Common Mistakes When Trying Non-Monogamy

Polyamory is on many people's minds these days. While "poly" originally had a specific meaning, many people now use it to simply mean any variety of consensual non-monogamy. Poly is definitely a viable option. But is it for everyone? No. An increasing number of my patients turn to non-monogamy as a way of fixing broken relationships. This is a strategy that almost never succeeds: "Our relationship doesn't work? Let's add more people!" Some folks are now claiming that poly is their orientation—as if this is supposed to settle all questions about their motives, responsibility, or decision-making.