'Couple to Throuple' Sex Expert Shamyra Howard on Why Throuples Are Hard to Navigate (EXCLUSIVE)

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for Episodes 1–3 of Couple to Throuple Season 1

The reality dating series Couple to Throuple follows four couples as they experiment with inviting a third into their relationship. Set in a tropical remote resort in Bermuda, the Peacock show — hosted by Scott Evans — follows the couples as they date among a group of singles. The series also enlists sex and relationship expert Shamyra Howard, LCSW, CST, to help guide the couples through this transition.

Throughout their month-long stay, Shamyra's beachside "Relationship Sessions" with the couples focus on common relationship topics such as jealousy and creating boundaries.

Distractify spoke with Shamyra about her time on Couple to Throuple and how throuples are tricky to navigate, which is why it makes for such good reality TV.

While some of the couples on Couple to Throuple have had sexual experiences with a third, none have ever been in a legitimate throuple. Allowing pairs to explore these dynamics sans the guidance of a professional could have been thorny, but fortunately, Shamyra was there to keep everyone on the same page.

"Throuples are one of the hardest non-monogamy or polyamorous dynamics, mostly because it seems as if it's monogamy plus one, but the couples are already established and so they have that couple privilege," she told Distractify in an exclusive interview ahead of the series premiere.

And it's this couple's privilege that she speaks of that can make a third partner feel left out. "The goal here is for there to be equity across the board in the relationships for all partners to be seen as equal," Shamyra explained.

While a two-person relationship already requires a lot of maintenance, a throuple is more challenging because "now you have to figure out how to divide the time and explore sex with another person. And that is difficult," she said.

We saw how an additional person upset the rhythm of each couple in Episodes 1 through 3. Take the case of husband and wife Dylan and Lauren Bair, who throupled off with single Becca Calb.

Dylan failed to connect with his new partner Becca and continued to prioritize Lauren. As a result, Becca felt neglected and even though she hit it off with Lauren, she no longer wanted in on the throuple and requested to be moved out of their bedroom because the effort being put in was not reciprocated.

Shamyra Howard is an international award-winning sexologist and licensed clinical social worker with her own practice serving the Baton Rouge area. She is also Louisiana's first Black AASECT Certified Sex Therapist. Shamyra lives with her husband Jason, who she has been married to for over a decade. You can follow Shamyra on Instagram @sexologistshamyra.

Couple to Throuple is now streaming on Peacock.