Louise wittily captures the conflicts many women attracted to Taken In Hand feel.

Theo thinks that he has made a big mistake in how he has been relating to his wife, but reading Taken In Hand has given him hope for the future. Best of luck, Theo, and do let us know how it goes – I can't wait for the next exciting instalment!

When people ask whether you want to be “dominated” what is your answer? I never quite know whether the answer is yes or no. It depends! What does the questioner have in mind? People often think that because sexual dominance and service-orientated submission leave them cold, there is nothing sexual about their desire for their man to take charge. This piece explains what is really going on in such cases.

Being a phlegmatic sort of person, it is not often that the mere presence of another person has the power to do any more than make me recoil from the olfactory shock caused by their halitosis or their overpowering aftershave. But very occasionally (about once a decade) I have found myself intensely affected by the mere presence of a man – so intensely affected that it has taken every ounce of self-control to appear unmoved. Why?

Lori says wisely that if you don't have the chemistry, don't even think about trying to create a relationship: it won't work, no matter how much you might wish it could.

When it comes to relationships, we all know that actions speak louder than words – I am only stating the obvious, here – but even the most rational individuals can sometimes get swept up in excitement and forget everything they know. It happens to the best of us! So this is just a little reminder.

The first time ConfusedofHomeCounties looked at Taken In Hand, she really wasn't sure that there was anything here for her – but something kept her reading, and the more she read, the more she realised that her initial assumptions were mistaken. In this piece, she summarises what she has gleaned here.

ConfusedofHomeCounties (such a misnomer!) has been thinking about accountability and the seeming unfairness of a Taken In Hand relationship in which only one person is disciplined, and here presents an insightful account of how and why it works for her.

How did you become interested in Taken In Hand? Here is Bonnie's story.

A reader has written to ask what we have to say on the issue of so-called ‘equality’ and the criticism that Taken In Hand relationships can't possibly be healthy because they are not equal. Hit the read article link for an answer.

Don't miss this lovely account by Lady K of her development from vague stirrings when she read Heinlein's I Will Fear No Evil to the beautiful Taken In Hand relationship she and her husband have now.

Who is this person you're in a relationship with? KrosRogue says it is three persons.

All her life, Judith has had a secret desire to be taken by a strong man.

In this beautiful piece about attitudes to emotional baggage, Noone gently suggests that a little humility might be in order.

This short and very sweet piece by Melanie is about another fascinating and paradox of Taken In Hand relationships. I look forward to receiving more articles from you, Melanie!

Like many Taken In Hand readers, Tasha has always felt different, and she had always feared that someone would discover her secret and react badly. Hit the read article link to find out what happened when she revealed her deep dark secret to her husband.

Many Taken In Hand folk do not use physical discipline or punishment in their relationship. But for those who do, this series of articles explains some otherwise puzzling facts and paradoxes.

I am delighted to present this beautiful Valentine, written by Sam, for his beloved Missy. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Sam has some wise words on the unique and evolving nature of relationships and likens this to a mysterious (to the uninitiated) dish called ‘Gumbo.’

In this fascinating article about love and life, inspired by the film, About Schmidt, Stephen relates some vital insights he has gleaned over the years.

In this fascinating article, Random frankly relates what he gets out of his relationship with J. Definitely one to show a man if you want to introduce him to the idea of Taken In Hand style relationships!

I avoid labels, but for those who might be interested, here is my current thinking about the labels sometimes attached to this site.

An interesting update from Melanie, who has been doing some reading.

How can you possibly expect to change anyone's behavior or attitude if you give them what they want when they do the things you least want them to do? Max Maximovich has a brilliant answer. Hit the read article link now!

Why would an intelligent, sane, successful woman want to be taken in hand? Hit the read article link for J's answer.

If you can't imagine why anyone would find childlikeness an attractive characteristic, hit the read article link now, for this very enlightening explanation by Random.

Tracy describes the dominance and submission which characterises her long-term marriage. This all happened early on, before they had read about these kinds of relationships, so what strikes me about Tracy's description is how natural it all sounds. A lovely piece.

Do we choose to be taken in hand because we want to be, such as for the connection or because the whole idea is very erotic? Or is it that we women need to be controlled because we can't control ourselves? As a phlegmatic, competent, rational sort of person, I have always argued that this is something even the most logical, sane woman can choose. If you have to be the sort of person who can't function sensibly in the world to be taken in hand, I don't qualify! But that doesn't mean that I don't want to be taken in hand. I do! From what Nina says in this no-nonsense comment, she feels the same way.

Random paints a powerful word picture of the freeing, liberated feeling he has as a result of being the head of his household. If you can't understand the attraction of this sort of relationship, don't miss this!

Max Maximovich on his fabulous relationship with M, and his thoughts on the paradox he has mentioned here.

For Random, part of the appeal of taking a woman in hand is connected with her femininity. In this piece, he explains why he finds feminine women particularly appealing.

You might think that a dominant man would want an obedient, placid, weak, submissive woman. Random blows that idea out of the water with this passionate piece about his preference for a strong woman.

Taken In Hand is not about turning a woman into a servant or slave.

The casual observer might think that Taken In Hand readers are saying that they want to be taken or taken in hand against their will, but what is really going on here? An investigation of the psychology of consensual non-consent.

When a man takes or takes a woman in hand and she seems to be resisting and complaining, is there consent? It depends.

When someone in a conventional relationship gets into a state, a fight is often the result. Frank Nelson relates an experience that illustrates the healing power of taking a woman in hand.

After the demise of Stephen's marriage, he was determined that his next relationship would be different. He knew that he needed to be the head of the household. Having found a woman who wanted that, he then set about turning the fantasy into reality. His major concern at first was how and when to use discipline. It is one thing to fantasize about giving a disciplinary spanking, it is another matter to actually give one, especially to the woman you love. But his new wife wanted him to be firm, and not just as a game.

When you lose someone with whom you have had the relationship of your dreams, it is natural to spend a lot of time thinking about the person you have lost and what you had together. But to give a new relationship the best chance of growing and developing, it is important to turn your attention to the present relationship. Few are strong enough to compete with the ghosts of past loves. Sha expresses this truth much more poetically, as you can see if you click the read article link.

This beautiful letter was written by Annie to the man she loves, after he made a comment to the effect that he had met women before Annie via the internet but had been put off by what he called their high expectations.

Do you command respect and obedience without even trying? Do you have natural authority, or would you have trouble controlling even a worm? If you don't have a commanding presence but wish you did, hit the read article link.