Strong, TomKovitz, Bevan2016-09-282016-09-2820162016http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3344In this research, I explored how heterosexual couples had successful conversations about sex, and the meanings these conversations had for their relationships. Six couples participated in semi-structured interviews in which they shared stories of conversations about sex they identified as being successful. I approached this research from a social constructionist perspective, using a combination of Riessman’s (2008) thematic and dialogic/performative analyses to analyze the stories couples and I co-constructed in our interviews. Through their stories, participating couples emphasized the importance of being open and managing conflict in order to have successful conversations about sex. These conversations were seen as being a significant part of the foundation of their relationship, resulting in feelings of closeness and sexual exploration. I explore the results of this analysis in terms of their possible implications for couples, counsellors, and researchers.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.PsychologysexualitycouplesNarrativeCounsellingqualitativemaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/27237