Developing through connection: counselling experiences and relational identity of Canadian polyamorous clients

This study explored the counselling experiences and understandings of relationships of polyamorous clients in Canada. Data were collected virtually and in-person from 14 participants (29-73 years), through semi-structured interviews that were approximately 90 minutes long and follow up discussions. Data analysis was informed by interpretive phenomenological analysis, autophenomenology, and thematic analysis. The interviews revealed that for some participants the awareness and acknowledgement of one's identity as polyamorous prompted renavigating the psychosocial stages identified in Erickson's theory. Participants' identities and practices were more nuanced than previous definitions of CNM and polyamory found in the literature. Consistent with previous studies participants reported that counsellor education, bias, pathologization of CNM, curiosity, and self-disclosure impacted their counselling experiences. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for individual, relationship, youth and family counselling, emphasizing the importance of counsellors' recognizing the uniqueness of each client and their relationships.