Counselling for polyamorous and open relationships in Vancouver
You shouldn't have to spend half your session explaining what CNM is or defending your relationship structure. We already get it — and we work from there.
Book a Free ConsultVancouver has one of the most significant non-monogamy communities in Canada.
Polyamory, ethical non-monogamy, open relationships, relationship anarchy, swinging, and other consensually non-monogamous structures are how many people here build their lives and relationships.
And yet, finding a therapist who is genuinely knowledgeable about ENM — not just "accepting," but actually trained — remains difficult. Most therapists will treat non-monogamy as a problem to examine, a phase to question, or a source of relationship issues rather than a valid structure to support.
That's not how we work. At Cinnamon Counselling, non-monogamy is not the issue. We work with your relationship structure, not around it.
We Work With
No judgment. No agenda. No pressure to be monogamous.
What Brings ENM Clients to Therapy
Even the most thoughtfully structured non-monogamous relationships run into challenges. Common reasons people seek support:
Communication and agreements
Negotiating or re-negotiating agreements, navigating a breach of them, or building clearer communication about needs and limits.
Jealousy and insecurity
Jealousy shows up in ENM relationships — often as a signal about an unmet need or an attachment wound. We work with it rather than dismissing or pathologizing it.
New relationship energy (NRE)
When one partner is in the excitement of a new connection, it creates real dynamics at home. Navigating this takes skill and honesty.
Compersion and emotional capacity
Understanding how to hold complexity — feeling joy for a partner's connections while also having your own needs — is genuinely challenging.
Coming out as ENM
To family, friends, or yourself. The social context of non-monogamy in a still largely mononormative culture is real, and worth processing.
Opening an existing relationship
One of the most common — and most potentially disruptive — transitions. Getting support before, during, or after is almost always useful.
Closing or restructuring
Transitioning back to monogamy, leaving a polycule, or ending specific connections brings its own grief and complexity.
Relationship grief and breakups
Losing multiple connections at once, or navigating how a breakup affects an entire network, is different from monogamous endings.
Individual work in an ENM context
Personal growth, identity, attachment patterns, or mental health — in a space where your relationship structure is a given, not a focus.
Our Approach
Aleesa Sutton, RCC is trained in ENM-affirming therapy and approaches non-monogamy with knowledge and respect. Sessions are:
- →Non-pathologizing — ENM is not treated as a problem, a symptom, or something to justify
- →Knowledgeable — you won't need to educate your therapist on basic terminology or structures
- →Practical and real — focused on what's actually happening and what you need
- →Honest — if there's a pattern worth naming, we'll name it, without taking sides on your structure
Aleesa's experience with sex therapy also means that intimacy, desire, and sexuality in ENM contexts are handled with the same care and frankness as everything else.
Individual and Couples Sessions
Individual sessions are available for ENM individuals who want personal support — processing emotions, working on attachment patterns, navigating a specific relationship challenge, or exploring their own identity within a non-monogamous life.
Couples (or more) sessions are available for partners working on their relationship together. We welcome partners of all configurations.
FAQs
Do you only work with couples, or can more than two people come to a session?
We typically work with one or two people in a session. If you're navigating a specific situation involving more people, reach out to discuss the best structure.
Will you try to get us to be monogamous?
No. Full stop. Your relationship structure is not up for debate.
Is this covered by insurance?
Many extended health plans cover sessions with a Registered Clinical Counsellor. Check with your provider.
Do you work with kinky ENM clients?
Yes — kink-affirming care is part of our approach. You won't need to justify or minimize your interests.
Are virtual sessions available?
Yes — across BC and the Yukon.
Your relationship deserves a therapist who actually gets it.
Book a free 15-minute consult. No explaining, no justifying — just talking about what you need.
Book Your Free Consult