Permission To Desire: Relationships, Sex, Love, and Liberation

If you'd like to watch along with the video and slides, you can see the video replay at https://thisisbgm.com/workshop/replay/

Grab a time for a free next steps call to get a custom plan on what to focus on in your relationship & learn about coaching support options. Apply here.

Relationshift waitlist: https://thisisbgm.com/group/

Connect with Brian on Instagram: @ThisIsBGM (Feel free to DM with any questions you have!)

As someone who talks about non-monogamy every week on this show, Brian has something to say in this episode that might surprise you: sometimes opening your relationship is a terrible idea. Or at least it won't do what you're hoping it will do.

In this episode, Brian breaks down the four reasons people sometimes have for opening up that are actually red flags — and what to do instead if you recognize yourself in one of them.

Opening up isn't a magic fix for any of these situations but the skills that make non-monogamy work are the same skills that make any relationship work whether yours is open, closed, or somewhere in between. So whether you see yourself in one of these 4 reasons or not, you'll learn important lessons about what it takes to build and sustain thriving relationships.

Grab a time for a free next steps call to get a custom plan on what to focus on in your relationship & learn about coaching support options. Apply here.

Relationshift waitlist: https://thisisbgm.com/group/

Connect with Brian on Instagram: @ThisIsBGM (Feel free to DM with any questions you have!)

I hear the words "fair" and "even" tossed around constantly when it comes to relationships — open, poly, or monogamous. But here's my main thesis: fair and even are not the same thing.

In this episode, I break down all the sneaky ways I see clients and friends try to enforce "evenness" in their relationships, from matching hookup frequency, to keeping outside connections the same "type," splitting family time down the middle, and even trying to have the exact same hobbies. I'll share why chasing sameness reduces your relationship to a math equation you can't actually even solve, and the 3 areas to focus on instead.

If you're keeping score in your relationship and still feel uncomfortable no matter how "even" you make it, this one's for you.

Grab a time for a free next steps call to get a custom plan on what to focus on in your relationship & learn about coaching support options. Apply here.

Relationshift waitlist: https://thisisbgm.com/group/

Connect with Brian on Instagram: @ThisIsBGM (Feel free to DM with any questions you have!)

In this episode, Brian shares his extensive 15-year experience in an open relationships, looking especially at how non-monogamy has enriched his life and partnership. Whether you're curious about opening up your relationship, looking for positive examples of non-monogamy, or seeking advice on how to "do" an open relationship well, you'll learn from Brian's personal story and professional insights.

Key Topics

• Brian’s personal story of a long-term open relationship and polyamory
• Motivations behind opening up a relationship
• The philosophical and ethical principles that underpin non-monogamous relationships
• Common challenges faced, such as navigating feelings of jealousy, setting boundaries, and dealing with societal judgments
• How non-monogamy fosters growth, deeper connection, and expanded definitions of family
• The impact of opening up on jealousy, anxiety, and insecurity
• The importance of intentional relationship building and ongoing honest conversations

Grab a time for a free next steps call to get a custom plan on what to focus on in your relationship & learn about coaching support options. Apply here.

Relationshift waitlist: https://thisisbgm.com/group/

Connect with Brian on Instagram: @ThisIsBGM (Feel free to DM with any questions you have!)

If one of you wanted an open relationship and the other was hesitant so you compromised by being partway open—some things are allowed, some aren’t and it’s not quite as open as one of you would like while being frustrating or scary for the other… I got you.

In this episode, we’ll look at the (very understandable) reasons couples open up partway as well as the SPECIFIC challenges that come along with that arrangement and what to do about them (it’s different challenges than a more fully open one).

Partway open, open-ish, monogam-ish, monogamous with some exceptions, an occasional hall pass… whatever you call it, we’re diving into it.

Grab a time for a free next steps call to get a custom plan on what to focus on in your relationship & learn about coaching support options. Apply here.

Relationshift waitlist: https://thisisbgm.com/group/

Connect with Brian on Instagram: @ThisIsBGM (Feel free to DM with any questions you have!)

We’re facing some common open relationship/polyamory fears head-on: what if he finds someone “better?” What if it’s all fun now, but our open relationship becomes a problem later?

We’ll confront worries about commitment, jealousy, and whether opening a relationship could get in the way of a deeper future together.

You’ll learn the unexpected REAL issue that most often comes up. As well as some key ways open relationships can actually deepen your relationship.

Grab a time for a free next steps call to get a custom plan on what to focus on in your relationship & learn about coaching support options. Apply here.

Relationshift waitlist: https://thisisbgm.com/group/

Connect with Brian on Instagram: @ThisIsBGM (Feel free to DM with any questions you have!)

Here’s a dynamic I see all too often: wanting an open relationship but not being sure how to do it well, maybe worried it’ll mess up your relationship. Or in an open relationship but tolerating and not thrilled about it.

What if the open part of your open relationship could actually be a that brings you closer together and is a source of joy not tension or frustration?

Whether that sounds like a dream or entirely unbelievable, this episode is for you.

I’m sharing parts of my personal story along with what I’ve seen in the dozens of clients I’ve worked with to help cast a vision for how your relationship could be even more expansive and meaningful.

Grab a time for a free next steps call to get a custom plan on what to focus on in your relationship & learn about coaching support options. Apply here.

Relationshift waitlist: https://thisisbgm.com/group/

Connect with Brian on Instagram: @ThisIsBGM (Feel free to DM with any questions you have!)

Can you leave for a hookup while your partner is at home? If you find yourself open in theory but not so much in practice, than this episode is for you. I’ve identified three reasons why that could be.

In this episode, I’ll share them all along with a fix for each.

If you see yourself in any of these 3 scenarios, DM or email me and let me know which ones! I always love hearing from friends and listeners. I read everything myself and will respond personally with some suggestions.

Grab a time for a free next steps call to get a custom plan on what to focus on in your relationship & learn about coaching support options. Apply here.

Relationshift waitlist: https://thisisbgm.com/group/

Connect with Brian on Instagram: @ThisIsBGM (Feel free to DM with any questions you have!)

What do you do when you start to develop feelings for new connections in an open relationship? A listener wrote in:

“I've found sex with other people most enjoyable when there's an emotional connection or intense sexual chemistry. And I've had that with maybe with 3 people so far. It's not love. It's just a connection. And sometimes a yearning to see these people again. To know them better. How do you deal with these feelings? At times it feels like a crush.”

In this episode, you’ll learn a non-monogamous framework to help you contextualize these feelings as well as practical advice on what to talk with your current partner about as well how to decide on a path forward with these new connections.

Free tool referenced in this episode: Commitment Clarity Checklist: thisisbgm.com/clarity

Grab a time for a free next steps call to get a custom plan on what to focus on in your relationship & learn about coaching support options. Apply here.

Relationshift waitlist: https://thisisbgm.com/group/

Connect with Brian on Instagram: @ThisIsBGM (Feel free to DM with any questions you have!)

No matter how much you read, watch, and practice communicating well with your boyfriend, sometimes you're going to mess up. In this episode, I share my relationship communication mistakes so that you can learn from me and hopefully not make the same mistakes yourself.

Fighting with your boyfriend, feeling misunderstood by your partner, getting angry or frustrated at your husband are all common in a relationship. Figuring out how to talk to your partner and reduce conflict is key.

Learn more and apply for coaching at thisisbgm.com/private-coaching

Add your name to the Relationshift waitlist at thisisbgm.com/group

Get the free relationship communication toolkit at thisisbgm.com/toolkit  

Grab a time for a free next steps call to get a custom plan on what to focus on in your relationship & learn about coaching support options. Apply here.

Relationshift waitlist: https://thisisbgm.com/group/

Connect with Brian on Instagram: @ThisIsBGM (Feel free to DM with any questions you have!)