite Universe and connecting to her Ancestors. Connect with Fox on social media @thepleasurefox or her website foxerosinlove.com. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

This week we're dressing up for Halloween! Instead of our regular weekly interview we're bringing you episode 377 of the Multiamory Podcast "Polyam Beginners, Healthy Boundaries, and Ethical Hierarchy!" We don't normally give advice on our show but when you have a chance to tap into the brilliance of Dedeker, Emily, and Jase... You take it! This is a listener Q+A episode where they discuss: What was the biggest challenge in your polyam journey, and how did you overcome it? What are some good steps to reconnect after initiating a break in the relationship? Any advice for someone looking to explore other polyam sites away from the safe harbor that the Multiamory Discord has become? How can one be a good beginner? What are some red flags or warning signs you see many fledgling polyam folk brush past or ignore? When de-escalating or transitioning relationships to one with less closeness and frequency, do you have any tips for adjusting your expectations or managing hurt feelings? How to set healthy and ethical boundaries within the context of a highly entangled, mutually desired lifelong commitment. Specifically, boundaries that don't look like “veto power” or interference in other relationships, but also don't just come down to “walking away” in the presence of incompatible strong preferences (not needs). How do you know the difference between genuine third party trauma or if emotions are being used to force a certain result? How do you spot this before becoming invested? To learn more about the incredible work the Multiamory team does, please check out their website at multiamory.com Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Meshai and Fin team up together to answer amazing listener questions every fourth Friday of each month! Today we are join by the Director of Marketing and Communications at Global Protection Corp. (manufacturers of ONE and MyONE condoms) and we are super excited! Milla is here to talk about and answer all your condom questions in a special ask us anything episode we're calling Condom University! Enjoy! Meshai is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and is certified in both Trauma Therapy and Sex Therapy, and she is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Learn more about Meshai and all of her work over at expansiveconnection.com! You likely know me (Fin) from over 300 episodes of Normalizing Non-Monogamy. Just in case you don't, I cohost the podcast with my partner Emma and we have been in an open relationship together for over 15 years. I also completed a sex and relationship coaching program through the Somatica Institute in March 2024! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

In his early twenties, Dave never really felt like he wanted the same things that everyone else wanted out of relationships. During that time he was mostly single and would find himself breaking off relationships after a few months, before they got serious so nobody got hurt too badly. He wasn't really wanting to find "the one" even though that's what it seemed like he was supposed to be doing. In his mid-twenties he started finding communities that were at the intersections of sex-positivity, neo-tantra, and polyamory. The support of these various different intentional communities opened Dave's world up to a completely different way of forming relationships and connections. Today, while Dave identifies as a solo polyamorous person, he is much more focused on creating healthy intentional communities that support learning, living and loving authentically as the imperfect humans we all are. Dave Booda is a writer, musician and social entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of IntimacyFest and hosts The Darkness Experiment. He has led over 450 workshops on connection, touch and relationships and has consulted for and facilitated experiences for companies, communities, retreats, festivals, conferences, birthday parties, weddings, funerals, and gatherings of all kinds — with the intention to inspire authenticity, connection and group cohesion. He has published over 200 essays for boodaism.com and played over 1000 shows as a touring singer/songwriter. He is a former Naval Officer and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, currently serving on the board of directors for the Foundation for Intentional Community while living in rural San Diego, California. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Eve takes us all the way back to high school where she first learned about non-monogamy through some friends and even dabbled in a triad for a week or so. After college she got married and a few years later she and her husband started opening up their relationship. Since then, Eve has been on a 20ish-year journey to find what works best for her when it comes to love and relating to others. Today, Eve identifies as a queer, solo polyamorous, relationship anarchist who prefers a more parallel relationship dynamic as opposed to kitchen table polyamory... Like most of us, Eve learned a lot along her journey and we're grateful that she joined us today to share her story. Eve Rickert is also the co-author of More Than Two, Second Edition and is a Gen X, queer, solo polyamorous, relationship anarchist, neurodivergent cis woman living on unceded WSÁNEC and Lekwungen territory on the west coast of the place currently known as Canada. She is the curator of the More Than Two Essentials series and the non-monogamy resource site morethantwo.ca, the founder and publisher of Thornapple Press, and the founder and mastermind of the science communications firm Talk Science to Me. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

We are so excited about today's beautiful conversation with Mike! He's been questioning socialized norms that didn't feel right for most of his life... We get deep with him on his experiences uncovering his queerness, questioning monogamy as the best relationship model for himself, and how he navigates ambiguity in different connections. We also talk a lot about mental health, the life-changing impact of therapy for him, and the power of finding the strength to be yourself, especially when it means pushing against everything you've been conditioned with for your whole life. This is a powerful conversation and we hope you find it as meaningful and healing as we did. Mike is much better at describing himself and his work than we are and so we asked to use the bio from his website... Permission granted! Hey there, I'm Mike. I'm endlessly fascinated by and interested in people. Why we do what we do. Where we come from. How we choose to live our lives. What interests us. What our passions are. I love to listen. My goal, if we decide to work together, is to help you be the person you want to be, whether the things you want are related to your relationship(s), your career(s), or your life in general! I don't have a fancy degree, but I do have a certification (and am working on more). What I think is more valuable than a piece of paper is that I have a welcoming ear and quite a bit of life experience. I'm a thirty year veteran of the high-stress music industry, having worked everywhere from distribution to PR to behind the counter at a record store. Over the last decade, I've become involved in the mental health community as an advocate and a volunteer for various organizations. I've also become a sex and relationship educator, drawing on my experiences as a queer person whose relationship orientation leans toward CNM (consensual non-monogamy). I'm a second generation American with an Afro-Caribbean background, and have a wide variety of tastes, experiences and people in my community. I like to think I can relate to just about anyone in some way, shape or form. For the past three years and counting, I've also hosted and produced a podcast called Detoxicity, which focuses specifically on men and how we can work to move past the socialized behaviors that often handcuff us. How we can be more open, more caring, more sensitive, and be better versions of ourselves for the people in our lives and communities, and most importantly, for ourselves. I've spoken to and learned from over 150 men, from various walks of life, every race and ethnicity, sexual and romantic orientation. And I learn more every time I speak to someone. I'm in the process of learning every day, and I want to be a guide and assistant to your learning journey as well! Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Over the last three weeks you've heard Ava, Pinky, and Anthony tell their individual stories... Today, we bring them together to hear how three people with different backgrounds, experience levels, and relationship preferences come together to create a beautiful relational ecosystem that works for each of them... Even if it's not always perfect. Enjoy! Earlier this year Ava, Pinky, and Anthony started a new podcast called Three Shades of Grey where they talk about the ups and downs of exploring non-monogamy in three very different ways and how the three of them make it work together. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Meshai and Fin team up together to answer amazing listener questions every fourth Friday of each month! This month's incredible questions come from our private community and are about moving at different paces when opening up a relationship and whether or not you should share your feelings with someone when your interests lie outside of the agreements of another relationship of theirs. Juicy stuff! Meshai is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and is certified in both Trauma Therapy and Sex Therapy, and she is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. You likely know me (Fin) from over 300 episodes of Normalizing Non-Monogamy. Just in case you don't, I cohost the podcast with my partner Emma and we have been in an open relationship together for over 15 years. I also completed a sex and relationship coaching program through the Somatica Institute in March 2024!   Check out the full show notes here.   Submit a question for our Ask Us Anything Episodes! Click here to join our upcoming Virtual Meet and Greets! Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Check out our weekly peer support groups!   Skip the ads and sign up for the Premium Feed!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing  

Pinky lives life with a whole lot of zest and enthusiasm! And, as she describes it, sometimes a bit impatiently. Although, we might argue that her impatience could be attributed to some built up excitement! I tried writing more about Pinky but her bio over on her website at 3shadesofgrey.com captured it much better than I was able to: I was born and raised into a religious, and conservative family. Women were taught to not be heard or to put their needs and wants first. As I grew, I found myself in relationships with people who had similar beliefs to my family. I was in a nearly two decade relationship, with a man who had no interest in sex, my sexuality or my desires. I was made to feel guilty when I expressed my sexual desires. Outside of the bedroom, however, we built a solid family together. I stayed for my children, and then I decided, I needed to leave for myself. It was during this relationship that I first read the Ethical Slut, and it opened my eyes to what relationships could be. My ex and I attempted to have an open relationship, but that was very short lived. It wasn't until I met my husband Anthony that I learned more, and realized this was something I wanted to explore further. That's when I decided to do some research and further educate myself. I became more and more intrigued by the freedom and the voice that was give to women in the non- monogamous world. The education and conversations that my now husband and I had, built a strong foundation for a successful relationship. During our journey, we talked about things that most couples never even discuss, and we spoke about them open and honestly. Anthony and I now have an open marriage. I prefer polyamorous relationships, and some situational swinging. Truly I thrive the best on one on one engagement with open and like minded people who are willing to walk the road less traveled. As a sapiosexual I connect best on an intellectual level first, building a strong relationship, and then engaging physically. Earlier this year Pinky started a new podcast with her husband Anthony and metamour Ava. On the Three Shades of Grey podcast they talk about the ups and downs of exploring non-monogamy in three very different ways and how the three of them make it work together. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Today, Ava identifies as a polyamorous, kinky, swinger... Yet, for most of her life she worked really hard to play by the rules doing what she was "supposed to be doing." And then, in 2018, a friend invited her to an adult Christmas party. It turned out to be a life-changing party! We loved Ava's description of herself in her bio over at 3shadesofgrey.com and so we borrowed it to help give you a better idea this amazing human! Hello, my salacious friends, I am Ava Moore. I have been non-monogamous since 2018. Who am I kidding? More like 2012, but I didn't have a name for it, or accept it back then. I called it “multi- tasking”, however, I was working very hard to be monogamous, and was successful, because I thought that is what I was supposed to do. I am a single mom. I love people. I love sex. I love connecting. While I have multiple partners, for the most part, I stay in what I call “my circle”. These are the 4 or 5 people who I trust most and who I am the closest to. We build friendships, relationships and we are there for each other. Now, there are times, I will let my hair down and go to a party, or dare I say, host a party for my favorite people. While I identify as a straight, curvalicious, plus size, single female, I do have my heteroflexible moments from time to time. Most importantly however, is that I am a Sapiosexual. Your brain and personality are what attract me first. I look forward to getting to know all of you, as Pinky, Anthony, and I embark on this wild journey together. To clarify that last sentence... Earlier this year Ava started a new podcast with her partner Anthony and metamour Pinky. On the Three Shades of Grey podcast they talk about the ups and downs of exploring non-monogamy in three very different ways and how the three of them make it work together. Anthony shared his story last week on Episode 357, Pinky will be on next week, and the three of them join us together in two weeks. Check out the full show notes here. Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Anthony has always felt like he was a bit different and questioned everything. Even questioning things so much that he was once asked to not return to Bible school as a child. Years later, while working as a club promoter he met a dominatrix who invited him to his first dungeon party and life hasn't quite been the same since... Even though his first experience was a bit traumatic for him, a new world of possibilities opened up and he began exploring. Over the last twenty-ish years Anthony has been exploring non-monogamy through swinging (partnered and solo), kink and BDSM (he eventually recovered from the first dungeon party), and polyamory (he's now married and has multiple committed partnerships). Join us today as Anthony takes us on his adventure and shares with us how he's learned, grown, and built an incredible community of partners and friends where he gets to be himself without being worried of getting kicked out of Bible school. But wait, there's more! Earlier this year Anthony started a new podcast with his wife Pinky and his partner Ava. On the Three Shades of Grey podcast they talk about the ups and downs of exploring non-monogamy in three very different ways and how the three of them make it work together. Check out the full show notes here. Click here to join our upcoming Bay Area Retreat - Sept. 13-15, 2024 Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Andrea grew up in a fairly conservative suburb and first came out in the queer and leather communities around 2000-2001 after joining the circus. For them, non-monogamy came as part of the queer and kinky package. Over the next decade-ish Andrea explored many different phases and configurations of kink and non-monogamy before a series of serious health issues brought monogamy back in as the default. These same health issues also robbed Andrea of their ability to experience the same kinds of pleasure and enjoyment out of sex and kink as they had been able to for so long. Today, Andrea takes us on their beautiful and powerful journey of finding the queer community, embracing their queerness and non-monogamy, and then after a decade of exploring, finding themselves really embracing and enjoying monogamy. This interview is incredibly deep and vulnerable and we hope you find it as inspiring as we did. Besides hanging out on our podcast, Andrea is also an author. Rather than trying to recreate their bio, we have borrowed the following from their author page at Thornapple Press. Andrea Zanin, MA, is a white, nonbinary, middle-aged queer writer who lives in Tkaronto (Toronto, Ontario), on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. Andrea's writing focuses on nonmonogamy and BDSM/Leather. Andrea has written for theGlobe and Mail, The Tyee, Bitch, Ms., Xtra, IN Magazine, Outlooks Magazine and the Montreal Mirror. Their scholarly work, fiction and essays appear in a variety of collections. Andrea blogs at sexgeek.wordpress.com, where they created the 10 Rules for Happy Nonmonogamy and coined the term “polynormativity.” Their first book, Post-nonmonogamy and Beyond, is available from Thornapple Press and they co-authored the second edition of More Than Two. Check out the full show notes here. Click here to join our upcoming Bay Area Retreat - Sept. 13-15, 2024 Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

We always love when we get to bring guests back on the show for an update and today is definitely no exception! The last time we talked to these four was back in 2019 on Episode 71 and while so much has changed, the love between these four has only grown deeper. And it sure is a good thing because they all got matching tattoos pretty early on! Over the last five years they've transitioned to a long distance relationship and then back to living in the same city, they've broken up and gotten back together, they've come out to family (sometimes accidentally), and they've navigated a global pandemic. Quad dynamics are notoriously challenging and today we get an incredibly vulnerable look at how these four have made it work and how they've all grown together, and as individuals, along the way. Check out the full show notes here. Click here to join our upcoming Bay Area Retreat - Sept. 13-15, 2024 Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Meshai and Fin team up together to answer amazing listener questions every fourth Friday of each month! However... This month we have a special guest! Today's questions are all about finances and money and we have an incredible author, coach, and fellow podcaster Laura Boyle joining us! Laura just published her second book, "Monogamy? In This Economy?: Finances, Childrearing, and Other Practical Concerns of Polyamory" and she's also the creator of readyforpolyamory.com where you can find more information about all of her fantastic work! Quick note and disclaimer... Laura, Meshai, and myself (Fin) are NOT tax or finance professionals. Please talk to a financial professional, CPA, or similar about your specific financial situation. If YOU have a question, we'd love to hear it! Please, ask us anything by clicking here! We are super excited to be partnering with Meshai for the Ask Us Anything episodes! She first appeared on the podcast on Episode 233 and we're honored to have her back! Meshai is relationship coach with the team at Expansive Connection. She believes in the power of living as one's authentic self, and the freedom that comes from changing perspectives. She loves putting the puzzle pieces of a couple's sexual energy together and aiding them in positive and explorative movement. Her coaching work implements creative synergy, openness, self-expression, and the confrontation of challenges through self-determination. She helps individuals from diverse populations move forward with their goals while being fully aware that trauma can play on the whole person. Meshai is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and is certified in both Trauma Therapy and Sex Therapy, and she is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. You likely know me (Fin) from over 300 episodes of Normalizing Non-Monogamy. Just in case you don't, I cohost the podcast with my partner Emma and we have been in an open relationship together for over 15 years. I also completed a sex and relationship coaching program through the Somatica Institute in March 2024!   Check out the full show notes here.   Submit a question for our Ask Us Anything Episodes! Click here to join our upcoming Virtual Meet and Greets! Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Check out our weekly peer support groups!   Skip the ads and sign up for the Premium Feed!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing  

Today we get to hear an incredible New York Love Story like no other! Bear is a Black queer man of trans experience, born, raised and currently residing in Brooklyn, NY. Fifi is a first-generation queer, non-binary Puerto Rican born, raised, and also living in New York. And together they have forged a partnership that is uniquely theirs and is mutually uplifting while defying the status quo of what everyone says a relationship "should" be. They describe themselves as solo polyamorists who live together as a family and run a business together. They met over a decade ago at a party and since then have been loving and supporting one another on their individual healing journeys of coming out and embracing their authentic selves. Bear and Fifi also do incredibly powerful work in educating and supporting others in their own journeys. The following descriptions come directly from their website and capture who they are better than we could ever imagine doing ourselves. Please check out their website for more information on how to work with these two amazing humans! Before teaching adults, Bear taught poetry to youth in NYC public schools. He began his career as a coach and case manager in 2018, and has since serviced people of all abilities, backgrounds, and circumstances. During his time in a private residential treatment facility for adults with mental diagnoses and substance abuse disorders, he practiced crisis intervention, de-escalation tactics, and harm reduction protocols. He then managed cases at Callen Lorde community health clinic and trained in public health policy, gender affirming care, and safer sex. He also distributed housing and medical resources to NYC's most vulnerable populations. Bear co-founded Bear & Fifi Coaching in November 2021 with his partner, and became an Urban Tantra certified somatic practitioner in November 2022. He authors all Bear & Fifi Coaching theory and curriculum, including the creation of accessibility conscious tools and exercises to support emotional/nervous system regulation, non-violent communication, vulnerability + connection, and erotic embodiment. Individually, Bear works with men and masc people of all experiences, members of the TGNC community and survivors of complex relational trauma and abuse. Fifi is a trained architect, social entrepreneur, and spiritual guide. Their lens is informed by their knowledge of design systems, Tantric embodiment + Kundalini yoga, 17 years of practicing and teaching meditation, and 12 years of continuous recovery from anxiety disorders. As a certified Urban Tantra practitioner, they coach people, particularly those socialized as women, seeking better relationships, deeper intimacy, and more authenticity in their lives. Whether by creating personalized rituals or guiding you through accessing your intuition, Fifi's goal is to support you with using sensuality as a therapeutic tool and building foundations for a life beyond what you think you deserve. Fifi is also a non-profit executive serving communities in The Bronx and Harlem through social change and leadership fellowships, art enrichment programs, and historical-multicultural performance presentations. Check out the full show notes here. Click here to join our upcoming Bay Area Retreat - Sept. 13-15, 2024 Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

In her early twenties Mae repeatedly found herself in a cycle of getting into a relationship, developing feelings for someone else, fighting them off for a while and then ultimately cheating and blowing it up only to do it all over again. Then a friend invited her to a kink event which lead to her first dungeon party which changed her life forever... For about the next seven years Mae was consumed on an adventure exploring events, parties, connections, and what was possible in life, love, and pleasure. Today, Mae is exploring her own flavor of polyamory and non-monogamy. She has a primary partner along with other people that she dates plus she has some subs and perhaps even a few play partners. As Mae puts it... "If you're not having fun, you may want to question why you're doing it..." And no surprise, this interview with Mae is full of laughs and wild adventures. Mae also shares with us a bit about her powerful work and describes herself on her website better than we ever could... The Adorable Domme, Miss Mae Ling is a Los Angeles Dominatrix whose charmingly open and sweet approach to life draws out the best in others. Her motto in life is to have fun and enjoy the best of what life has to offer. She seeks to find the true person that is inside of you, cutting through all the exterior and relating with your desires and deepest emotions. The raw truth is what she is after. Check out all of her work and learn more over on her website! Check out the full show notes here. Click here to join our upcoming Bay Area Retreat - Sept. 13-15, 2024 Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing