Handbook of Consensual Non-Monogamy

This handbook is a comprehensive guide to understanding the lives/relationships of CNM individuals for mental health professionals and trainees. This text provides critical foundational knowledge and concrete recommendations for serving this diverse and unique population.

Michelle D. Vaughan, PhD, (she/her) is a white, cisgender, pansexual, queer, able-bodied, polyamorous woman living on the land of the Kaskaski in Dayton, Ohio as an Associate Professor in the School of Professional Psychology at Wright State University. She was raised in a white, working-class, rural farm community on the land of the Kikapoo, Kaw/Kansa, in a fundamentalist Christian community embedded in cisheteronormativity, mononormativity and white supremacy. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Baker University and her M.A. (Psychology) and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from The University of Akron, as well as post-doctoral fellowship in Addiction at the University of Virginia. She is a counseling psychologist, researcher, author, educator, therapist, and community leader focusing on cultural humility and the strengths of marginalized/oppressed populations throughout her work, centered primarily on queer, transgender and consensually non-monogamous individuals. She also serves as the Executive Director of PolyColumbus, is a member and co-chair within APA Division 44's Committee on Consensual Non-Monogamy. Theodore R. Burnes, PhD, (he/his) is a white, cisgender, queer, able-bodied man living on the land of the Chumash, Tongva, and Kizh in Los Angeles, California as a Clinical Full Professor of Education in the Rossier School of Education at University of Southern California. He was recently a Full Professor of Psychology in the School of Counseling, Psychology, and Therapy at Antioch University, Los Angeles. He was raised in a white, middle class, urban community on the land of the traditional territory of Nacotchtank, Anacostan, and Piscataway people in Washington DC. This community was embedded in cisheteronormativity, mononormativity and white supremacy. He earned his B.A. in Psychology and Spanish from Bucknell University, M.S.Ed. in Psychological and Community Services from the University of Pennsylvania, and M.A. and Ph.D. in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology from The University of California, Santa Barbara. He is a licensed counseling psychologist and licensed professional clinical counselor in the state of California, as well as a researcher, author, educator, therapist, and community leader. His professional work focuses on advocacy, cultural humility, and the experiences of marginalized/oppressed populations in receiving mental health services and how organizations can continue to serve these communities. His work has centered primarily on queer and transgender individuals and individuals who work in the sex industry. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (in Divisions 17 and 44) and an Associate Editor of Training and Education in Professional Psychology.

Part 1: Foundations 1. Introduction: Towards CNM-Affirming, Anti-Oppressive Clinical Practice (Michelle D. Vaughan) 2. Living outside the BOX: Consensual Non-Monogamies, Intimacies and Communities Notes on Research and Terminology (Christian Klesse & Daniel Cardoso) 3. Stigma and Prejudice Endured by People Engaged in Consensual Non-monogamy (Amy Moors & Ashley Ramos) 4. Polyam Affect: Working with Emotions in CNM (River Farrell) 5. Stronger Together: CNM Resilience, Strengths, and Growth (Michelle D. Vaughan & Ryan G. Witherspoon) Part 2. Within-Group Differences 6. Consensually Non-Monogamous Families and Their Children (Dena Abbott & Jessica Boyles) 7. Intersectionality in CNM Relationships (Apryl A. Alexander) 8. Disability & CNM relationships (Alex Iantaffi) 9. Queer(ing) Consensual Non-monogamies, Queering Therapy: Queer Intimacy, Kinship, and Experiences of CNM in LGBTQIA+ Lives (Christian Klesse, Leehee Rothschild, & Jaisie Walker) Part 3: Specific Applications and Contexts 10. Creating a CNM-Affirming Mental Health Agency (Theodore R. Burnes & Alexandra Kropf) 11. Polysourcing: Anti-Oppressive CNM-Affirming clinical training in graduate mental health programs (Michelle D. Vaughan) 12. Ethical Clinical Practice with Consensual Non Monogamous Clients (Elizabeth A. Duke) 13. Developmental Approaches for Clinical Work with CNM Individuals (Cadyn Cathers & Stephanie M. Sullivan) 14. Social Class and Polyamory (Elizabeth Sheff & Hope Smith) 15. Polyperspectives on Anti-Oppressive CNM-Affirming Clinical Practice (Michelle D. Vaughan & Theodore R. Burnes) Bibliography Contributor Biographies