A Study of Consensual Nonmonogamy Stigma in Healthcare
A Study of Consensual Nonmonogamy Stigma in Healthcare
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Issue Date
2024-12-10
Authors
Cooper, Janelle
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Abstract
Consensual nonmonogamy (CNM) is a relationship type that involves multiple partners, be they sexual, romantic, or intimate, where all those involved are aware of, consent to, and have access to multiple partnerships. Consensual nonmonogamists, those who practice CNM, experience stigma on personal, relational and institutional levels, including in counselling. This review addresses CNM stigma in counselling by exploring how the literature on CNM stigma can inform counsellors' professional practice with consensual nonmonogamist clients. A narrative literature review of 11 qualitative and mixed methods studies was performed, including a methodological critique. Four main themes emerged: stigma: living in a mononormative world, responses from healthcare providers, client strategies to navigate stigma, and suggestions for clinicians. The results of this review indicate that counsellors and therapists perpetuate mononormativity through stigmatizing practices, such as pathologizing CNM. Based on these results, including suggestions from research participants, a framework for counselling CNM clients is presented, entitled CNM-Affirming Clinician Practices.
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Keywords
consensual nonmonogamy , polyamory , swinging , open relationships , stigma , discrimination , counselling , therapy , health care
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States , openAccess