What can you do if one person wants an exclusive relationship, and another wants multiple partners? (Can monogamous and polyamorous people really date each other?) Or all want multiple partners, but with different kinds of connections? Or maybe both people want an exclusive relationship, but have different expectations of what that means? Dr. Eli has spent more than a decade helping others in these situations with her relationship coaching practice, and has faced mixed-dynamics in her own relationships, too.

Combining practical experience with information from relationship satisfaction research and her own longitudinal research on polyamorous relationships, Dr. Eli first explains the many ways that people can organize their relationships. Next she helps participants consider their relationships with themselves and their partners to identify their comfort zones, wiggle room, and no-go zones. Finally, participants consider how much overlap they have between their mutual comfort zones and wiggle room, and how to create the best fit possible for everyone.

With more than 30 years researching consensual nonmonogamies, Dr. Eli Sheff is the foremost academic expert on polyamorous families with children. Dr. Eli has a PhD in sociology and is a Certified Sexuality Educator who has written four books and 30+ academic articles on nonmonogamies and BDSM/kinky sex. She serves as a relationship coach, educator, and expert witness. Nonmonogamy is certainly not for everyone, and Dr. Eli can help people understand how it can work and why, and when it is a bad idea. She has appeared on hundreds of podcasts, television shows, and media interviews with outlets from NPR, National Geographic, and the New York Times to Cosmopolitan and Savage Love. Dr. Eli blogs for Psychology Today and always wants to make friends with dogs.

This class will be held LIVE online via Zoom — Zoom links are sent out 3 days prior and then again 1 hour prior to class. If you sign up within 3 days, please be patient in waiting for the final reminder email, which will be sent out 1 hour prior to the class.

The class will be recorded and available for a limited time shortly following the class. Registration deadline: 1 hour prior to class Pacific time. No day-of cancellations.

We're offering a limited number of free class spots to folks with financial need; please fill out this form if you are interested. Recipients will be chosen based on need and will be contacted at least 3 days prior to class to confirm. 

Due to our commitment to paying educators fairly, all classes are excluded from sales and discounts.

Note: when signing up for classes online, please choose the "Class sign-up" free shipping option on the Shipping Method page at check-out.