A groundbreaking roadmap for navigating relationships that exist beyond societal conventions—essential reading and inclusive guidance for readers who are poly, nonmonogamous, kinky, or childfree-by-choiceThis book is for those who walk uncharted relational terrain: polyamorous, kink-oriented, child-free, or fluid-identity partnerships, as well as conscious traditional couples seeking choice over default.
Drawing on her expertise as a licensed psychologist and her own personal journey—including divorces and evolving identities—clinical psychologist Dr. Beth Gadomski presents relational integrity as the ultimate compass for love, intimacy, and partnership. She shows you how to come into aligment with what that means to
you, and how to build more honest and fulfilling relationships that change and evolve as you do.
Unlike conventional guides that measure success by longevity,
Consenting Adults redefines success as integrity and alignment—radical honesty with yourself and your partners. It provides practical tools for adult-to-adult communication, emotional consent, and relationship hygiene while honoring the fluidity of identity and desires.
Through case studies, practices, and an evidence-based approach, you'll learn:
- How to cultivate resilient, conscious connections
- What "identity molting" is, and why it's critical to understand
- A framework for integrity over societal norms and longevity
- Strategies for navigating identity changes, relational evolution, and the end of a relationship
- How to recognize unhealthy relational patterns and repair fragile ones
Dr. Gadomski also shares real-life stories that center polyamory, kink, and elective monogamy—and shows how to nurture better communication, self-knowledge, and agency within all relationship structures.
A practical, real-life field guide to building better, fulfilling, and true-to-you relationships beyond monogamy, compulsory heterosexuality, and vanilla sex
Unlike conventional relationship self-help that measures “success” by longevity and outdated assumptions, this book helps us embody radical honesty with ourselves (and our partners) to build the kinds of relationships that feel authentic to us.
Drawing on her expertise as a licensed clinical psychologist—and her own experiences of divorce, relationships, and identity evolution—Dr. Beth Gadomski invites readers to develop relational integrity: the internal compass that reminds us to act from our authentic values as we build the relationships we want.
Partnerships built on relational integrity acknowledge a fundamental truth: each of us is evolving, all the time. And for our relationships to be fulfilling, sustainable, and aligned with our truest selves, they need to evolve with us. Dr. Gadomski shares practical tools for:
- Understanding how our "attachment style” may not be the actual issue
- Recognizing unhealthy relational patterns
- Navigating jealousy, insecurity, and other tension points
- Building capacity and aligning toward relational integrity
- Honoring the fluidity of our identities and desires
- Ending (and adapting) relationships with honesty and mutual respect
- Doing repair right
- Navigating non-monogamy and other relationship models outside the mainstream
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, platonic, CNM, kinky, child-free, long distance, or fluid-identity partnerships, as well as any conscious couple guided by intentional, values-aligned choices in their relationships.
