Registration is open for a year-long certification class for counselors and therapists who want to specialize in serving people in polyamorous and other consensually non-monogamous relationships.
Beginning September 1, 2020 and ending August 2021, the class meets live online the first Tuesday of the month from 12:30 to 2 pm Central time (1:30 – 3 pm Eastern, 11:30 – 1:30 Mountain, 10:30 – noon Pacific) for a lecture, discussion, and case consultation with me, Dr. Eli Sheff.
Students can access recorded guest lectures at their own pace, with speakers David Ley, Meg-John Barker, Kitty Chambliss, Zelakia Clarke, Betsy Duke, Bethany Stevens, Ariel Gaines, John Button, Diana Adams, Ruby Bouie Johnson, Kathy Labriola, Amy Moors, and Heath Schechinger who provide lectures on the cutting edge of serving CNM clients.
Each month students will read a range of useful writings – mostly blogs and academic articles — to understand different aspects of polyamorous relationships, and then discuss these readings with their peers in online discussion groups. Students also select a book to read over the year and briefly review it for their classmates in an online post at the end of the course.
Students also get access to exclusive content from a video interview series with Dr. Eli Sheff interviewing researchers, activists, and organizers about a wide range of topics relevant to CNM therapy. Interviews include Daniel Copulsky, Cindy Trawinski, Danielle Colson, Tikva Wolfe, Apryl Alexander, Ken Haslam, Chrissy Holman, Elaine Sheff, Daniel Cardoso, Tamara Pincus, Sharon Flicker, Lexi Sylver, and Jim Fleckenstein.
Brief Syllabus for Year Long Course on Polyamory & CNM
Dr. Eli Sheff & Sexual Health Alliance
***Please note this syllabus is subject to change.***
September 1, 2020
Dr. Eli: Introduction to Polyamory & CNM
Webinar: David Ley, Confronting the Monogamy Bias in Couples Therapy
Interview: Jim Fleckenstein, History of poly activism and findings of elders study
Readings: What is polyamory, how is it different from other forms of CNM, who has poly relationships and why
October 6, 2020
Dr. Eli: Starting Out
Webinar: Meg John Barker, Gender NonConforming Folks in CNM Relationships
Interview: Lexi Sylver on Dating for CNM
Readings: How to structure CNM relationships, Poly community lingo, CNM communities
November 2, 2020
Dr. Eli: Hot & Heavy
Webinar: Kitty Chambliss, Jealousy
Interview: Sharon Flicker, Compersion
Readings: Living arrangements, safer sex agreements, emotions
December 1, 2020
Dr. Eli: Daily Life
Webinar: Zelakia Clarke, Osunality and Melanated Non-Monogamies
Interview: Tamara Pincus on Coming out as Polyamorous
Readings: paid and house work, metamours, commitment
January 5, 2021
Dr. Eli: Relationship Challenges
Webinar: Betsy Duke, Ethics and Treating Problematic Sexual Behavior in CNM
Interview: Daniel Cardoso, Polyamory in media and Europe
Readings: polyphobia, managing conflict, consent violations, power inequality
February 2, 2021
Dr. Eli: Polyamorous Families
Webinar: Bethany Stevens, Disability and CNM relationships
Interview: Herbs for the Healthy Poly Family with Elaine Sheff
Readings: family formation, polyaffective relationships, coming out
March 2, 2021
Dr. Eli: It takes a (Polyaffective) Village
Webinar: Ariel Gaines, Depth Therapy Interventions in CNM
Interview: Chrissy Holman, COVID-19 Townhall
Readings: pregnancy, parenting, kids in poly families
April 6, 2021
Dr. Eli: Aging in Polyamorous Families
Webinar: John Button on Non-Conventional Relationship Choices for the Over-Sixties
Interview: Ken Haslam on aging in the polyamorous community
Readings: aging, disability, money, families
May 4, 2021
Dr. Eli: Love Makes a Family and a Culturally Competent Practitioner
Webinar: Ruby Bouie Johnson on Social Justice & Cultural Competence
Interview: Apryl Alexander, Inclusive Education Initiative
Readings: families of origin, intersectionality
June 1, 2021
Dr. Eli: Interacting with Institutions
Webinar: Diana Adams, Legal Issues Facing Polyamorous Folks and How to Handle Them
Interview: Tikva Wolfe, comic drawing for healing in CNM relationships
Readings: legal issues facing polyamorists, schools, medicine, discrimination
July 6, 2021
Dr. Eli: This is the End
Webinar: Kathy Labriola, Breaking Up in CNM Relationships
Interview: Cindy Trawinski & Danielle Colson, Greenhouse program
Readings: breaking up, death and dying, grief
August 3, 2021
Dr. Eli: Resilience andLessons Learned
Webinar: Division 44 Cutting Edge of CNM Therapy
Interview: Daniel Copulsky, Asexuality and polyamory
Readings: resilience, best practices