As I said in the first post, breaks are a controversial topic. That means that lots of people have really different views on whether or not breaks in conflict are even an OK thing to do. That means that there are two parts to communicating around breaks – the first is about having conversations that …
Communicating around breaks – Part 1 – making agreements about breaks in conflict Read More »
Naturally enough, there are lots of things to pay attention to at different times in your relationship. This is just a prompt to think through some common things that come up at this stage: 1) Did your chemistry mask poor compatibility? One of the reasons that the move from NRE to ERE can …
Five things to pay attention to in the transition to existing relationship energy. Read More »
New relationships energy, also talked about as NRE, is the emotional experience at the beginning of a sexual and/or romantic relationship. While the term is most popular in poly communities, it is also a feature of the start of most monogamous relationships. It includes heightened emotional and sexual excitement, and sometimes obsessive thoughts and urges …
The wheel of consent is a revolutionary tool, and there is no way I could possibly explain it better than Betty Martin does here. Effectively the wheel of consent, as you see above, pulls apart any instance of touch into two axes. The first is about who is doing the touch, the second is about …
Negotiating sex – start with the wheel of consent Read More »
It is impossible to negotiate sex, kink or sensuality without a degree of emotional risk and sharing porn with a partner is no exception. Telling someone else that you are into particular sexual or kinky activities can be scary and difficult, so however you decide to do it, give yourself some self-care around it. More …
This series talks about different ways to start negotiating sex, kink and sensuality.
If you did the first exercise in this series, you probably noticed that there were some relationships that you wanted to be closer than they currently are. Perhaps you would like more time with the other person, maybe you want to do more things with them. Some people might be work colleagues that you would …
Intentional relationships 3: deepening more distant relationships Read More »
The circumstance in which you start a new relationship with a friend, work colleague or lover is filled with a whole lot of chance. Even if you are a person that is intentionally creating opportunities to meet people with similar values/interests to form relationships with (like going to munches, board game meets, parent groups, church) …
Intentional relationships 2 – creating opportunities for new connections Read More »
Relationships can be as much a matter of chance as intention. After all, your oldest friend is likely someone you met because your parents knew each other, you lived in the same street or went to the same primary school. Meeting someone and establishing a new connection depends on being in the right space, at …
Self consent, at its heart, is about treating your needs, desires and limits with respect. It is about being curious about yourself, and making choices that express your authentic self. It is central to learning to have a consensual relationship with others because it embeds consensual practice in your life and all your interactions. I …
