Consenting Adults

A practical, real-life roadmap to building better, more aligned, and more fulfilling relationships that exist beyond the borders of monogamy, comphet, and vanilla sex

A groundbreaking guide for poly, nonmonogamous, kinky, and childfree-by-choice relationships

Drawing on her expertise as a licensed clinical psychologist and her own deeply personal journey, Dr. Beth Gadomski offers a new paradigm for building the kinds of relationships we want: one that acknowledges the truth that we’re all evolving, all the time—and for our relationships to be fulfilling, sustainable, and aligned with our truest selves, they need to evolve with us, too.

Unlike conventional self-help relationship guides that measure “success” by longevity, Consenting Adults guides us toward radical honesty with themselves and their partners to solidify what’s most important to us. Dr. Gadomski shares practical tools for:

• Understanding why our “attachment style” may not be our issue
  
• Recognizing unhealthy relational patterns and aligning toward relational integrity
  
• Honoring the fluidity of our identities and desires
  
• Practical emotional tools like emotional consent, the “Four H’s,” and relational stress management
  
• How to do repair right
  
• Ending relationships with honesty and mutual respect
  

Through interwoven narratives, Gadomski shows us the real-life consequences of disrupted relational integrity; explores the process of identity molting; and teaches us how to cultivate resilient, conscious connections. This book is particularly useful to readers in unconventional relationships: poly, ENM, kinky, child-free, or fluid-identity partnerships, as well as consciously “traditional” couples guided by intentional, values-aligned choices in their relationships.