MyNDTALK - The Polyamorists Next Door - Dr. Elisabeth Sheff
Marriage and monogamy are not what they used to be. Many couples
are opting to start families before getting married, or deciding not
to get married at all. At the same time, gay couples in states that
recognize same-sex marriage are getting married in droves. Some
people prefer non-monogamy and have relationships that include
swinging and polyamory. The landscape of American marriage and
relationships is changing, and a variety of family systems are
developing and becoming more common."
Dr. Elisabeth Sheff, author of The Polyamorists Next Door returns to
MyNDTALK to discuss her extensive research with polyamorous
families, in which people are free to pursue emotional, romantic, and
sexual relationships with multiple people at the same time, openly
and with support from their partners, sometimes forming multi-partner relationships, or other arrangements that allow for emotional and sexual freedom within the family system. Dr. Sheff explains how
polyamorous relationships come to be, grow and change, manage the ins and outs of daily family life, and cope with the challenges they face both within their families and from society at large.
While polyamorous families are increasingly common, fairly little is
known about them outside of their own social circles or of the
occasional media sensationalism. This book provides information that
will be useful for professionals with polyamorous clients, educators
who wish to understand or teach about polyamory, and especially
people who wish to better understand polyamory themselves or explain it to their potential partners, adult children, or in-laws."
