Reflections on Five Years As the First National Scientific Working Group Addressing Consensual Non-Monogamy
This month, we celebrate the five-year anniversary of when our proposal to start a Task Force on consensual non-monogamy in the American Psychological Association’s Society for the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (APA Division 44) was approved. This groundbreaking initiative aimed to provide a space where researchers, practitioners, and students interested in the study and promotion of consensual non-monogamy (CNM) could come together to share ideas, collaborate on research, create resources, and advocate for the recognition and acceptance of CNM within the field of psychology.
When we first submitted the proposal, we knew that consensual non-monogamy was an important and underrepresented topic in the field of psychology. However, we never could have imagined just how much progress our team would make in such a short amount of time. From launching several research studies to drafting CNM-affirming national therapeutic guidelines, we’ve worked tirelessly to raise awareness and understanding about consensual non-monogamy.
The idea for the Task Force on CNM was born out of the recognition that CNM, including forms of relationship structures such as polyamory and open relationships, was a topic that was not well represented within the field of psychology. Despite the fact that CNM has been practiced for centuries and is relatively common in modern society — approximately one in five Americans have tried it — little scientific research existed on the topic and it was not often addressed in the training and education of psychologists and mental health providers.
The Intersection of LGBTQ and Consensual Non-monogamy
The LGBTQ community has a long history of fighting for acceptance and understanding of diverse relationships and identities. In our proposal to form a Task Force we referenced research addressing the pervasiveness of stigma directed toward people engaged in CNM relationships and how it often resembles experiences of stigma faced by other sexual and gender diverse populations. We also addressed how several other developmental processes and experiences that may be a source of psychological stress for the CNM community also share resemblance with those faced by the LGBTQ community. Both the LGBTQ and CNM communities, for example, experience stigma and discrimination in public accommodations and services such as healthcare, marriage, adoption, hospital visitation, workplace, housing, and lending. It also made sense for us to be housed in APA Division 44 as the LGBTQ community is three times more likely to engage in consensual non-monogamy than people who identify as straight.
In the end, with their unanimous vote to approve our Task Force, the Division 44 Executive Board clearly communicated that they too believed that CNM should have a home in the Division and relationship diversity was an area that needed more attention. With the growing interest in CNM and the increasing number of individuals and partners seeking therapists who were familiar with CNM, it was clear that the field of psychology needed to start addressing this topic. It is our understanding that the Task Force represents the first time a national scientific association established a working group dedicated to consensual non-monogamy.
The CNM Task Force was officially established and we received over 100 applications from our call for volunteer psychologists, educators, practitioners, lawyers, and graduate students interested in leading and/or contributing to the projects we proposed. Division 44 leadership has also been instrumental in supporting our efforts to conduct and promote research, provide education and resources for psychologists and other mental health professionals on how to work with individuals and couples who practice CNM.
From Task Force to Committee
After three years as a temporary Task Force, we submitted a proposal to convert the Task Force into a permanent Committee. Our proposal was once again unanimously approved, ensuring that CNM would have ongoing representation and voting privileges within APA Division 44, which will allow us and future Co-Chairs to push for progress and advocate for the rights and well-being of consensual non-monogamous individuals for years to come.
The Committee on CNM has also been a steadfast advocate for the recognition and acceptance of CNM within the field of psychology and in the larger society. We have been pushing for more inclusive definitions of relationship structures and orientations and challenging the notion that monogamy is the only valid form of relationship.
Impact
In the five years since its establishment, the Task Force and now Committee on CNM have played a vital role in bringing attention to the scientific topic of consensual non-monogamy — helping shift it from being taboo to a viable area of study. During this time, our team has published more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters as well as fostered more than a dozen collaborations of distinguished scholars who were new to studying the topic of consensual non-monogamy. Our team organized a special issue on CNM at the Archives of Sexual Behavior and conducted dozens of meetings and webinars educating individuals and organizations on CNM.
One of our team’s biggest accomplishments was co-authoring the first ever national guidelines for therapists that are inclusive of clients engaged in CNM. The newest version of the American Psychological Association’s guidelines for working with sexual minority clients are now CNM-inclusive, which marked the first CNM-inclusive guideline for clinicians that was passed by the American Psychological Association Council of Representatives.
We have also supported a ripple effect of progress in the field of psychology and the larger community through instigating and normalizing CNM integration into established institutions. A number of our colleagues shared how creating the CNM Task Force was a catalyzing event to start conducting research on consensual non-monogamy because it signaled that the field was open to publishing papers on the topic.
Resources
Over the past five years we also created empirical resources for individuals and health care providers to spread awareness and create a deeper understanding of CNM. Some of our resources include research based resources that are the first of their kind for medical and mental health professionals, a CNM Fact Sheet, and a guide for assessing relationship diversity on demographic forms. The resources created by the Committee on CNM have been reviewed and approved by APA Division 44.
CNM Fact Sheet
This empirically-informed Fact Sheet about consensual non-monogamy includes recommendations for researchers and clinicians on how to be inclusive toward the CNM community. Fact sheets are created by APA Divisions as a way of educating the public on emerging and misunderstood topics. This resource has served as an important beacon in legitimizing multipartner families and relationships within the field of psychology and society.
CNM- Inclusive Medical and Mental Healthcare pamphlet & CNM for Mental Health Professionals Brochure
Given there is no systematic or required training for health professionals on the topic of consensual non-monogamy, the Committee on Consensual Non-Monogamy developed a CNM-Inclusive Medical and Mental Healthcare pamphlet and a CNM for Mental Health Professionals brochure. These resources are intended to be a helpful way to introduce the topic to your healthcare provider. They are also great for medical and mental health professionals who want to learn more about CNM.
Inclusive Practices for Assessing Relationship Diversity on Demographic Forms
It’s common to be asked about your race, sexual orientation, and gender on demographic forms, but that wasn’t always the case. The Committee on CNM is making strides to normalize collecting data about relationship structure so that we can begin to understand the relationship diversity that exists. Our resource addressing Inclusive Practices for Assessing Relationship Diversity on Demographic Forms is a key first step toward acknowledging and protecting the CNM population. We believe you have to understand who someone is to support what they need.
For additional resources on CNM by the Committee on CNM please check out: Resources — APA Division 44 Consensual Non-monogamy Task Force (div44cnm.org)
You can explore the other fact sheets and other resources created by APA Division 44: https://www.apadivisions.org/division-44/resources
Gratitude
The Committee on CNM has received a significant outpouring of support and gratitude from individuals around the world. They have expressed appreciation for the validation and acknowledgement of their relationship structures that the Committee provided. Additionally, many have shared that the existence of the Committee on CNM made it easier for them to discuss an important aspect of their lives with their loved ones, colleagues and friends.
As we look back on our work, we would like to express our deep appreciation for all of the amazing people who have been a part of this journey so far. Together, we have made substantial progress in breaking down the stigma and misconceptions surrounding consensual non-monogamy. We are excited to see what the future holds for the Committee on CNM, and we are forever grateful for the tireless work and dedication that so many have put into these projects. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, and here’s to many more years of progress.
-Heath Schechinger, PhD and Amy Moors, PhD: Founding Co-Chairs of the APA Division 44 Committee on Consensual Non-Monogamy
