Creating & Evolving Non-Monogamous Boundaries
This event is offered as part of OPEN's Week of Visibility for Non-Monogamy: Myths & Misconceptions.
Myth: Setting boundaries in non-monogamous relationships is about controlling your partner.
Misconception: Boundaries restrict personal freedom.
Reality: Boundaries in non-monogamous relationships are about mutual respect and understanding, not control. They are agreed upon by all parties to protect everyone’s emotional and physical well-being. Boundaries actually support personal autonomy by allowing individuals to express their limits and preferences. They help partners understand and respect each other's needs, fostering a sense of individual agency within the relationship.
Non-monogamy offers freedom to creatively explore relationships, but it's crucial to balance excitement with practicality and honesty about our relational capacity and expectations. Establishing clear boundaries becomes pivotal in navigating diverse paths of connection, guiding us based on mutual respect and shared desires.
This workshop offers practical guidance and experiential learning opportunities for individuals transitioning from monogamous relationships to more complicated non-monogamous dynamics. Drawing from personal experience, non-monogamous relationship coach and somatic facilitator Aria Diana will share insights and techniques to cultivate healthy boundaries within consensual non-monogamous frameworks.
Participants will engage in a mix of somatic mindfulness tools and journaling exercises to deepen exploration of their embodied needs, improve communication skills, and foster a more empowered sense of decision-making capacity as they move into novel or foreign relationship waters.
This is for you if are ready to learn to:
HONOR YOUR OWN NEEDS: Do you struggle to know your own boundaries and often defer to everyone else’s opinions? You’ll leave with a clearer vision of your own authentic desires.
ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF: Do you find yourself in a relationship where decisions are made unilaterally and agreements are not co-created? I’ll teach you communication frameworks that will give you a structure (and the confidence) to have the hard conversations with your partners, while simultaneously making them feel easier.
FEEL SEEN & SUPPORTED: Do you want to feel like you and your partner are on the same team when drawing lines about what you both are (and aren’t) available for right now? Together we’ll practice communicating in a way that your partner is more likely to hear you and also feel like a collaborative teammate who wants to help you get your needs met.
You’ll walk away with a handful of practical tools and useful exercises to support your non-monogamous journey, and an optional breakout room will help support your integration of the material and introduce you to like-minded community working on developing similar intentional relationship skills.
It takes time and energy to learn how to negotiate boundaries in a way that feels gentle on your nervous system and clear and compassionate with the people you’re in relationship with. Come practice in community!