Polyamory is an identity that describes the ability to experience romantic love with more than one romantic partner at a time. Polyamory is often perceived as being perverse, amoral, and relationally broken or deficient; however, people who identify as polyamorous are found to be as mentally healthy and happy as people who are monogamous. Clients who identify as polyamorous may experience their counselor as lacking familiarity with and knowledge of polyamory or as actively working against their identity. This study was a phenomenological inquiry designed to illuminate the counseling experiences of polyamorous people. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with eight participants and analyzed with a modified van Kaam method with relational-cultural theory as the framework. The three major findings that constitute the essence of this inquiry were: (a) participants experienced disappointment and disrespect in the counselor's ignorance of their vital identities, (b) the necessities of trust and connection between participant and counselor for empowerment and growth, and (c) the complementary nature of relationality in polyamory and counseling. These findings indicated counselors should seek a baseline of education on polyamory. The implications for counselor educators were to strive to envelope counselors-in-training in a culture that supports developing multicultural competency and to create continuing education on marginalized populations to best support in-practice counselors. These efforts increase the likelihood that polyamorists are able to receive effective counseling that supports them holistically.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc1944343 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Stevens, Carly Rachel |
| Contributors | Lindo, Natalya A., Schulz, Lisa, Li, Dan |
| Publisher | University of North Texas |
| Source Sets | University of North Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | Text |
| Rights | Public, Stevens, Carly Rachel, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved. |
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