Welcome to my Blog
Thank you for stopping by. This space is where I share research, reflections, and practical tools drawn from my experience as a marriage and family therapist.
Are you a couple looking for clarity? A professional curious about the science of relationships? Or simply someone interested in how love and resilience work? I’m glad you’ve found your way here. I can help with that.
Each post is written with one goal in mind: to help you better understand yourself, your partner, and the hidden dynamics that shape human connection.
Grab a coffee (or a notebook), explore what speaks to you, and take what’s useful back into your life and relationships. And if a post sparks a question, or makes you realize you could use more support, I’d love to hear from you.
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
~Daniel
P.S.
Feel free to explore the categories below to find past blog posts on the topics that matter most to you. If you’re curious about attachment, navigating conflict, or strengthening intimacy, these archives are a great way to dive deeper into the research and insights that I’ve been sharing for years.
- Attachment Issues
- Coronavirus
- Couples Therapy
- Extramarital Affairs
- Family Life and Parenting
- How to Fight Fair
- Inlaws and Extended Families
- Intercultural Relationships
- Marriage and Mental Health
- Married Life & Intimate Relationships
- Neurodiverse Couples
- Separation & Divorce
- Signs of Trouble
- Social Media and Relationships
- What Happy Couples Know
The Deep Mechanics and Consequences of Limbic Capitalism: A System of Exploitation
Limbic Capitalism operates on a foundational principle: the systematic exploitation of human psychology, particularly the limbic system, to generate profit.
This practice involves more than just creating addictive products; it involves engineering environments, behaviors, and economies that trap both consumers and employees in cycles of dependence and harm.
By investigating the mechanisms, ethical implications, and societal impacts more deeply, we can uncover the true extent of Limbic Capitalism's damage.
What is Compassionate Inquiry?
Gabor Maté’s Compassionate Inquiry is a therapeutic framework that delves into the root causes of emotional and physical suffering by exploring the underlying traumas and unconscious processes shaping an individual’s psyche.
Maté’s approach is rooted in a deep understanding of human suffering, emphasizing compassion, curiosity, and a non-judgmental stance.
His method goes beyond symptom management, focusing instead on healing the disconnections within the self that result from trauma.
Don't Believe Everything You Think: The Art of Noticing, Shaping, and Awakening the Mind
Don't Believe Everything You Think
In our fast-paced world, where thoughts often swirl uncontrollably, the idea that we shouldn’t believe everything we think invites us to a deeper engagement with our inner lives.
This concept, rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), challenges us to question the validity of our internal narratives. However, when we delve further, we find that this idea is not just psychological but also profoundly spiritual.
Attachment Injury Repair: Healing Deep Wounds in Relationships
Attachment injuries are profound emotional wounds that occur when a partner feels deeply betrayed, abandoned, or hurt by the actions or inactions of the other.
These injuries can significantly undermine the trust and security within a relationship, leading to ongoing pain, emotional distance, and, if left unaddressed, the eventual deterioration of the relationship.
However, with a deep understanding of the underlying issues and a committed effort, couples can work together to repair these injuries and restore their bond.
Intergenerational Trauma in Relationships: Breaking the Cycle of Pain
Intergenerational trauma is a hidden force that shapes the dynamics of intimate relationships in profound ways.
Passed down from one generation to the next, this trauma can manifest in emotional patterns, attachment styles, and behavioral tendencies that affect couples and families today.
As we explore the impact of intergenerational trauma on relationships, we’ll discuss the science of epigenetics, the role of family therapy, and practical approaches to breaking the cycle of trauma, providing couples and families with the tools they need to heal and thrive.
The Avoidant/Anxious Attachment Loop: How Technology is Amplifying Relationship Anxiety
In today’s digital age, the landscape of relationships has been profoundly transformed by technology.
While it offers numerous avenues for connection, it also brings about new challenges that can exacerbate underlying relational anxieties.
One of the most poignant examples of this is the "Avoidant/Anxious Attachment Loop," a meme that has gained significant traction on platforms like Reddit.
This meme reflects a deep-seated anxiety in relationships, particularly as they intersect with modern dating behaviors like ghosting and orbiting.
What is Attachment Trauma? Reddit Asks!
In our ever-evolving landscape of mental health awareness, the term "attachment trauma" has gained significant traction, particularly on platforms like Reddit.
As an emerging meme, "attachment trauma" encapsulates a range of experiences and symptoms associated with early relational wounds, often resulting from inconsistent or harmful caregiving during childhood.
This term's proliferation on social media reflects a broader cultural shift in how Americans perceive and discuss psychological well-being.
What is Attachment Trauma?
Transference-Focused Psychotherapy
Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP) is an evidence-based treatment specifically designed for folks with personality disorders, particularly Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
Developed by Dr. Otto Kernberg and his colleagues, TFP is rooted in psychodynamic principles and focuses on the relationship between the patient and the therapist to uncover and understand the patient's internal world and interpersonal dynamics.
Are our relationship expectations too high?
So you’re scrolling through Instagram, seeing one perfect relationship post after another.
Happy couples on exotic vacations, surprise gifts, candle-lit dinners.
It’s enough to make anyone wonder if their own relationship measures up.
But what if I told you that these high expectations, fueled by social media and Hollywood fantasies, might be setting us up for disappointment?
How to fall in love with a perfect stranger in 45 minutes
Husband and wife psychologists Arthur and Elaine Aron research how close relationships develop.
Previous research has shown that a history of reciprocally exchanging favors leads to the bestowing of additional favors to their exchange partner, no matter who provided the last favor.
In other words, receiving and bestowing favors builds trust, one of the fundamental building blocks of intimacy. Here’s what you need to know…
Symptoms of childhood trauma in adulthood and its impact on marriage
There is no fact of human existence that resonates so profoundly and pervasively through time as Developmental Trauma (aka Complex Trauma).
Developmental Trauma is a pattern of chronic, prolonged childhood abuse and neglect and symptoms of childhood trauma in adulthood impact marriage.
Boundaries in marriage and the notion of differentiation
“Giving up your individuality to be together is as defeating in the long run as giving up your relationship to maintain your individuality. Either way, you end up being less of a person with less of a relationship.” Dr. David Schnarch.