Certified Gottman Therapist
Licenses:
California LMFT #99008 | Texas LMFT #205614
Dr. Dana McNeil is a licensed marriage and family therapist and the founder of The Relationship Place, a San Diego couples therapy practice specializing in high-acuity relationships, emotional disconnection, conflict repair, and intimacy concerns. She has achieved the highest level of training in the Gottman Method Couples Therapy and is known for her compassionate, direct, and practical approach to helping couples rebuild trust, communication, and closeness.
She is also the founder of Therapy Getaway, a structured couples intensive model designed for couples seeking deep, focused relationship repair. Dana has specialized expertise in midlife marriage challenges, empty nest transitions, and gray divorce, and provides training and professional education for therapists, including work connected to the Gottman Institute.
Her expertise has been featured in national publications including Oprah Daily, Martha Stewart Living, Men’s Health, Bustle, and SELF Magazine.
She is passionate about helping couples move from feeling like roommates to rebuilding emotional and physical connection.
- Why the Gottman Method Works So Well for Same-Sex Couples - August 31, 2026
- When Someone Helped Change Your Life—What Do You Owe Them If You Change Your Mind? - August 18, 2026
- What Is a “Type C Mom”? A Therapist’s Take on the Viral Trend - July 28, 2026
Dating is tough in this day and age, more so if you’re age has surpassed what most people consider a common dating age. Dating in your 50s will definitely have challenges, but according to an article by Best Life, there are ways you can overcome them.
As an expert on the matter, Dr. Dana McNeil PsY, LMFT shares in the article that people dating in their 50s think the dating pool is limited. However, this shouldn’t stop anyone from finding the right partner for them. She says,
“Many of us worry all the good ones are gone at this age and we had better hurry up and get a partner established so we don’t miss out on potential,” says Dana McNeil, LMFT, founder of The Relationship Place. “Acting from a scarcity mindset means we may overlook some red flags.”
More often than not, people during this dating age seem in a hurry to find someone. Dr. Dana McNeil shares why:
“We sometimes make the mistake of rushing into the next relationship so we don’t feel alone,” says McNeil. And another warm body does not automatically make a meaningful, enduring match, she points out.
Know more about the challenges of dating in your 50s and how to overcome them. See the full article here.