Dr. Dana McNeil is a fellow San Diegan whose journey into therapy was inspired twofold. First, by her experiences as an insurance claims adjuster, where she would play the role of a witness to people going through pain and trauma; and secondly by going through couples' counseling using the Gottman method with her husband.

She tells her story of realizing that being a therapist was her calling, and how she's used her practice to create safe spaces for folx of all walks of life who want to improve their relationships.

When we start getting into laying solid foundations, Dr. Dana talks about how people's relationships are affected based on their expectations. She describes how everything a partner does for us is a gift, which might help us realize that our expectations in our relationships may vary, and our individual views of the world affect those expectations.

Dr. Dana encourages us to have discussions around our expectations to lay a good, solid foundation for our relationships. We talk about behaviors that reflect our commitments to our partners, with the reminder that if/when we do something for our partners, that behavior is a gift.

We also talk about "perpetual issues," issues in relationships that might never be resolved, and how to navigate those issues with our partners.

This was such a fun and insightful conversation that you won't want to miss!

Learn more about Dr. Dana at www.danamcneil.com and follow her on IG: @DrDanaMcNeil !