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.

 

Neurodiverse Couples Daniel Dashnaw Neurodiverse Couples Daniel Dashnaw

The Delightful Chaos of AudHD: Navigating the Contradictions with Style

If you’re rocking both autism and ADHD, welcome to the club where our brains throw the kind of dance party that’s equal parts jazz improv and dubstep chaos.

Having AudHD isn’t just a diagnosis; it’s a lifestyle.

And like any lifestyle worth living, it comes with its own quirks, superpowers, and the occasional “Wait, how do I work this brain?” existential crisis.

Let’s dive into the wonderfully contradictory world of AudHD traits.

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Daniel Dashnaw Daniel Dashnaw

7 Things a Narcissistic Partner Cannot Stand to Hear

Living with a narcissistic partner can feel like walking a tightrope.

They thrive on control, validation, and the assumption that their needs come first.

When you set boundaries or refuse their demands, you challenge their worldview—and they don’t take kindly to it.

Here are 7 things a narcissistic partner absolutely cannot stand to hear, and why these statements are your secret weapon for maintaining your autonomy.

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Social Media and Relationships Daniel Dashnaw Social Media and Relationships Daniel Dashnaw

The Dark Gospel

In the annals of human history, there have always been whispers of shadow doctrines not written in holy texts but etched into the very marrow of human civilizations.

These are the principles that thrive not in the light of day, but in the dim corners of power, fear, and control.

If there were a scripture for this clandestine belief system, it might be entitled "The Dark Gospel."

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Social Media and Relationships Daniel Dashnaw Social Media and Relationships Daniel Dashnaw

Can Money Buy Time?

The tantalizing connection between money and time raises profound questions about how we define a life well-lived.

Wealth often appears to promise more time—more years, more opportunities, more memories—but is this truly the case?

Beyond the numbers, we are left to grapple with deeper truths about health, happiness, and the very nature of human existence.

Research suggests that wealth can extend life expectancy, but this longevity is neither infinite nor universally meaningful.

Instead, it reveals a complicated interplay between material resources, social systems, and individual purpose. To explore this fully, we must look at the evidence and consider not just how money can buy time but why this matters.

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Social Media and Relationships Daniel Dashnaw Social Media and Relationships Daniel Dashnaw

Has Social Media Turned Relationship Anarchy into the Internet’s Latest Dating Trend?

Relationship Anarchy is an edgy philosophy that promises freedom, equality, and all of the joys of intimacy, but none of the strings.

Once a radical manifesto about rejecting societal norms, it’s now a TikTok trend sandwiched between avocado toast recipes and manifesting your soulmate.

If you’ve ever wanted to organize your love life with zero commitment but all the drama, congratulations—you’ve found your tribe.

But has the internet watered down, misunderstood, or just plain hijacked RA?

Oh, absolutely.

Let’s dive into how relationship anarchy has transformed into the millennial/Gen Z mating call for avoiding accountability.

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What Happy Couples Know Daniel Dashnaw What Happy Couples Know Daniel Dashnaw

Wall Street Journal Marital Wisdom: Warm Humor and Balanced Insights

If marriage is in the city a dance, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) often serves as the helpful, if occasionally stern, choreographer.

Over the years, the WSJ has tackled marital topics with the precision of a financial analyst dissecting a balance sheet, offering advice ranging from managing emotional affairs to dividing household chores.

But don’t let the suit-and-tie seriousness fool you—beneath the surface lies a treasure trove of wisdom delivered with subtle warmth and practicality. Here are but a few examples.

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Social Media and Relationships Daniel Dashnaw Social Media and Relationships Daniel Dashnaw

Limbic Capitalism and Pornography: When Impulsivity Meets Digital Profit

Porn isn’t just about sex anymore—it’s about clicks, cash, and the never-ending dopamine loop. Welcome to limbic capitalism, a world where your brain’s pleasure centers are the battlefield, and the victors are corporations monetizing your impulses.

A recent meta-analysis in The Journal of Sexual Medicine sheds light on how specific types of impulsivity—attentional, nonplanning, and the ever-seductive positive urgency—serve as risk factors for problematic pornography use.

But before we dive into the science, let’s admit it: in the age of instant everything, porn isn’t just “out there”—it’s waiting in your pocket, two taps away.

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Couples Therapy Daniel Dashnaw Couples Therapy Daniel Dashnaw

The Algorithm of Love

The screen flickered as the Relational Dynamics Optimizer (RDO) booted up, its soft, soothing chime filling the dimly lit apartment. Jenny and Mark sat across from each other on the worn couch, a chasm of silence between them. The RDO, perched on the coffee table like a sleek oracle, began to hum.

"Couple ID: #44912, 9/14/2356. Jenny and Mark Taylor. Good evening," the AI's voice said, its tone perfectly neutral. "Today marks 367 days since your first session. How are you feeling about your relationship today?"

Jenny shot Mark a look. "You want to start, or should I?"

Mark sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine. I'll go. I feel like I'm... walking on eggshells all the time."

A soft beep emanated from the RDO. "Tone analysis indicates frustration. Mark, do you wish to elaborate?"

Jenny’s lips tightened. "And I feel like everything I say gets turned into an attack," she snapped.

Another beep. "Tone analysis indicates defensive irritation. Jenny, consider pausing for recalibration."

"Recalibration," Jenny muttered under her breath. "God, I hate that word."

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Neurodiverse Couples Daniel Dashnaw Neurodiverse Couples Daniel Dashnaw

Lights, Camera, ADHD: Scientists Use AI to Diagnose with a Dash of GoPro Action

In a move that feels straight out of a sci-fi flick, researchers from the U.K. have developed a machine-learning system to diagnose ADHD by analyzing people’s actions in video clips.

Yes, diagnosing a complex neurodevelopmental disorder now involves cameras, keypads, and a little AI magic—not quite Hollywood, but definitely groundbreaking.

Published in Neuroscience Applied, this study boasts a whopping 95.5% accuracy rate, leaving traditional methods like MRI and EEG scratching their metaphorical heads.

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Neurodiverse Couples Daniel Dashnaw Neurodiverse Couples Daniel Dashnaw

The ADHD-Dyslexia Connection: Genetics Says, “It’s Complicated”

Both ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and dyslexia are notorious for their ability to derail school report cards and frustrate families.

ADHD, with its cocktail of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and an attention span that rivals a goldfish’s, can make organizing tasks feel like climbing Everest.

Dyslexia, on the other hand, causes persistent difficulties with reading, spelling, and writing, even in individuals with normal intelligence.

Now, thanks to this study, we know these conditions often co-occur for a reason.

Around 25-40% of people diagnosed with one condition also meet criteria for the other.

Why? It turns out they share a genetic overlap of 0.40, which, in science-speak, means they’re cozy roommates in your DNA.

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Social Media and Relationships Daniel Dashnaw Social Media and Relationships Daniel Dashnaw

The Rise of Intergenerational Trauma and Family Systems Healing: Why These Overlooked Concepts Populate Social Media

Intergenerational trauma and family systems healing have long simmered under the radar of mainstream family therapy.

While these concepts are well-documented in academic circles, they’ve often been sidelined in favor of more immediate relational dynamics.

Now, thanks to platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit, these once-neglected ideas are experiencing somewhat of a populist revival.

Let’s explore why intergenerational trauma and family systems healing have been somewhat underutilized in therapy, how social media has amplified them, and what therapists can learn from this shift.

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Attachment Issues Daniel Dashnaw Attachment Issues Daniel Dashnaw

Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? Religious Believers See Harmony with Science, While Science Fans Call It a Clash

Let’s discuss humanity’s oldest pissing match; that perennial, age-old showdown: science versus religion.

Is it an epic battle where the Big Bang subordinates Genesis, or are they just two awkward neighbors who secretly enjoy borrowing sugar from each other?

A recent study published in Psychology of Religion and Spirituality decided to dive into this intellectual soap opera.

What they found was fascinating, with a side of irony: religious folks often think science and religion play nice together, while hardcore science enthusiasts are convinced they’re sworn enemies.

Let’s break it down, because it’s more complex than a Sunday sermon on quantum physics.

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