Ep 429 - James

Ep 429 - James

Author: Emma and Fin January 28, 2026 Duration: 1:15:39
James has been exploring non-monogamous relationships for over 17 years and has been a proud member of the kink scene for over 11. His journey has taken him around the world through many twists and turns, including a don't ask don't tell-type dynamic at the beginning, to exploring swinging and sex parties, non-hierarchical polyamory, and recently discovering his demisexuality. We dig into it all today in this wonderful interview! One of the things we absolutely love about this conversation with James is how transparent and vulnerable he is about everything he’s learned over the last 17 years, including how he hasn’t always done things in the most ethical way. But, like most of us, he’s always trying to learn and grow along the way. James is all about community and creating space for people to explore and discover their most authentic selves. He's the co-founder of the Festival Of Alternative Relationships (F.A.R.) and co-runs The Open Circle, Australia's largest community of people exploring ethical non-monogamy (ENM). He has lived experience in almost every form of ENM dynamic and has run workshops in ENM and Lifestyle Kink (D/s) in both London and Sydney. He also studied sex and relationship coaching at The Somatica Institute based in San Francisco. You can learn more about James and his work on his website. Check out the full show notes here. Join us at Relationship Recess in May 2026! Join the most amazing community of open-minded humans on the planet!   Click here to order your very own NNM shirt! $10 Off - Online STI Testing

Emma and Fin have spent more than fifteen years navigating the landscape of non-monogamy together, and their conversations extend far beyond their own marriage. In their Normalizing Non-Monogamy-Personal Stories of Polyamory, Swinging, and Beyond podcast, they create a space for the kinds of honest, nuanced discussions that often happen only behind closed doors. Each episode is built around a conversation with someone from across the vast spectrums of gender, sexuality, and relationship structure. While you’ll hear from many people who identify as polyamorous or within the swinging community, a significant number of their guests share stories that defy easy categorization-they’ve crafted unique, personal dynamics that work specifically for them. The result is a collection of genuine narratives that highlight the practical realities, emotional complexities, and profound joys found in these varied ways of loving and connecting. By focusing on individual experiences rather than abstract theory, this podcast moves the topic from the realm of taboo into everyday life. Listening feels like sitting in on a thoughtful, compassionate, and sometimes surprisingly ordinary chat between people who are simply figuring out what brings them fulfillment. Emma and Fin’s long-term perspective as a couple provides a steady, relatable foundation for these explorations, making the entire series feel grounded and accessible whether you’re deeply familiar with these concepts or just curiously learning.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Normalizing Non-Monogamy -  Personal Stories of Polyamory, Swinging, and Beyond
Podcast Episodes
Ep 421 - Elaine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:53
When Elaine first started dating she fell in love with multiple people pretty much right away and felt so much shame about it that it drove her to end the relationship she was in. She tried serial monogamy for a while an…
Ep 420 - Jacob + Josh [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:06
Jacob and Josh are both from Puerto Rico and met about 17 years ago while working together on a film project and began dating… Sort of. As you’ll hear, they’ve spent a lot of their relationship exploring the grey zones o…
Ep 419 - Nicole (Modern Anarchy) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:30
Nicole was raised inside conservative and fundamentalist Christianity and can remember feeling her first inklings of her own queerness in elementary school but knew she had to shut it down and hide it. The fear and shame…
Ep 418 - Matt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:09
Matt was first introduced to non-monogamy about 15 years ago when he moved to the San Francisco area and saw how his friends were exploring open relationships and polyamory… He’d sort of naturally been loving everybody i…
Ep 417 - Ashton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:26
Ashton grew up in a super conservative and religious home, didn't date in high school, and had her first kiss when she was 18... But that was then. Things are a bit different now! Ashton is now in her forties and has bee…
Big Event Announcement! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:10
Join us May 1-3, 2026 in Florida for our biggest in-person event ever! Check out the Relationship Recess webpage and get your ticket here! Check out the launch video here!
Ep 416 - Rachel: Round 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:11
It’s been about two years since we last talked with Rachel on Episode 307 and a LOT has changed… As always, no need to go back and listen to get a ton out of this conversation! Rachel has been non-monogamous for about 15…
Ep 415 - Ryan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:57
Ryan first started experiencing a cognitive dissonance with regards to relationships pretty much from the beginning of dating in high school. In many ways, relationships just didn’t make sense to him in his twenties so h…
Ep 414 - Eileen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:32
"It's funny... I was monogamous for nine years with a man and now I'm a lesbian and I'm polyamorous... So, life can really take you by surprise." There really isn't a better synopsis than that of what our conversation to…