The A-to-Z Guide to Open Relationship Terminology

Opening things up is more complicated than hot sex with lots of partners. It’s also going to involve some intense conversations, and having the right words can be a big help. By Sophie Saint Thomas Open relationships are becoming incredibly mainstream—more and more people are recognizing that monogamy only works for some people, and there’s …

25 Best Couples Therapy Techniques, Exercises, and Activities to Try in 2021

by Jillian Goltzman Online resources and telehealth has made couples therapy more accessible than ever. If you’re looking to engage in self-improvement and enhance your relationship, there’s a multitude of techniques and exercises at your fingertips. Couples therapy techniques Reflective listening “Reflective listening is a highly beneficial exercise where the couple take turns being active …

Aftercare Conversations Might Be the BDSM Practice You Need to Try

It’s a game changer (even if you’re vanilla). By Patia Braithwaite If you’re familiar with BDSM, you probably know that communication is a major through line. There’s a reason for this. As SELF previously reported, BDSM, which stands for bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism, is a term that describes a wide swath of sexual behaviors that …

10 Tips For Exploring Your Sexuality While You’re in a Monogamous Relationship

By Gabrielle Kassel I’m bisexual and very outspoken about it on social media. As such, a lot of bicurious and bisexual folks slide into my DMs to ask for advice. The most common question I receive? “I think I might be bi…but I’m in a monogamous relationship. What should I do?” The implication being that …

The Importance of Gender-Affirming Care for Closing the Gap on LGBTQ+ Health Disparities

By Elly Belle In doctor’s offices across America, medical professionals often provide care based on the assumption that patients are cisgender and heterosexual. But LGBTQ+ patients—especially those who are trans, gender non-conforming, or nonbinary deserve better, and experts say improvements will only come when LGBTQ+ and gender-affirming health care becomes commonplace. This type of care—which …