Mon-Fri 9-8 | Sat-Sun 9-5

(619) 535-8890

Dr. Dana McNeil

Founder, The Relationship Place Certified Gottman Therapist Licenses: California: LMFT #99008 | Texas: LMFT #205614 Dana is a gifted, compassionate, and practical therapist. She has achieved the highest level of training possible in the Gottman Method of couples therapy and has special interests in working with all clients, including those who live out-of-the-ordinary lives or have alternative relationships.

Pheromones

Pheromones – What are They and What Role Do They Play in Relationships?

Relationship /

What are Pheromones? Think of pheromones as operating in a way similar to the way hormones work, except that they work outside of the body versus internally. Pheromones facilitate biological functions through smell and can help generate more pep in the step of the receiver’s sexual drive. One of the most powerful functions of a pheromone is its ability to ensure that the human race and the animal kingdom remain alive and kicking. Pheromones act […]

Pheromones – What are They and What Role Do They Play in Relationships? Read More »

Author: <span>Dr. Dana McNeil</span>

Are Rough Patches in Relationships Normal?

Relationship /

This piece was originally published on Gottman.com and is republished here with permission from the Gottman Institute. You and your partner are in a tough place. You have a hard time feeling connected and don’t feel understood. You worry if this is the beginning of the end of the relationship. You fantasize about what life might be like starting over, being single, and what dating someone new might be like. Maybe you even started searching for divorce

Are Rough Patches in Relationships Normal? Read More »

how to deal with polyamory

How To Proceed With Polyamory? 20 Questions To Ask Yourself

Relationship /

Polyamory has been around as long as societies have existed. That’s because every romantic relationship throughout history, including monogamy, was shaped by cultural values. Monogamy may seem like the default in today’s society, but it’s overrepresented.  According to US Census reports, 1 in 5 adults say they’ve engaged in consensual non-monogamy (CNM) at some point. If you’re considering going poly or struggling with an aspect of how to proceed with polyamory, these sets of questions

How To Proceed With Polyamory? 20 Questions To Ask Yourself Read More »

communication exercises for couples therapy

Therapist-Recommended Communication Exercises For Couples

Couples Counseling /

Conflicts can help us gauge the health of a relationship. Note that the presence of conflict isn’t a fatal sign on its own. We can learn more from how couples deal with conflict, and how partners treat each other as individuals.  Exercising good communication skills with your partner is necessary to keep a strong and healthy relationship. This also helps determine if an argument pulls a couple apart or brings them closer together. That’s why

Therapist-Recommended Communication Exercises For Couples Read More »

what women want in a relationship

7 Ways To Understand What Women Want In A Relationship

Issues for Women /

A question that has puzzled men for centuries: What do women really want in a relationship? Gender differences can leave men completely clueless on answering this question. In celebration of International Women’s Day, we discuss how to find the right answers in understanding what women want in a relationship, particularly from their male partners. Every woman is a mystery of her own, and it’s important for men to familiarize themselves with it in order to

7 Ways To Understand What Women Want In A Relationship Read More »

Breadcrumbing

Are you Being Breadcrumbed? 5 Signals to Watch Out For

Relationship /

What is breadcrumbing in relationships? Breadcrumbing is a behavior in which one partner essentially gives the other partner just enough energy, time, attention, affection, or words of affirmation that provide some of the elements of being in a romantic relationship. However, the other partner is left still wanting. The partner who is on the receiving end may often feel they are being too needy or insecure because they feel mixed messages. They cognitively know they

Are you Being Breadcrumbed? 5 Signals to Watch Out For Read More »

what therapists think about online vs in-person therapy

Online vs. In-Person Therapy: Which Is Best For Couples?

Couples Counseling /

Lockdowns have caused people to stay at home longer than usual. While it did bring couples together physically, it may have also caused mental, emotional, and sometimes, physical stress to their relationship. Good thing couple’s therapy can now happen online. While the pandemic limited face-to-face interactions, everybody turned to virtual therapy and found the next best alternative. But when everything is slowly getting back to normal, should you also get back to your therapist’s office

Online vs. In-Person Therapy: Which Is Best For Couples? Read More »

signs you're destroying your marriage

13 Signs You Are Destroying Your Marriage (Without Realizing It)

Couples Counseling /

Despite the happily ever after trope popularized in media, a happy, healthy marriage isn’t one devoid of conflict. Instead, partners continue to bond by solving problems together while respecting each other as individuals. Doing this involves communication, empathy, trust, openness, and a willingness to be proactive. When we discuss the reasons behind failed marriages, it can be tempting to look at big one-time events. These can certainly be dealbreakers, but some issues are more subtle.

13 Signs You Are Destroying Your Marriage (Without Realizing It) Read More »

valentines date ideas for every relationship type

Easy Valentine’s Day Date Ideas For Every Relationship Type

Relationship /

Valentine’s day is just around the corner. It’s hard not to notice when everything around you seem to make you feel you should have something planned by now. But whether you’re planning on bringing her to the fanciest dinner date or getting him the coolest gift, it’s always about taking this opportunity to create more shared meaning as a couple. Aside from thinking about the best gift to get your partner, coming up with the

Easy Valentine’s Day Date Ideas For Every Relationship Type Read More »

how to survive a breakup

How To Survive A Breakup

Relationship /

What are some emotions/states of being people commonly experience after a breakup? When a couple breaks up, it can stir up all kinds of emotions from anxiety and stress to feelings of total abandonment or the stages of grief that feel on par with the death of a loved one.  Would you say there are different stages of a breakup, similar to how there are different stages of grief? Or are they one and the

How To Survive A Breakup Read More »

Scroll to Top