Opening Up:
A Communication Guide for Male Couples
A workbook for building connection, communication, and understanding — together.
A groundbreaking guide, built for us
Communication is the foundation of every strong relationship, yet for many male couples, expressing needs, navigating conflict, and deepening emotional connection can be challenging. Opening Up is a practical and insightful workbook designed specifically for male couples who want to strengthen their bond through honest, effective communication.
What's Inside
Information
About issues and struggles we all encounter.
Guided Meditations
To help readers “land” inside themselves for growth, comfort, greater awareness, and sensory connection.
Tips
On implementing the subject matter.
Discussion Points
And questions for partners to share, or to write about personally.
Author’s Note
If you’re part of a male couple, you’ve probably noticed there isn’t a lot of material out there that pertains specifically to you. Welcome to my world! That’s why I wrote this workbook—because there isn’t anything else like it.
Why?
Growing up, men aren’t taught how to connect with each other. Women are socialized for communication and connection in ways we’ve never been, and as adult men we need to learn how to get better at this. That handicap—if I may call it that—is why gay men tend to want to do things together. Instead of talking about connection, we get our connection through the activities in which we engage.
This isn’t accidental: our own community can be geared toward hook-ups and fun, without paying attention to long-term couplehood.
Many gay couples feel pressured to continue living the way gay men in the scene live… without taking the time to identify how this scene might affect them. Some couples and individuals in couples feel isolated and lonely because certain gay male friends can feel like a threat to their couplehood.
Furthermore, our world is still to some extent governed by the understanding that heteronormative roles dictate relationship norms, and should you decide to go to couples therapy, most mental-health practitioners have little or no experience with gay couples. LGBTQ+ hate crimes are on the rise; micro-aggressions and aggressive acts continue; the current political climate is hurtful; intersectional couples experience even more complicated challenges.
How do you navigate all that?
What the critics are saying:
Start your journey together, today
Opening Up: A Communication Guide for Male Couples is available through Pamet Publications at bookstores and online.
Pre-order now and get access to a tool couples can use to address issues that are particular to gay men. The exercises can help couples attain a close and comfortable relationship. With engaging exercises, expert guidance, and reflective meditation, this workbook will help you and your partner:
- Develop active listening skills and deeper emotional awareness.
- Overcome common communication barriers and misunderstandings.
- Engage with yourselves through meaningful dialogue and connection
Whether you’re in a new relationship or have been together for years, Opening Up provides the tools you need to build a more open, understanding, and fulfilling partnership- one conversation at a time.