combining the greek and latin roots for “many” “loves,” polyamory is a relationship model built on the idea of having romantic love with more than one person. it just means that they don’t want to live in the assumption that they’ll follow the timeline and milestones of a traditional relationship. the closed v is a handy way of describing the dynamics of a polyamorous relationship where two people share a romantic and sexual connection with the third, but not to …

read on for therapists’ advice on how to chart the waters, raise the idea with a current partner, and navigate the what, why, when, and how of more than one romantic partner: in a word, an open relationship is ethical non-monogamy. since every open relationship is different, the rules for yours depend on what you and your partner(s) decide. “the only time i would say that it is not a good idea to enter into an open relationship is if …

however, there are quite a few other marriage styles, including the types of unions your parents and grandparents may have had. psychologist judith wallerstein describes four distinct marriage models that focus on how partners relate to one another in their relationship. this may be the type of marriage that your grandparents had, but today, it is less common. companionate: this is the most common form of marriage among younger couples, according to wallerstein. a major factor in the companionate marriage …

in the 19th century, the notion of marrying for love was seen as the ideal, and by the 20th it was the norm. we want our spouse to be our soulmate—the one person in the world who meets all of our social, emotional, and sexual needs. this is the question that york university (toronto) psychologist amy muise and colleagues explored in a study published in the journal of social and personal relationships. these respondents reported on the degree to which …

here, experts explain the rules of open relationships, what to consider if you’re thinking of entering one, and how to bring up your desires to your current partner. relationships can be open both in terms of love and sex and they can be long- or short-term. “in a lot of long-term polyamorous relationships, you’ll find that people have less rules over time, because they get used to the idea that these things happen and they don’t lose their partners.” “open …