154 Research-Backed Therapy for Non-Monogamous People with Dr. River Farrell

This one’s for you, fellow relationship nerds! Listen in on this
fabulous conversation with Dr. River Farrell, a clinical
psychologist, independent non-monogamy researcher, and member of
the polyamory and queer communities. They’re joining us to talk
about research, therapy, jealousy, and how we can actually apply
findings from the research to improve mental health care for
people in the non-monogamy community.


Dr. Farrell uncovers the reasons why traditional therapy
modalities might not be working for you, and we discuss why
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy could be the paradigm-shifting
tool you need to be able to address jealousy without judgment.


This one is a must-listen for anyone interested in what the
research has to say about non-monogamy, and for therapists and
therapy-goers who want to learn more about how to improve the
therapeutic process for non-monogamous clients.


In this episode, we discuss:


— Dr. Farrell's research on non-monogamous relationships


— Compersion and its impact on relationship satisfaction


— The evolutionary roots of jealousy and stigma


— Compassionate strategies for managing jealousy


— Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and its applications to
non-monogamous relationships


— The importance of therapists’ cultural competency and
mindfulness


— The state of independent research and the challenges Dr.
Farrell has faced


— Bridging the gap between non-monogamy research and mental
health practices


Resources mentioned in this episode:


— Dr. Farrell’s research on The Michigan School of Psychology
website


— Acceptance and Commitment Therapy training manual for
clinicians


— ACT Made Simple: An Easy-To-Read Primer on Acceptance and
Commitment Therapy by Russ Harris


Dr. River Farrell is a non-binary, queer, polyamorous, clinical
psychologist who has been working in the field for over 15 years.
They have specialized in working with gender and sexual minority
clients utilizing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Currently
they are conducting research on using ACT with CNM clients.


Follow River on Instagram or TikTok


Are you ready to open your relationship happily? Find out at⁠⁠
⁠www.JoliQuiz.com⁠


Get the answers you want to create the open relationship of your
dreams! Sign up for an Ask Me Anything here


Read the transcript of this episode here


Music: Dance of Felt by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions