Polyamory: A Clinical Toolkit for Therapists (and Their Clients)

This is the first practical, how-to guide to non-monogamy for therapists. It contains everything a therapist needs to know to start working confidently and competently with polyamorous clients. It covers both the most common challenges and the most complex and difficult situations likely to present in the therapy room.

ISBN-13: 9781538129890

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers - Inc.

Publication Date: 05-15-2021

Pages: 500

Product Dimensions: 6.10(w) x 9.13(h) x 1.17(d)

Martha Kauppi is a marriage and family therapist, educator, and AASECT-certified sex therapist and supervisor with a lifelong career in health and sexuality. Martha specializes in working at the intersection of sex and relational issues. She creates and presents educational materials that are based in theory and scientific knowledge while also being practical, effective, and immediately applicable by therapists and their clients. For more information, educational opportunities, and a blog, visit www.instituteforrelationalintimacy.com.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

PART I: POLYAMORY FROM A THERAPIST’S PERSPECTIVE

Chapter 1: Consensual Non-Monogamies: What Are The Options?

Chapter 2: Polyamory: What the Research Tells Us

Chapter 3: Overlapping Marginalized Populations and Intersectionality

Chapter 4: Polyamory Theory, or Why Polyamory Makes Sense to Some

Chapter 5: Who Can Benefit From Consensual Non-Monogamy?

PART II: CREATING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THERAPY WITH POLYAMORY

Chapter 6: The Therapist: Bias, Strengths, and Challenges

Chapter 7: What Makes a Good Relationship?

Chapter 8: Conceptualizing the Case: If Polyamory Isn’t The Problem, What Is?

Chapter 9: Using The Initiator/Inquirer Process to Support Differentiation and Move Toward Decisions

Chapter 10: Getting Polyamory Therapy off to a Strong Start: Understanding the Change Process

PART III: POLYAMORY IN THE THERAPY ROOM: COMMON PRESENTING PROBLEMS

Chapter 11: Negotiating Polyamory: Forming Good Agreements

Chapter 12: Negotiating Polyamory: Talking Points for Partners

Chapter 13: Understanding and Addressing Jealousy

Chapter 14: Infidelity, Broken Agreements, and Building Trust

Chapter 15: Working with Mono-Polyams and Reluctant Polyams

Chapter 16: Recovering from Polyamory Gone Wrong

Chapter 17: Role-Related Challenges and Benefits: Primaries, Secondaries, Hinges, Etc.

Chapter 18: Relationship Transitions: New Relationships Energy, Relationship Decisions, Shifting Between Partners, and Breakups

Chapter 19: Polyamorous Families With Children and Coming Out Issues

PART IV: PROFESSIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Chapter 20: Ethical Considerations

Chapter 21: Marketing Yourself as a Polyamory-Friendly Therapist

Appendices
A: Relationship Concept Worksheets
B: Emotional Balance Worksheets
C: Preparation for Communication Worksheets
D: Relationship Enrichment Handouts
E: Creating Change Worksheet Set
F: Crafting Your Unique Open Relationship Handout Set
Bibliography
Index
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