Protocol: What if growth doesn’t have to come from one huge leap—but from a hundred smaller experiments?

In this episode, we catch up on the surprisingly large number of small things we’ve been doing lately as we continue figuring out what open relating looks like for us. We talk about preparing for Scottsdale, attending a bisexuality workshop, taking a Kinsey-style sexuality quiz and an ENM placement quiz, and thinking more seriously about how labels can be useful without having to become identities we’re locked into.

Then we get into an idea that tied the whole episode together for us: microdosing ENM. Instead of treating growth like a series of giant tests, what happens if we focus on smaller experiences that stretch our comfort zones, expand our capacity, and teach us something without completely overwhelming us?

🧪 In This Episode:

• Our latest Scottsdale prep—and what we want to do differently this time
• Why Roz is focusing more on comfort, connection, and being herself
• Why attraction, experience, and identity don’t always line up neatly
• How differently we experience emotions in our bodies
• Our aura photos—and what our couple’s photo unexpectedly revealed

🔬 Resources Mentioned:

• Expansive Connections - https://www.expansiveconnection.com/enmblog
• Monogamish Marriage - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-monogamish-marriage/id1586549659
• Kinsey sexuality quiz - https://www.idrlabs.com/kinsey-scale/test.php?srsltid=AfmBOorQlGLIOCOEWd2VhNrtUibYKvFm9lFUgxU6wAYBE-P4oJ1ocQOa
• ENM Placement Test on FetLife - https://enmtriangle.netlify.app/?poly=11.38&swinger=11.38&kinky=11.88
• Aria Diana somatic relationship coaching - https://www.ariadiana.com/
• Nervous-system masterclass - https://youtu.be/2POelrlfPJI?si=eqSRjcmTMXovvtVa
• Hack Your Nervous System card deck - https://hackyournervoussystem.org/
• Aura photography - https://hauswitchstore.com/collections/aura-photos
• Next Book Club Book (Wild Love Theory) - https://a.co/d/02HamK6D

📚 Next Episode:

Scottsdale is almost here. Next time, we’ll talk through our mindset going into the trip, what we learned from Toronto, the smaller goals we want to set for ourselves, and how we’re trying very hard not to spin the fuck out this time.

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

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

Sometimes the best conversations start with a question you’ve somehow never asked each other, even 20 years in.

This week, Roz brings a question game neither of us has seen ahead of time, and we let it lead us. What starts with childhood dreams, favorite meals, and questionable music choices eventually gets us talking about the beliefs we’ve outgrown, places that changed us, the lives we still imagine for ourselves, and the small ways we make each other feel cared for.

No worksheets. No relationship theory. No big experiment. Just two people who have been together a long time discovering there are still things left to learn about each other. Come hang out with us.

Join the Conversation:

What’s something you recently learned about someone you thought you knew really well? Or, better yet, what question should we ask each other next time?

Instagram: @the_partnership_lab

Email: thepartnershiplabpodcast@gmail.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.

Our second Partnership Lab Book Club turned into something we weren't expecting.

We thought The Other Significant Others by Rhaina Cohen would be a collection of stories about extraordinary friendships. Instead, it became an invitation to question the relationship blueprint we inherited.

Rather than reviewing the book chapter by chapter, we explore the assumptions each story challenged in us—from the idea that marriage should fulfill every emotional need, to why deep male friendship feels so uncommon, to what actually defines a family, a partnership, or a successful relationship.

By the end, we realized the biggest takeaway wasn't about friendship at all.

It was about imagination.

We talk about:

• Why friendship may be carrying far more weight than we realize
• Separating attraction, romance, sexuality, caregiving, and commitment
• Designing your own relationship blueprint instead of inheriting one
• Deep male friendship, masculinity, and emotional intimacy
• What actually makes a family
• Building community before you need it
• Why institutions often lag behind the ways people actually love
• Measuring relationships by how they change us—not just how long they last

Resources

• The Other Significant Others — Rhaina Cohen

Coming Up Next

After a few deeply reflective conversations, we're ready to lighten things up. Next time, Roz is taking the reins for a fun, playful episode exploring fantasies, curiosity, and a few surprises.

Join the Conversation

Have thoughts about the book? Agree with us? Completely disagree? We'd love to hear your perspective. We'd also love recommendations for future Book Club episodes.

• thepartnershiplabpodcast@gmail.com
• Instagram: the_partnership_lab

Disclaimer

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