For our first official book club episode, we’re discussing Open by Rachel Krantz — a memoir exploring consensual non-monogamy, power dynamics, abuse, freedom, jealousy, and self-discovery.

What started as a book we expected to be erotic quickly turned into something much heavier and more emotionally complex.

We talk about:

• the unequal power dynamics between Rachel and Adam
• gaslighting and manipulation
• emotional vs sexual jealousy
• why certain dynamics can feel exciting at first… and painful later
• how lifestyle spaces can accelerate emotional intimacy
• Disney princesses (yes, really)
• therapy, individuation, and personal growth inside relationships
• why the book still lands on a hopeful note despite everything Rachel went through

We also share some thoughts on boundaries, communication, and why exploring relationships intentionally requires more emotional honesty than most people realize.

In This Episode We Also Discuss

• Sexual language and boundaries during play
• Why lifestyle spaces can feel emotionally disarming
• “Enlightened” personalities (ie. assholes) in ENM spaces
• Kathy Labriola’s work on jealousy and how it's experienced
• Masculinity and emotional freedom
• Metamour friendships
• Future Book Club picks

Resources Mentioned

• Open by Rachel Krantz - https://a.co/d/0ihlMCvD
• Kathy Labriola books/resources - https://www.kathylabriola.com/
• Feel It All: A Therapist's Guide to Reimagining Your Relationship With Sex - https://a.co/d/0cZMVSQ2
• The Other Significant Others - https://a.co/d/0e8gZJlJ
• Praise - https://a.co/d/07k3m8w7

Join the Conversation

Have thoughts about the book? Agree with us? Completely disagree?

thepartnershiplabpodcast@gmail.com

We’d also love recommendations for future Book Club episodes.

Disclaimer

These conversations reflect our own observations and experiences and are not professional or institutional advice.

Protocol: What if the way you experience desire isn’t random—but actually follows a pattern?

In this episode, we dive into the concept of Erotic Blueprints, a framework that helps explain how and why we experience arousal, connection, and pleasure differently.

We break down all five blueprint types—Energetic, Sensual, Sexual, Kinky, and Shapeshifter—and share real-world examples of what each one looks like in practice.

Then things get personal. We reveal our own results, unpack what surprised us, and explore how understanding our blueprints is already changing the way we communicate, connect, and experience intimacy.

This conversation isn’t just about sex—it’s about language, self-acceptance, and realizing you might not be “weird”… just misunderstood.

🧪 In This Episode:

• What Erotic Blueprints are and why they matter
• The 5 blueprint types explained in real-world terms
• Our personal results (and what shocked us)
• The “shadow sides” that can block connection
• How understanding your partner’s blueprint changes everything

🔬 Resources Mentioned:

• Erotic Blueprint Quiz (via The Desire Lab)
• Sex, Love & Goop (Netflix)
• Monogamish Marriage podcast
• How to Build a Sex Room (Netflix)

📚 Next Episode:

We’re starting our first Listener Lab Book Club with: Open by Rachel Krantz

Read along—we’ll be breaking it down next episode.

💬 Join the Conversation:

What’s your blueprint?

📩 Email: thepartnershiplabpodcast@gmail.com 📱 Instagram: @the_partnership_lab

Disclaimer: These conversations reflect our personal experiences and are not professional advice.

Listener Lab: Real-time questions, honest answers, and figuring it out as we go

What happens when you stop planning—and just start talking?

In this episode of The Partnership Lab, we’re trying something new. This is our first Listener Lab: a more relaxed, real-time experiment where we use a few prompts and see where the conversation takes us.

Using Fifty Questions to Ask Before Opening Your Relationship, we explore topics like jealousy, connection, communication, and why we’re even doing this in the first place. Some answers come easily. Others don’t. But that’s kind of the point.

This isn’t polished.

This is us thinking out loud.

In This Episode

• Introducing Listener Lab: a more interactive, real-time format
• Reflecting on feeling “vanilla” and early in the journey
• Confidence, comparison, and supporting each other in imbalance
• Honesty, identity, and rebuilding as individuals
• Challenging traditional narratives and redefining connection
• Emotional vs sexual connection: do you need both?
• Apps vs real-life connection and building community
• Communication, reassurance, and “filling in the gaps”
• Growth, curiosity, and the idea of “more life,” not replacement
• Why this process is already improving our relationship

Contact

Contact us with comments, questions, stories, advice, encouragement, or whatever else you want to send: thepartnershiplabpodcast@gmail.com

Suggested Resources Mentioned in the Episode

• 50 Questions to Ask Before Opening Your Relationship — Dr. Rachel Meyer
• Dr. Rachel's Naughty Gym Episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naughty-gym-show-building-stronger-non-monogamous-relationships/id1701360007?i=1000735196506
• Midwest Love Fest - https://lovefestevents.com/mwlf25/
• We Can Do Hard Things Astrology Episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astrology-for-skeptics-sonya-renee-taylor-reads-our-charts/id1564530722?i=1000741471659
• Open — Rachel Krantz (https://a.co/d/0cepjbvM) FUTURE BOOK CLUB EPISODE
• Erotic Blueprint Quiz — https://missjaiya.com/

Disclaimer

These conversations reflect our own observations and experiences and are not professional or institutional advice. They do not reflect the thoughts or opinions of employers, family, or guests, nor imply their approval of the content shared.