Nonmonogamy and Group Dynamics: A More Than Two Essentials Guide

A practical guide to navigating romantic groups with respect and compassion for oneself and others.

Romantic groups can face many of the same challenges as friend groups or professional circles, but these more common group structures are far better understood in the wider culture. Romantic groups that include multiple partners and metamours can be intimidating and initially appear tricker to navigate. Yet they can also provide more diverse support structures, allowing each person to provide according to their abilities while being supported according to their needs.

Nonmonogamy and Group Dynamics explores how to navigate issues in romantic groups and how to come to a compassionate understanding of others and ourselves. A practical handbook founded in real-life experiences, it addresses shifts in group structure, comparisons among members and differences in prioritization, and offers communication strategies and tips for resolving tension. By encouraging the reader to consider their roles and responsibilities and to reflect on their own expectations, this helpful guide empowers the reader to work toward what they want and need from their romantic groups.

Red DeRooy (any pronouns) is a queer, trans graduate student from Ottawa, specializing in linguistics. Red organizes a monthly poly discussion group, has given both academic and non-academic talks on polyamory, and has been featured in the YouTube series The Poly Diaries. Red has edited several popular-science books, including The Top Ten Diseases of All Time (University of Ottawa Press) and How to Write^Edit Your Scientific Article (World Scientific).

Stacey Smith? (she/her) is a queer, trans professor and writer who has published more than 30 non-fiction books, including The Top Ten Diseases of All Time (University of Ottawa Press). She gives talks on polyamory in both academic and non-academic settings, has appeared on CBC Radio discussing polyamory and has been featured in the YouTube series The Poly Diaries. She is also a professor of disease modelling at the University of Ottawa and the editor of the Outside In series of pop culture reviews.