We all get caught in relationship drama from time to time. Whether it's with our partners, friends, family members, or even ourselves, these patterns can feel frustrating and difficult to escape. The good news? There are frameworks that can help us recognize when we're stuck in drama and practical tools we can use to shift into more empowering dynamics.
In this episode, we dive into the Drama Triangle, a powerful model that helps us understand the roles we play in our relationship conflicts, and explore how we can transform these patterns into healthier interactions. We share our own experiences getting caught in these cycles and the small but significant steps that have helped us break free.
We’re unpacking:
— The Drama Triangle model and its three archetypal roles: victim, hero (rescuer), and villain (persecutor)
— How we each have preferred "on-ramps" to drama that feel familiar even when they're uncomfortable
— The ways we unconsciously maintain drama cycles in our relationships
— How we can play multiple roles in the Drama Triangle, even all by ourselves
— The Empowerment Dynamic as an alternative to the Drama Triangle
— How to transform from victim to creator, hero to coach, and villain to challenger
— Why small actions can create significant shifts in breaking drama patterns
— The importance of recognizing when you're in the Drama Triangle before you can step out of it
— How non-monogamy can amplify drama triangles by adding more people to the system
— Real examples from our relationship where we've gotten stuck in drama and found our way out
— Why it's so challenging (but possible!) to break free from familiar patterns
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— The Drama Triangle model by Stephen Karpman
— The Empowerment Dynamic
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
When your partner experiences something for the first time with another person—whether it's a first date, first kiss, or first intimate encounter—it can trigger a complex mix of emotions. These "firsts" often carry significant meaning and can create unexpected emotional responses, even when you feel intellectually prepared for them.
You might spend months discussing, planning, and considering what opening your relationship will look like, but when the moment actually arrives—when theory becomes reality—many of us find ourselves unprepared for the emotional impact. In this episode, we’re discussing some crucial strategies and reframes you can use to to move through difficult emotions and stay in alignment and connection with yourself and your partner(s).
We’re breaking down:
— Why firsts can feel so charged, even for experienced non-monogamous people
— The importance of examining what meaning you're making about these firsts and how that affects your emotional response
— How the unknown aspects of what your partner is experiencing can sometimes be scarier than the reality
— Practical nervous system regulation techniques to help you stay grounded when big emotions arise
— The value of having a personal "rescue plan" ready for moments of distress
— Why community support from people who understand non-monogamy is crucial
— How intentional "wallowing" can sometimes be helpful when done with boundaries and time limits
— The possibility that you might experience compersion (joy at your partner's joy) rather than distress
— Why different levels of transparency and communication need to be negotiated between partners
— The importance of surrendering to the unknown and trusting yourself to navigate these new experiences
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Free training on nervous system regulation
— The Multi-Amory community and Normalizing Non-Monogamy community
JOIN The Year Of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
What actually changes when you go from swinging to polyamory? Is it just more dates—or a total shift in your emotional and relational world? We explore the real answers—plus the question no one wants to ask: “What if my partner doesn't want to go with me?”
This transition is more than a change in labels—it’s a deep reconfiguration of your emotional bandwidth, time, priorities, and sense of self. It often begins with excitement but can stir unexpected grief as you let go of identities, imagined futures, and unspoken assumptions.
In this episode, we talk about:
— The key differences between swinging, polyamory, and polysexuality
— What happens when partners discover they have divergent desires for relationship structures
— The importance of clarifying your own needs and wants before making new agreements
— Why patience is crucial when learning about yourself and your evolving desires
— How to navigate the redistribution of time and energy when relationship structures change
— The reality that feelings don’t always follow rules—and what to do when unexpected emotions arise
— Why asking someone not to have feelings is an impossible request that can damage relationships
— The value of making commitments about actions rather than trying to control emotions
— How transitions often reveal differences, resentments, and incompatibilities that were previously hidden
— Essential skills for navigating this transition: introspection, conversation, grief work, and repair
— Why building resilience is more valuable than creating “perfect” rules to prevent discomfort
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Structured apologies as a repair technique
Join The Year Of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
Relationship structures don't have to follow a script. Whether you're monogamous, polyamorous, or somewhere in between, you can intentionally design all your relationships to fit exactly who's in them. But what does that actually look like in practice?
In this episode, we welcome Annie Undone, a non-binary queer writer whose journey through various relationship styles offers powerful insights into relating. Annie shares their evolution from monogamy to polyamory to relationship anarchy, demonstrating how deconstructing societal expectations can lead to more authentic relationships across all domains of life.
We dive deep into what relationship anarchy truly means (spoiler: it's not just about romantic relationships!) and how this framework can benefit everyone—polyamorous or not—by challenging the assumptions we've internalized about how relationships "should" work.
In this episode, we talk about:
— Annie's personal journey from monogamy through polyamory to relationship anarchy
— The simple yet profound definition of relationship anarchy
— How to deconstruct heteronormativity and mononormativity in your relationships
— Why relationship anarchy can be beneficial even for monogamous couples
— The importance of asking "Do I want this, or do I think I should want this?" when examining relationship expectations
— How mononormativity can sneak back in even when we think we've moved beyond it
— The value of intergenerational relationships and challenging ageism in our communities
— Why coming out to family members about non-monogamy might be less complicated than you fear
— The challenges of perfectionism in polyamorous communities
— How relationship anarchy creates space for aromantic and asexual people in non-monogamous communities
— Why symmetry in relationships isn't always the goal (and can sometimes be inherently unfair)
— The ongoing nature of relationship deconstruction as a lifelong process
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Annie’s Instagram
— Annie's Patreon
— Annie's new e-book, On Polyamory
— Book a one-to-one peer support session with Annie
JOIN The Year Of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
If you’ve been a PWF listener for a while, you know that we love self-agreements. Creating self-agreements based on your goals may sound like a simple process, but we find that some big questions often come up along the way.
To answer this week’s listener question, we’re diving deep into value and accountability systems, and we’re giving you practical exercises you can use to uncover your desires and create agreements that actually work for you instead of against you.
In this episode, we talk about:
— Why all agreements ultimately start as agreements with yourself
— The importance of getting explicit about what you actually want versus what you think you "should" want
— How to use desire excavation to uncover your true motivations
— The power of using verbs in your agreements to make them actionable
— Understanding and implementing both natural and manufactured consequences of not following through
— Building in rewards and reinforcement for meeting your agreements
— Creating support scaffolding through accountability partners, apps, and community
— Why perfectionism sabotages agreements and how "daily-ish" can be more effective than rigid expectations
— Identifying and removing friction points that get in the way of keeping agreements
— Using creative problem-solving to make agreements easier to keep
— How keeping agreements with yourself builds self-esteem, integrity, and resilience
— The importance of aligning your agreements with your core values
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Oliver Burkeman's book Four Thousand Weeks
JOIN The Year Of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
Jealousy and grief are deeply intertwined emotions. When we experience jealousy, we're experiencing a form of loss—whether it's the loss of attention, time, or even an imagined future–and often grief is hiding just beneath the surface of these experiences. Understanding this connection can help us navigate the complex emotional landscape of non-monogamy with more compassion for ourselves and our partners.
In this episode, we talk about:
— The concept of "ambiguous grief" and how it relates to jealousy in non-monogamous relationships
— Why jealousy often contains elements of grief, especially when we're experiencing changes in relationship dynamics
— How anticipatory grief works when we imagine potential losses before they happen
— The difference between grieving (the emotion) and mourning (the actions we take to process loss)
— Why jealousy can be viewed as an opportunity for appreciation rather than just a painful emotion to endure
— How jealousy can help us recognize what we truly value in our relationships
— The ways our personal triggers and vulnerabilities influence which aspects of jealousy hit us hardest
— Why the cultural conversation around jealousy needs to be much richer and more nuanced
— The value of sitting with jealousy rather than immediately trying to eliminate it
— How comparing ourselves to metamours can introduce envy into an already complex emotional mix
— The importance of learning how to mourn ambiguous losses in relationships
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Joli's Recommended Reading List
— The Jealousy Resource Center
— The YouTube Playing With Fire Jealousy playlist
JOIN The Year of Opening community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
Hierarchy in non-monogamous relationships can be one of the most divisive topics in our community. Some people proudly claim they want a hierarchy in their relationships, while others see the word as an immediate red flag. But what's really going on beneath the surface? What are we actually trying to communicate when we talk about relationship hierarchies?
In this episode, we dive deep into the nuances of hierarchy, exploring not just what the word means, but what people are truly seeking when they use it. We unpack how power dynamics inevitably enter the conversation, whether explicitly mentioned or not, and how our childhood wounds and need for safety often drive our desire for relationship structures that feel secure and predictable.
This week, we’re unpacking:
— The split in the non-monogamy community around hierarchical relationship structures
— How dictionary definitions of hierarchy often include power dynamics that many people overlook
— The difference between wanting to feel important versus having power over others' decisions
— Why we often default to hierarchical thinking when we're feeling confused or unsafe
— How our desire for safety and predictability drives us toward simplified relationship structures
— The painful reality that we can never truly know what tomorrow will bring, regardless of our agreements
— Personal stories of how hierarchical dynamics played out in real-life emergency situations
— How our inner child parts influence our desire for certainty and safety in relationships
— The importance of examining what's actually underneath our desire for hierarchy or primacy
— Why the language we choose matters, and how to be more intentional about the words we use to describe our relationships
— The value of understanding our own relationship to power when designing our relationship structures
JOIN The Year of Opening community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
When we step out of one relationship paradigm, phase, or stage and into another, we often find ourselves in a strange, uncomfortable space—neither here nor there. This space has a name: liminality. From the Latin word "limen" meaning threshold, liminality describes that crucial period between what was and what will be. It's not just a moment of crossing over; it's an extended time of uncertainty, possibility, and transformation.
Liminality exists in all facets of life, but for those of us exploring non-monogamy, these in-between periods can show up quite frequently and pose a number of unique challenges. We often want to rush through it, desperate to find solid ground again. But what if those uncomfortable spaces are exactly where the most important growth happens?
In this episode, we talk about:
— What liminality actually means and why it's such an important concept for understanding relationship transitions
— Why the in-between state is so uncomfortable yet necessary for genuine paradigm shifts
— How rushing through liminal periods can prevent us from truly reimagining our relationships
— The common mistake of carrying old relationship paradigms into new relationship structures
— Practical ways to intentionally create and navigate liminal space in your relationships
— How small changes in habits and environment can help shift your perspective during transitions
— The connection between differentiation practice and creating healthy liminal experiences
— Why the discomfort of "not knowing" is essential for personal growth and transformation
— Real examples of liminal periods we all experience, from adolescence to career transitions to relationship changes
— The value of creating intentional containers for your liminal experiences, whether it's a week, month, year, or longer
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Episode 194: Reimagining Relationships
JOIN The Year Of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
When we open our relationships, we often focus on creating boundaries and agreements around emotions, time, and sex. But there's another crucial element that frequently gets overlooked (until it becomes a problem): money. How we handle finances in our relationships can reveal deep-seated values, trigger old wounds, and create unexpected power dynamics—especially when we start dating outside our established partnerships.
The financial aspects of non-monogamy touch on some of our most vulnerable places. They can bring up childhood patterns, highlight privilege differences, and force us to examine our relationship with capitalism itself. While these conversations might feel uncomfortable, they're essential for building healthy relationships with clear expectations and boundaries. Money conversations in non-monogamy can be terrifying—but avoiding them is worse!
In this episode, we talk about:
— Why money conversations are often avoided until they become painful problems
— How our personal money histories shape our approach to finances in relationships (including childhood experiences with scarcity or abundance)
— The practical questions that arise when dating: What counts as a "date expense"? Who pays? How do we handle financial disparities?
— Why separate accounts can be helpful for financial differentiation in non-monogamy
— The challenge of funding separate accounts when income disparities exist between partners
— How dating expenses can reveal our values and trigger judgments about what's "worth" spending on
— The way money intersects with other resources like time, emotional labor, and childcare responsibilities
— Why regular money check-ins are crucial as relationships evolve and circumstances change
— How money conversations can actually build intimacy when approached with curiosity and compassion
— The importance of allowing partners to change over time and not assuming their financial values remain static
— Why examining privilege and socioeconomic differences can be both challenging and a way to deeply connect
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Imago dialogue as a tool for difficult conversations
JOIN The Year Of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
Many of us experience a relationship renaissance when we first open up. There's a delicious new energy, deeper conversations, rekindled passion, and a sense that we're seeing our partners (and ourselves) in entirely new dimensions. It feels amazing, and naturally, we want to hold onto that feeling forever!
But what are we supposed to do when that initial excitement starts to fade?
Maintaining this renaissance isn't about freezing that initial excitement in amber. It's about understanding what's really happening beneath the surface and learning how to nurture your relationships in new ways. In this episode, we’re gonna help you gain a deeper understanding of this process, and in turn, yourself and your partners.
We’re breaking down:
— The new non-monogamy energy phenomenon and why it creates such intense feelings of connection and discovery
— Why seeing your partner relate to others gives you access to dimensions of them you've never seen before
— How the shift from "exclusivity equals security" to building security through clarity and communication takes years of consistent effort
— The difference between trying to maintain the initial high versus investing in ongoing relationality
— Why some partners might try to use the renaissance as a reason to return to monogamy ("See? We fixed it!")
— How differentiation (recognizing "I am me and you are you") contributes strongly to maintaining intimacy
— Why the work of opening up is the relating – it's not just preparation for relating
— The importance of self-inquiry and noticing how you actually show up in relationships, not just how you think you show up
— Why maintaining unified pacing with your partner becomes impossible in non-monogamy (and why that's actually okay)
— How focusing on your own individuation process can help maintain deep connection without trying to recreate that initial high
JOIN The Year Of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
We’ve made a ton of episodes about how to work on relationships once you’re in them. But we also often get asked… how do I actually find good matches while dating??
It’s not always as easy as making an online dating profile and seeing how it goes. We often focus so much on what we want in a partner that we forget to ask ourselves what we’re actually available to offer. If you’re struggling with dating, we’re gonna help you get clear on your availability and bottom-line requirements, which just might totally transform the experience from an exhausting exercise to an exciting opportunity for genuine connection.
In this episode, we talk about:
— The critical difference between knowing what you want in a partner versus knowing what you're available to offer
— Why fawning (trying to be what you think others want) leads to unsatisfying connections and wasted time
— How to identify and honor your "bottom-line requirements" in relationships
— Why the dating pool in non-monogamy can feel smaller, leading to scarcity mindset and compromising on what truly matters
— The importance of creating dating contexts that support your authentic self (like choosing coffee shops over romantic restaurants for first dates)
— Why having 2-3 specific questions you ask on every first date can help you gather crucial information
— How to balance putting your best foot forward without falling into people-pleasing patterns
— The value of taking breaks from dating when needed and returning with renewed clarity
— Why articulating what you ARE available for is more powerful than listing what you're NOT available for
JOIN The Year Of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
Reaching 200 episodes of any podcast is a milestone worth celebrating. But when you're recording with your spouse while simultaneously building a business together? That's a whole different level of achievement.
In this special anniversary episode, we pull back the curtain on what it's like to navigate the complex terrain of intimate partnership while also being public-facing business collaborators. Our journey hasn't always been smooth—in fact, there were times when working together nearly broke us apart—but the lessons we've learned have been invaluable for our relationship and for the work we do with others.
Whether you're considering starting a venture with your partner or simply curious about how relationships evolve through professional collaboration, tune in for some candid reflections into this messy and beautiful process!
In this episode, we talk about:
— Our unexpected journey from recording 13 simple book-companion episodes to creating 200 episodes and building a business together
— The painful lessons from our first business venture together and how those early struggles shaped our current dynamic
— Why the wrong leadership structure in a partnership can create ongoing tension and resentment
— How fear-based decision making led to overworking and boundary violations in our early business relationship
— The importance of claiming your authentic strengths and limitations when working with a partner
— Why watching your partner interact professionally with others can deepen trust in unexpected ways
— The spiral nature of learning in partnership—how each "failure" can lead to greater self-awareness if you're willing to be honest about your limitations
— How business collaboration can serve as a powerful individuation opportunity when you allow it to reflect your inner world
— The delicate balance of supporting your partner's spotlight while managing your own feelings of envy
— Why creating a podcast together can be both navel-gazing and self-indulgent and meaningful and potentially transformative
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Project Relationship: The book that started our podcasting journey together
JOIN The Year Of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
We make verbal agreements with others every day. This can look like something simple—“I’ll bring you a cup of tea”—or like bigger, more complex relationship commitments. But when these agreements live only in our (fallible!) memories, they become vulnerable to misinterpretation, forgetfulness, and even unconscious manipulation.
Writing down every single agreement you make isn’t practical (or necessary), but understanding when to put pen to paper can be the difference between relationship harmony and avoidable harm.
In this episode, we talk about:
— Why verbal agreements often lead to misunderstandings and hurt feelings
— The difference between everyday agreements and systemic agreements that need documentation
— How writing agreements down helps extract them from the shifting context of conversations
— The role of weaponized incompetence and how it can show up unconsciously in relationships
— Why the mental load of tracking agreements often falls unfairly on one partner
— How to perfection-proof your agreements by including what happens when you can't fulfill them
— The importance of self-awareness in knowing which agreements you can actually keep
— A real-life example of a couple whose weekend-long verbal agreement led to feelings of betrayal
— Why writing is thinking, and how it forces us to clarify what we actually mean
— How different relationship dynamics might require different approaches to agreements
— The painful decade-long aftermath of a misunderstood Christmas agreement in a polyamorous relationship
JOIN The Year of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
Ok, so you’re working on nervous system regulation, and you’re working on jealousy. But why is it that the feeling of jealousy can just totally freak out our nervous systems?? In this episode, we’re answering this and other questions about jealousy, panic, and somatics.
When jealousy triggers that primal panic in our bodies, it can feel like your world is ending. But we’re not powerless against. There are some practical ways to navigate these intense emotions without letting them derail your relationship and your sense of self, and we’re sharing them with you in this episode!
We’re breaking down:
— Why jealousy triggers such intense nervous system responses from an attachment theory perspective
— The concept of primal panic and how it relates to our sense of safety in relationships
— How our attachment systems can remain wired to one person even as we try to create space for multiple relationships
— The physiological experience of jealousy as a "high volume" emotion with intense bodily sensations
— How neural tags from past experiences, media, and cultural stories can amplify our jealousy responses
— The importance of distinguishing between the physical sensations of jealousy and the stories we tell ourselves about what's happening
— Practical techniques for managing jealousy in the moment, including tracking sensations, using humor, and co-regulation
— Why creating a "rescue plan" for jealousy episodes returns our sense of agency and helps prevent spiraling
— The value of asking for specific reassurance that addresses your actual fears rather than generic comfort
— How jealousy can reveal important information about ourselves and our deepest fears if we're willing to examine it
— Why experiencing jealousy doesn't mean you're "failing" at non-monogamy—it's a normal part of the journey
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— The Befriending Jealousy Workshop on March 25, 2025, from 7-9pm Eastern time
— Episode 170: Jealousy and Attachment Panic
— Episode 118: Are there quick and easy ways to manage relationship stress?
— Episode 113: How to do hard things and build exceptional love with Elisabeth Kristof
JOIN The Year of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
Are you ready to open your relationship happily? Find out at www.JoliQuiz.com
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
Envy in relationships can be sneaky. It often hides behind other emotions like jealousy, anger, or disappointment, making it hard to recognize—even when we're actively looking for it!
When we feel envious of our partners, it creates a unique kind of tension. Unlike envying a metamour or someone outside your relationship, partner envy touches on deeper questions about fairness, comparison, and what we truly want. It can be particularly challenging because admitting envy means acknowledging something we lack or desire, which isn't always comfortable. But if you face it head on, partner envy can be a great opportunity for individuation and personal growth.
In this episode, we talk about:
— How envy of your partner often gets hidden behind other emotions like jealousy, anger, or disappointment
— The difference between wanting what someone has versus wanting to be what they are
— Why "fairness" alarms often trigger us to reach for things we don't actually want
— The danger of compartmentalizing when comparing ourselves to our partners
— Common scenarios where partner envy emerges, especially in newly opened relationships with desire mismatches
— How unaddressed envy quickly transforms into resentment that damages relationships
— Why partners sometimes pull back from activities to avoid triggering their partner's envy (and why this doesn't actually solve anything)
— The reality that shifting relationship paradigms typically takes 3-5 years, not the 3-5 months many people hope for
— How to dig beneath surface envy to discover what you truly want when you're envious of something you don't actually desire
— The different experiences people of different genders have on dating apps and how this creates unique envy dynamics
— Why taking a narrow view often fuels envy, while stepping back to see the full picture can help dissolve it
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Joli’s Jealousy Resource Center
JOIN The Year of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
Let's be honest—most of us really don’t want to talk about envy. It's uncomfortable, it feels icky, and it brings up all sorts of emotions we'd rather not face. You know we love to talk about jealousy, but understanding envy, especially how it differs from jealousy, can also be incredibly valuable for relational and personal growth.
In this episode, we talk about:
— The difference between envy and jealousy, and why we often conflate them
— How envy involves comparing ourselves to others and breaking people down into parts rather than seeing them as whole humans
— The underlying sense of unfairness that fuels envy and how it can become destructive
— Why envy can be both a powerful motivator and a path to self-destruction
— How envy shows up specifically in non-monogamous relationships, especially when it appears alongside jealousy
— The way envy can point us toward our genuine wants and desires if we're willing to examine it
— How envy can be valuable individuation material that helps us understand our values and what we truly want
— The destructive potential of envy in relationships and communities when left unexamined
— Practical ways to work with envy when it arises, including using it as information rather than letting it control our actions
— The importance of considering not just what we envy in others, but whether we're willing to do what it takes to achieve similar outcomes
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Cinderella and Her Sisters: The Envied and the Envying by Ann and Barry Ulanov
— What is Compersion? by Marie Thouin
— The Drama Triangle concept by Stephen Karpman
JOIN The Year of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
New Relationship Energy (NRE) can make everything feel like a shiny object. We get it, we love that feeling too! If you’re practicing non-monogamy, you might actually find yourself feeling NRE in multiple places. We made this episode in response to a listener question—what do I do with all these feelings and expectations? How do I prepare for when this chemical cocktail starts to fade?
Even though it’s really exciting, this noisy emotional environment requires thoughtful navigation to maintain balance and authenticity. In this episode we’re helping you navigate everything from the big picture emotional questions to the practical, day-to-day questions like how to manage your schedule.
We’re breaking down:
— The neurochemical nature of NRE
— How NRE can lead us to project our desires onto new partners rather than seeing them clearly
— The difference between NRE (new relationship energy) and limerence, and why understanding this distinction matters
— Why NRE often causes us to mute our own boundaries and bottom-line requirements
— The challenge of maintaining authenticity when we're caught up in the newness of relationships
— How to recognize when you're abandoning yourself, your established partners, or your friendships during intense NRE periods
— The importance of explicit conversations about expectations rather than just "going with the flow"
— Strategies for pacing yourself and managing your energy when experiencing multiple NREs
— The transition from NRE to ERE (established relationship energy) and how to nurture deeper connections
— Why comparing your relationships is less valuable than examining how you show up differently in each one
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Episode 153: Limerence vs. New Relationship Energy
JOIN The Year of Opening® community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
Are you ready to open your relationship happily? Find out at www.JoliQuiz.com
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Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
When something isn't working, even if you’ve been practicing non-monogamy for a long time, it’s really easy to default into the monogamous paradigm, which offers only a few set options. But what if there was another way?
Reimagining a relationship means creating something new. It's different from de-escalation (which implies undoing a path you've taken) or uncoupling (which implies ending). Instead, reimagining opens space to explore what your relationship could become if you moved beyond your current ideas of what it is or was supposed to be.
This process requires courage, patience, and a willingness to step into the unknown together. It's challenging work, but it can lead to beautiful new forms of connection that honor both your history and your ability to grow and change.
In this episode, we talk about:
— Why reimagining is different from de-escalation or uncoupling, and how it implies continuity rather than ending
— The importance of acknowledging that our imagination is our relationship in many ways
— How mononormativity limits our options when relationships need to change (stay together, break up, or be miserable)
— The necessity of creating a "liminal container" – a dedicated time and space for the reimagining process
— Why grief work is essential before you can truly reimagine something new
— The challenge of letting go of what was while maintaining connection
— How repair work fits into reimagination (hint: you can't skip it!)
— The importance of nervous system regulation during times of uncertainty
— Why creating new, explicit agreements is crucial for your reimagined relationship
— The value of celebrating when you successfully reimagine a relationship into something new
— How the language of "reimagining" itself can be empowering and create possibilities
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller
— Episode 152: How to Take Intentional Relationship Breaks
— Episode 172: Grieving Change
JOIN The Year of Opening community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
Are you ready to open your relationship happily? Find out at www.JoliQuiz.com
Get the answers you want to create the open relationship of your dreams! Sign up for an Ask Me Anything here
Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
What does it really mean to live and love with integrity? How can we stay in integrity while navigating multiple relationships, agreements, needs, and wants that aren’t always in alignment??
The reality is that living in integrity, especially when you’re in multiple non-monogamous relationships, requires awareness, honest self-reflection, and sometimes making difficult choices. That may sound overwhelming, but this episode will help you learn how to create a solid foundation of the skills and habits you need to relate with others—and yourself—with integrity.
In this episode, we talk about:
— What integrity actually means
— Why it's so challenging to maintain integrity when different parts of ourselves want different things
— How over-functioning and under-functioning in relationships can get in the way of true integrity
— Why self-agreements create the groundwork for integrity in relationships
— Why shame often comes up when we realize we're out of integrity
— How to work with the nervous system response that arises when we notice we're out of alignment
— The importance of examining whether we actually want the agreements we're making
— Practical ways to rebuild integrity when we've gotten off track
— Why acknowledging when we're out of integrity is the first step back towards it
— How to handle situations where we keep breaking the same agreements
Resources mentioned in this episode:
— Episode 123: Weasel Words and Creating more Intimacy in your Relationships
— Episode 149: Relationship Agreements 101
JOIN The Year of Opening community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
Are you ready to open your relationship happily? Find out at www.JoliQuiz.com
Get the answers you want to create the open relationship of your dreams! Sign up for an Ask Me Anything here
Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
What if you could get to know your power intimately, and so get to know your whole self? What if you could use your story to have the life, pleasure, and relationships you want? Check out our chat with the incomparable Mollena Williams-Haas, Kink Doula, writer, performer, and podcast host. Listen to her share some of her story of power exchange and authenticity with you.
Click here for the Kink Doula - Sign up for Mollena's mailing list - there's a free class available when you sign up.
Click here to listen to Mollena's podcast All That and Mo (you'll be glad you did)
JOIN The Year of Opening community for a full year of learning & support. Registration is open now at www.TheYearOfOpening.com
Learn the 5 secrets to open your relationship the smart way
Are you ready to open your relationship happily? Find out at www.JoliQuiz.com
Get the answers you want to create the open relationship of your dreams! Sign up for an Ask Me Anything here
Music: Dance of Felt by Blue Dot Sessions
