Ep 231 - Anna

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

12 Feb 1h 4min

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

5 Feb 1h 7min

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

29 Jan 1h 3min

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

24 Jan 54min

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

22 Jan 1h 14min

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

15 Jan 1h 23min

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

8 Jan 1h 8min

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

1 Jan 1h 12min