Relationships don’t happen in a vacuum—they’re shaped by the systems we grow up in. The patriarchy quietly scripts a lot of our expectations: who leads, who sacrifices, who holds the emotional labor, and whose needs get prioritized. Those patterns show up whether we’re talking about monogamy, polyamory, or friendship dynamics. And layered on top of that is trauma—old wounds that live in our nervous systems and influence how safe we feel with other people. Trauma can make us hyper-independent, overly accommodating, or constantly scanning for signs we’ll be hurt again. It changes how we trust, how we set boundaries, and how we show up in love and friendship alike. In this conversation, Karlee shares her own experience with relationship trauma and how it shaped the way she understands connection, safety, and healing today.