"I'm seeing it more and more in the work that I do, but how it manifests itself varies hugely, said Katherine Cavallo, a psychotherapist and spokesperson for UK Council for Psychotherapy. It's normal for feelings of jealousy and insecurity to emerge, and those need to be responded to. The existing relationship, the attachment between the couple, needs to be maintained as well."
"Communication, consent and trust were key, she said, and if agreed boundaries were not adhered to, it could lead to significant emotional and relational trauma. People choosing to open up their relationship after one partner has had an affair, or doing it in order to fix something, are cause for concern. It's bound to be problematic going down that route, Cavallo said."
Consensual non-monogamy and open marriages have become more prominent, and couples therapists report increasing numbers of clients choosing this route. Open relationships can work for some but carry emotional risks including jealousy, insecurity, and attachment strain. Maintaining the primary relationship requires ongoing communication, clear consent, trust, and continual review of boundaries. Violations of agreed boundaries can cause significant emotional and relational trauma. Opening a relationship as a response to an affair or to fix existing problems is particularly risky. Distinctions exist between people who identify as polyamorous and heteronormative couples who open relationships for sexual experimentation or circumstantial reasons.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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