Presentations
Get a sneak peek at the insightful and engaging presentations we have in store! This page provides an overview of each session, including the title, a summary of what you’ll learn, and information about the presenter.
Relationship hacks for non-mono folk
Non-monogamous relationships are nothing if not complex. Great connections require clear communication, healthy emotional boundaries, and strong conflict-resolution skills. We’ll look at some tools to take your game to the next level!
Maureen Campion
Copper Alchemy — staying grounded in change while changing up your relationships and relationship structures
Transitioning to non-monogamy can be both exhilarating and destabilizing. Drawing from my personal journey of transformation and the Copper Alchemy framework, let’s explore how to build change agility (ability to embrace uncertainty and navigate transitions) with self-awareness, communication, and emotional resilience. Discover how to balance growth with stability and turn change into an opportunity for deeper authenticity.
Jess Human
Assessing self and relationships for codependency and interdependency
Examine the differences between codependency and interdependency—what they are, how to recognize them in yourself and your relationships, and their impact on non-monogamy. We’ll discuss common challenges in transitioning from monogamy to non-monogamy and strategies for fostering healthy, autonomous, and balanced connections.
Stacy
Non-monogamy and disability
Explore how disability impacts non-monogamous relationships, from dating dynamics to long-term planning. Through open discussion, we’ll examine accessibility, communication, and support systems, addressing the unique challenges and opportunities of navigating multiple relationships while managing disability-related needs. Join us for a thoughtful, open, insightful, and engaging conversation.
Loucresie
Poetry of love and desire
Travel through time and dive deep into themes of love and lust through reading and discussing three poems about non-monogamy. John Donne’s The Indifferent (1630s), an excerpt from Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Epipsychidion (1820s), and Marge Piercy’s To Have Without Holding (1980s). Learn how poetry and literature can be incorporated into practicing self-reflection and deepening our understanding of our authentic selves within non-monogamy.
Sarah Stein, PhD
Just what is non-monogamy? And what is it doing in a nice field like education?
Join us for an interactive session where non-monogamous educators explore how non-monogamous principles enhance teaching practices. We’ll share experiences, discuss communication strategies, and create a supportive community focused on nurturing student-centered learning. Engage in art-making and group discussions to connect and reflect on our unique relational dynamics as educators.
Dr. Jae Seel
Negotiations — the art of creating and sustaining non-monogamous relationships
Join us for an insightful session on negotiating relationship terms in non-monogamous contexts. We’ll explore key concepts like boundaries, agreements, and various relational styles. Participants will gain tools for effective communication and negotiation, enhancing their understanding of personal relational preferences and fostering healthier connections with others.
Emily Ramstad
Solo Polyamory — embracing autonomy while cultivating deep connections
Discover the transformative power of Solo Polyamory in this engaging session. Learn to prioritize your individuality while fostering deep, meaningful connections. Through practical strategies and personal insights, explore themes of communication, trust, and authenticity, empowering you to create fulfilling relationships that celebrate both autonomy and love.
Liza Lomax
YOUR relationship mission statement — an interactive workshop
Highly successful interactive session will help you create your personal “relationship mission statement” for clearer navigation in all types of relationships — romantic, platonic, sexual, and more! Engage in individual and group activities to guide you in tailoring your mission statement to be as specific or broad as you wish, focusing on relationships and meaningful connections as a whole or a particular type.
Melissa Arbuckle
Black, Queer, non-monogamous, and rooted in faith
What does it mean to love expansively, to hold Faith without erasure, to rest and joy as an act of care and defiance? For the first time, I’m sharing my story — our connected story. This is a space to witness, reflect, and explore your own. Together, we will explore love, belonging, and spiritual grounding — whole and unfragmented. Guided by a Womanist ethic of care, this gathering invites us to reclaim our Knowing, joy, rest, and radical self-acceptance.
Dr. LaDonna Butler
Boundaries 102
Builds on the foundation by delving deeper into the practical aspects of setting and maintaining healthy boundaries. This session emphasizes personal growth, allowing participants to evaluate their own relationship with boundaries and learn to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy boundaries. Role-play and interactive discussions will enable attendees to practice these skills in real-time, fostering stronger and healthier connections in their relationships.
Jenn Scott
Boundaries 101
Offers a foundational understanding of boundaries. Participants will learn about different boundary styles and types and the barriers that can hinder effective boundary setting. The focus on self-reflection and interactive discussions will help attendees identify their own boundary needs and how these influence their relationships. Valuable for anyone looking to enhance their interpersonal skills and deepen their understanding of relationship dynamics.
Jenn Scott
Nonviolent Communication (NVC) in non-monogamy — love and communication in abundance
This is a snapshot of the book that the MNPoly Book Club is currently reading, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life (3rd Edition). Attendees will learn the techniques used in Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and discover how they can enhance their interactions with partners, friends, and family. The session will also explore how to apply these techniques to personal conflict scenarios.
Kat Brunner
You’re not that good at sex (but don’t worry, no one is) — discovering playful ways to communicate your needs in the bedroom
Effective communication techniques are essential when discussing generally taboo topics, such as sexual health, trauma, and individual sexual needs. This session will incorporate interactive elements, including games and workshops. Participants will have the opportunity to role-play various scenarios, fostering a safe environment for open dialogue and understanding between partners.
Kat Brunner
Non-monogamy romance narratives in film and TV
An overview of the history of polyamory and non-monogamy within romantic contexts, as represented in cinema and television. Join us for facilitated discussions about how non-monogamous individuals perceive their representation in the media. These discussions will cover both existing tropes and truths in contemporary portrayals, as well as explore potential narratives that have yet to be told.
John Heimbuch
Neurodiversity in non-monogamy — supporting neurodivergent partners and dating authentically
“For neurodivergent individuals and those with neurodivergent partners. Gain insights into authentic dating, supportive partnerships, and building lasting relationships across neurotypes. Topics include accessibility needs, effective communication, the double empathy problem, dating strategies, and recognizing unintended ableism. Join us to share, learn, and connect in a welcoming, judgment-free space! “
Jillian Nelson
Who are you? Let’s do the math
Using insights from Complex Systems Theory, brain science, relational feminism, and various philosophers, this session challenges the idea of a “True Self” as an illusion. Instead of relying on narrative identity, we’ll explore how actions shape who we are in relationships and how aligning behavior with values fosters authentic growth.
Lauren
Patrick Stein
Healing attachment wounds through intentional relationships
Being intentional in relationships allows us to work through wounds from our upbringing, society and previous relationships. We’ll talk about how to work towards “earned secure attachment” through self-awareness, creating secure relationship bases, and doing the emotional work to grow and support partners. Issues of insecurity, boundaries, jealousy, conflict, and de-escalation will be addressed.
Maureen Campion
Authenticity, outness, and safety in non-monogamy
Being out in non-monogamy involves balancing authenticity, visibility, and safety. This session explores the factors shaping outness through an intersectional lens and invites participants into a respectful, interactive discussion on the challenges, insights, and joys of these decisions. Join us for a meaningful and engaging conversation.
Jennifer Luciani
Coming out to parents, grandparents, and extended family
What is it like being non-monogamous and coming out to family? What happens when these people voice concerns about your non-monogamous identity and how it is going to impact your children or other people’s children? This panel will provide a brief overview of social and relational elements to consider.
MC — Jai
Patrick
Kevin S
Shannon
Spencer
Non-monogamy parenting/authenticity
What considerations are needed for non-monogamous parents who want to authentically express their identity to their children, parents, family friends, and other community members? Join us as our panel answers questions regarding parenting choices, dilemmas, and desires for authenticity.
MC — Spencer
Jenn Scott
Jen Dahl
Jai
Jennifer Luciani
Expressing and sharing authentic self through collage, a guided experiential
~Activity~
Engage in symbolism and creative expression to nurture the aspects of yourself that need love. Participants can connect with their inner truth through collage, journaling, and the option to share their thoughts. Additionally, somatic awareness techniques will be incorporated to enhance the mind-body connection during the creative process.
Heather Carabajal
Negotiating relational roles within BDSM and kink
Explore the intricacies of negotiations in kink and BDSM dynamics, covering key terms and emphasizing the importance of communication around roles and consent. This session will address the normalization of diverse kinks and fetishes, highlighting negotiation strategies applicable in both sexual and non-sexual contexts for healthier interactions.
Emily Ramstad
Building non-monogamous communities through engagement and mutual aid
Join us for an interactive session focused on building meaningful connections and fostering civic engagement. Discover practical strategies for grassroots organizing, advocacy, and mutual aid. Gain insights that will empower you! Together, we’ll explore ways to validate community voices, engage with public officials, and take actionable steps toward creating lasting, positive change in our communities. Let’s build resilience together!
Wanda
Jillian Nelson
MNPoly networking mingle
~Activity~
Using an app developed by MNPoly member Patrick Stein, spark meaningful connections with a diverse range of individuals. Discover people with unique traits and engage in thought-provoking conversations. Perfect opportunity to expand your network and celebrate the richness of our community. Come prepared to explore new perspectives and build lasting relationships!
Wanda
Spencer
Support space
~Activity~
Bring your non-monogamy life questions to Marie LePage, an experienced non-monogamy life coach. Get direct answers to the questions you’ve been contemplating, drawing from Marie’s expertise and your peers. Support your peers and gain insights from them!
Marie LePage
Fluent in self — embodying C/ENM beyond the script — from expressing your truth to receiving your partner’s truth without absorbing it
~Activity~
You’ve learned the consensual/ethical practices of non-monogamy, but if you’re overriding your real feelings to “do it right,” you’re missing the core of intimacy. This activity shifts the focus from managing emotions to inhabiting them, teaching you how to express your truth without performing and listening without absorbing. Through guided exercises, you’ll explore how to engage in C/ENM with presence, authenticity, and deeper connection.
Marie LePage
Non-monogamy in the media
Increased visibility of non-monogamy in media promotes normalization and encourages open-minded discussions. Let’s analyze the themes of non-monogamy in movies, television, books, video games, and more, revealing how representation has evolved over time.
Tyler
A reframing of hierarchies in non-monogamy
This session is inspired by a published article written by the Presenter. Many discussions about hierarchy in non-monogamy tend to be overly rigid or judgmental, reinforcing existing dualities and moral perspectives (often referred to as polynormativity). Instead, focus on reframing your relationships in terms of priorities, intentions, agreements, capacity, and more. Engage in more nuanced and meaningful conversations about the ways in which your relationships affect each other.
Peter VanKoughnett
JustBE Black, Queer, and non-monogamous — taking up space in love & liberation
What does it mean to just BE — Black, Queer, and non-monogamous without shrinking or justifying our existence? This panel explores navigating non-monogamous spaces while authentically reclaiming love, intimacy, and community. This space centers Black, Queer, non-monogamous individuals and allies, especially those who have felt invisible in non-mono spaces. Join us for truth, healing, and authentic connection.
MC — Dr. LaDonna Butler, Loucresie, Evita “Lavitaloca” Sawyers, Ray Grant, Justin Grays
Unmasked — power, identity, and authenticity in non-monogamy
This is a call to action — a fireside chat and healing space to unmask, take up space, and reimagine non-monogamy through the lens of equity, freedom, and authenticity. We will explore how race, gender, culture, privilege, and power dynamics shape our relationships and influence how we show up. After the discussion, join a healing space with opportunities for journaling, movement, letter writing, and sensory experiences — designed to deepen self-awareness and reclaim power in love and connection.
Dr. LaDonna Butler & Loucresie
JustBE me — a healing space for rest, reflection, rooting, and radical love
~ Activity ~
OPEN 2:00PM – 6:30PM
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” – Audre Lorde
This is not a traditional activity — it’s a sanctuary, a dedicated healing space, an experience, an invitation to return to oneself — a space to exhale, feel, process, and reclaim the KNOWING that already lives within us. Engagement will be woven into every part of the room, allowing attendees to reflect, move, create, and connect in natural and affirming ways. This session is open to anyone exploring or practicing non-monogamy who wants to reflect deeply on love, identity, and healing. While the space centers Black, Queer, and non-monogamous individuals, it welcomes anyone committed to creating more intentional, self-affirming, and healing-centered relationships.
Dr. LaDonna Butler
Sex ed — off the rails or off the escalator?
Are dental dams ruining it for you? Have a hard (or not so hard…) time using condoms? Ever thought about putting a little Doxy-PEP in your step? Are you PREP-ared for relationships with multiple people? Non-monogamy is about a lot more than sex… and sometimes… it’s also about sex! So, let’s talk about what engaging pleasure-centered sexual health has the potential to do for you!
Quay Catalpa
Acting as if — self-love in abundance
~Activity~
We often view love primarily in the context of our relationships, but we tend to overlook the fact that our love for ourselves is the strongest connection we have. Attendees will be guided on a journey of self-discovery as they journal, map out their highest selves to create a “”character,”” engage in visualization and meditation exercises to envision their ideal selves, and participate in acting exercises to help integrate and embody this work.
Kat Brunner
Non-monogamy 101 — exploring open relationships
Curious about ethical/consensual non-monogamy, polyamory, and open relationships? Join a diverse panel of relationship coaches, therapists, and experienced community members who will share insights on communication, boundaries, and navigating different dynamics. This session offers practical tools, real-world experiences, and a judgment-free space for questions and connection, making it perfect for both newcomers and those exploring further.
MC — Marie LePage, Jess Human, Rosy Posey, Kevin Wojahn