Normalizing Non-Monogamy - Personal Stories of Polyamory, Swinging, and Beyond

Natalie and her husband have been in an open relationship of some sort for over 25 years and about four years ago her husband’s partner moved in with them. We first had the pleasure of talking with Natalie a little over two years ago on episode 304 and now she’s back to talk all about living with her husband and metamour in their “Resident V” or “Nested V” relationship. This is a fabulous interview and we have so many incredible conversations with Natalie throughout! We have fantastic chats about being out as polyamorous, what relationship anarchy means to Natalie, and how her relationship with her metamour doesn’t fit neatly into one box. Natalie also talks about how they slowly worked towards all living together and the reality and logistics of how they do it. Natalie shops for groceries, her metamour cooks, and her husband does the dishes… But is it always that easy? Join us and find out! Natalie is also a writer, presenter, and the author of her brand new memoir Saying Yes - My Adventures in Polyamory! You can find all of Natalie’s work and learn more about her on her website, but definitely go grab a copy of her new book so you can hear even more of Natalie’s incredible adventures! Check out the full show notes here. Join us at Relationship Recess in May 2026! 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

Rashid is in his early thirties and first learned about non-monogamy in his mid-twenties while in a monogamous partnership that lasted about a decade. Like so many of us, he thought something was wrong with him because he’d often find himself attracted to others and having crushes. After ending that relationship during the pandemic Rashid moved across the country multiple times, tried out monogamy again, and lived in a van while traveling the country before meeting someone who introduced him to relationship anarchy. They began dating and Rashid dove into a whole new world… Join us today as Rashid takes us through pretty much his whole relationship and life journey over the last decade in this beautiful interview. We have powerful conversations about loss, grief, jealousy, platonic friendships and life partners, and how we’re all imperfect humans who are trying to do our best and learn along the way. Enjoy! Check out the full show notes here. Join us at Relationship Recess in May 2026! 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

When Marcia’s high school boyfriend left for college they decided to try opening their relationship… However, it was the late nineties in Georgia so there weren’t many resources or support available for anyone exploring non-traditional relationships or their sexuality and queerness. But that didn’t stop her! It’s now been over 25 years and Marcia still hasn’t been in a monogamous relationship unless you count that time she was forced into it by the pandemic.  One of the main themes of Marcia’s story is her focus on friendship as the foundation for all of her connections. Over the years Marcia has explored many different relationship styles and dynamics as she’s deconstructed norms and figured out who she is and what she wants. This conversation is full of powerful wisdom and insight Marcia has learned along the way. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did. Marcia Baczynski is an internationally-recognized coach, writer and presenter on sexual communication, boundaries, consent and desire. Her primary mission is to help adults who want more connection and intimacy to overcome shame and get in touch with what they truly want – romantically, sexually and relationally – even if it’s off the beaten path. You can learn more about Marcia and all of her work by checking out her website! Check out the full show notes here. Join us at Relationship Recess in May 2026! 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

Jill is in her mid-forties and has just come through a really big transition in life after recently ending her longterm partnership and marriage. Non-monogamy is fairly new for her as well and while she feels that it’s part of her identity and who she is, her life circumstances don’t really allow her to explore these parts of herself very often.  This is such a moving conversation as Jill talks about the challenges of exploring herself and finding romantic and sexual connections while living in a rural and conservative small town. She’s had to get really creative in how she gets her needs met and she shares with us how she’s currently focusing on emotionally intimate and deep platonic friendships in the absence of opportunities to explore in other ways.  Jill also sticks around to share some laughs with us as we answer some bonus questions together! This is a wonderful interview and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Check out the full show notes here. Join us at Relationship Recess in May 2026! 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 has been exploring various flavors and styles of non-monogamy for most of her adult life and one of the things we love about her story is that it hasn't been a linear path. Like many of us, she grew up surrounded by the influences of mononormativity and while she never cheated, she always felt an internal discomfort with how monogamy worked and with all of the rules that came with it. As Megan shares her story today she digs into many of the things she's learned along the way... We talk about her approach to hierarchy and relationship agreements, the importance of erotic autonomy, transitioning from friends to lovers (and back again), and so much more! Overall, this is a fantastic conversation about the power of living your life and having relationships in ways that differ from what we're taught is the "right way." You'll pick up on Megan's passion pretty quickly and it's no surprise she's turned helping people navigate non-monogamy into her career! Megan is a relationship coach and teacher of erotic autonomy who loves helping people create and sustain the consensually non-monogamous relationships they desire while retaining a sense of erotic autonomy in order to live more meaningful lives. You can learn more about Megan and her work on her website! Check out the full show notes here. Join us at Relationship Recess in May 2026! 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