Masculinity & Non-Monogamy: Beyond the Stories We've Inherited

For many men, non-monogamy challenges deeply ingrained beliefs about masculinity, strength, sexuality, self-worth, and relating to women.

Adam Darrow, author of the memoir ‘Seek the Risk: One Man's Journey into Non-Monogamy’, has walked the path of non-monogamy as a competitive athlete and born-and-bred New Yorker who fell in love with a VERY non-monogamous woman.

He had to revise a breadth of assumptions and beliefs that had been handed to him from childhood, about what it means to be a man who dates women: scripts around possessiveness, territoriality, sexuality, competition, strength vs. weakness, and how we 'should' be perceived by other men.

It was not easy, but he approached the process with the same discipline as he did with extreme sports competition: he trained for it, and he focused on the kind of growth he was after.

And, he did come out stronger as a result. He developed a better-equipped version of his own masculinity that still includes being strong, protective, loyal, and fierce - but that now gives him access to much deeper-running confidence, emotional authenticity, and sexual freedom.

He aims to always be a fierce gentleman. Read more about Adam's journey here.

About the workshop

Drawing on our personal experiences and honest self-examination, this interactive workshop will explore what happens when the stories we've inherited about being a man collide with the realities of non-traditional relationships.

Together, we will examine the conditioning that shaped our masculine identities. We’ll talk about the fears and insecurities that arise when those identities are challenged, and explore how to consciously redefine masculinity on their own terms.

Rather than prescribing a new model of manhood, the workshop offers a framework for each person to develop greater emotional honesty, confidence, and self-awareness.

The goal isn't to eliminate fear or discomfort, but to become a more grounded, self-defined man who makes choices based on how he wants to live, rather than on the stories he has inherited.

What We'll Explore in This Workshop

I. The Masculinity We Inherited. Cultural conditioning and unspoken expectations that shape our ideas about what it means to be a man.

II. The Clash: When Non-Monogamy Challenges Masculinity. Dealing with deeply ingrained fears, insecurities, and questions about our masculine identities.

III. The Reckoning. Confronting uncomfortable emotions and questioning long-held assumptions can help distinguish genuine personal boundaries from fear-driven reactions.

IV. The Rebuilding: Deciding what kind of men we actually want to be. Considering which traditional masculine qualities to keep, which to discard, and what new qualities to embrace.

V. The Results. Exploring how masculine self-definition leads to greater confidence, emotional resilience, freedom from external validation, and more fulfilling relationships.

Recording is included with registration! It will be emailed to all registrants within 24 hours of the live event.

$40 early bird/$50 regular

Questions? Email Marie at marie@mariethouin.com

About the Presenter:

Adam Darrow is the author of ‘Seek the Risk: One Man's Journey into Non-Monogamy’, the first non-monogamy memoir written by a man. He is a born-and-bred New Yorker whose life has included programming on Wall Street, teaching high school, competitive extreme sports, being a ’90s raver, and dumpster diving while trying to make it as a photographer. He discovered writing later in life and now writes about lived experience, particularly the male experience in the world of modern intimate relationships. His work explores sex, masculinity, fear, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves until experience forces us to reconsider them. Check out his book at seektherisk.net

About the Host:

Marie Thouin, PhD is a Mindful Dating & Relationship Coach and the author of 'What is Compersion? Understanding Positive Empathy in Consensually Non-Monogamous Relationships,' the first-ever comprehensive scholarly book on compersion. She has been featured in several publications and podcasts, including The New York Times, ELLE, the Savage Lovecast, The Times of London, and HuffPost. Marie has also published seminal research studies, the first encyclopedia entry on compersion, and is the creator of www.WhatIsCompersion.com, a popular website that features her research, blogs, and resources on the topic of compersion. In her coaching practice, she supports individuals and couples of all backgrounds and orientations to create intentional, authentic, and vibrant love lives. Learn more at mariethouin.com