ABSTRACT
A consensually nonmonogamous arrangement can evoke many strong feelings, from those who swear by it as the only way to long-term happiness within a committed relationship to those who could not even imagine considering this crazy stuff. Consensual nonmonogamy comes in lots of flavors. It can be primarily about sex or the emotional relationship or both. A three-way, where a couple has sex together with another person, is maybe one of the simpler versions. The idea with open relationships is that it allows both partners to be happier and get their needs met better, without having to sneak around to do it. Sometimes the goal is to reduce resentment when one partner wants to keep the relationship, but also wants to get some different needs met elsewhere. Most people have sexual and romantic fantasies that involve people other than their partner. Longstanding sexual or relationship problems should be resolved before one complicate thing.
