Dating Intentionally

I'm chatting with Trevor Hanson , a licensed marriage and family therapist. He and his team at The Art Of Healing help people move from anxious attachment to secure attachment in a structured, results-oriented way. We get into what anxious attachment actually looks like in dating for both men and women, why you can feel totally secure when you're single but completely fall apart once a relationshi...

Emotional availability is one of the most desired traits in a partner, but it's so hard to find. In this episode, I'm walking through four real listener dilemmas that show how emotional unavailability actually shows up: from being blindsided by a breakup after a seemingly perfect relationship, to oversharing too early with someone you barely know, to getting stuck in a months-long holding pattern,...

This episode originally aired on Sex Ed with DB ! In Sleepless in Seattle, a woman hears a stranger’s voice on the radio and decides she has to be with him. A few cross-country flights, some light stalking, and one dramatic Empire State Building finale later. Was it a recipe for true love? Or just another rom-com ignoring boundaries in the name of "destiny?" In this episode, I joined DB to unpack...

I'm chatting with Hanna Anderson and Mackenzie Foltz, the co-hosts of The Dating Detectives , a podcast that combines real PI work with deeply ethical storytelling about people who got conned in love. We're discussing everything from what "dogfishing" actually is (and how it's different from catfishing) to the subtle early red flags most people miss, to why love bombing feels so good even when it'...

In this episode, I'm covering how attraction actually works when you're dating for a long-term relationship, from how to know if you're attracted to someone and what's "enough," to how long to give it before walking away, to how attraction can grow over time and what it actually takes for that to happen. I'm also answering a few listener questions, and at the end, I tackle a dating dilemma about a...

I'm chatting with Keltie Maguire , a life coach who specializes in helping people navigate the kids-or-child-free decision — a topic we've never covered on this show before. After spending years as a fence-sitter herself before ultimately choosing a child-free life, Keltie now helps individuals and couples gain clarity on one of the most complex decisions they'll ever make. We're discussing everyt...

Don't let your situationship stop you from getting into a relationship. In this episode, I'm getting into how situationships happen in the first place to why leaving feels impossible to the exact words to use when you finally end it. I share my own 2-year situationship story, break down the difference between situationships and casual dating or friends with benefits, and give you a real plan for h...

I'm chatting with Amy Chan , relationship expert, retreat founder, and author of the brand-new book Unsingle , about why most people are just a few strategic adjustments away from finding their match. We're discussing everything from the dating funnel (and which stage you're most likely sabotaging) to the spectrum between having no standards and over-icking yourself out of love to why dating is a...

In this episode, I'm covering one of the biggest sticking points in early dating: feeling connected between dates. I'm getting into the mindset work and how to stop the spiral, including my top practical tips for building connection between dates without overdoing it. Along the way, we talk about the role of phone calls, texting habits, and how to bring this up on a date without making it awkward....

I'm chatting with Sharleen Joynt and Andy Levine , the husband-and-wife hosts of Dear Shandy , one of my favorite reality TV recap podcasts. We're discussing everything from what Love Is Blind contestants keep getting wrong (and how it mirrors real life) to why Andy believes online dating is the slow death of modern romance, to how to bring up the "big" topics on a first date. This episode is pack...

I went on about 150 dates with over 60 people in a year before I met my now husband, and don't for a second think "hope" is what got me through it and kept me motivated. In this episode, which originally aired in 2024, I'm sharing why hope is useless and what to focus on instead: your beliefs. I didn't hope I'd meet someone; I believed it was inevitable. Listen to this episode if you're ready to w...

I'm chatting with Rebecca Ore , a relationship coach and former anxiously attached dater who transformed her own relationship experience after discovering thought work and coaching. We're discussing everything from why you feel totally fine when you're single but fall apart the second you start liking someone, to what it actually means to stop trying to control your partner and start coming back t...

In this episode, I'm answering four listener dating dilemmas, from deciding whether a "boring" but stable guy is worth more dates to navigating attraction when everything else aligns, to catching feelings for a newly single college friend, to dealing with a breadcrumbing bartender. I'm sharing how to tell the difference between "boring" and "bored," a better way to think about attraction, and why...

I'm chatting with Dr. Jennie Young , creator of the Burned Haystack Dating Method and author of the brand-new book Burn the Haystack , on round two! This time, we're getting into everything from her own success story to how to spot toxic dating coaches to why the "ick" deserves way more credit than it gets. Jennie also breaks down how she uses Burn the Haystack beyond the apps, the rhetorical patt...

I'm getting into relationship rumination and that "should I stay or should I go" loop that keeps you stuck without ever actually making a decision. I'm covering the science behind why your brain does this, the difference between ambivalence and relationship anxiety, and a set of guided reflection questions to help you figure out what you actually want. I also share my own experience ruminating for...

I'm chatting with Rikki Cloos , the creator and author of Anxious Hearts Guide , one of the most grounded, accessible resources out there for healing insecure attachment. We're discussing communication mistakes most of us make without realizing it, why the words we say rarely match what we actually mean, and how that gap affects relationships. Rikki also shares her framework for improving communic...

In this episode, I'm breaking down five practical ways to show interest in early dating, even if you're shy, introverted, or just plain terrified. I'm covering what works, no matter how comfortable you are with dating, and why most people hold back too much. Plus, I share some truly cringe-worthy things my listeners (and I) have done to show interest, and at the end, I tackle a dating dilemma abou...

I'm chatting with Eric Resnick , a dating profile expert with over 20 years of experience and 40,000+ profiles reviewed. We're discussing everything from why Bumble and Tinder are emotionally unhealthy by design, to what your photos are actually saying about you, to how to fix a profile that's getting zero matches, or way too many of the wrong ones. Eric also shares why women need to stop being pa...

I'm answering five dating dilemmas that all circle the same messy truth: early dating is confusing, and you're not alone if you feel like you and your date are on completely different planets. Dating dilemmas: She's 5 dates in with a guy who's sweet in person, but is still active on the apps. She's keeps leaving great first dates only to wait in silence, wondering if she should just text first or...

I'm chatting with Hannah Johnson , aka The Libido Fairy, a sex educator with over half a million followers who helps women reclaim their desire and actually enjoy sex. We're discussing everything from why women lose their sex drive in long-term relationships to the difference between spontaneous and responsive desire to why sex needs to feel rewarding to work. Hannah also shares her brilliant "Kin...

I'm breaking down one of the most asked-about milestones in modern dating: exclusivity. I'm covering the difference between being exclusive and defining the relationship, the signs you're actually ready to have this conversation, and how to bring it up without coming off too eager or waiting too long. I also get into how so many situationships are born in this exact moment and what to do if their...

I'm chatting with Emma Wilson , dating coach and creator of the Turning 30 community for single women, who went through a major breakup at 33, built her business from the ground up, moved to Costa Rica for five months, and eventually found her partner in the most unexpected place. We're discussing everything from how societal pressure tricks us into thinking we're ready for a relationship when we'...

I'm talking about one of the most important things you can work on, no matter where you are in life: building security within yourself. I'm covering what self-security actually looks like, from meeting yourself with compassion instead of judgment to physically calming your nervous system, taking small risks to build self-trust, and aligning your actions with your values. I also share some of my ow...

I'm chatting with Zach Brittle , host of Marriage Talk Radio and a Gottman-trained marriage therapist who's been working with couples for over 20 years. We discuss everything from what singles should know about long-term relationships before they start dating to why "negative sentiment override" can slowly poison even good relationships. Zach breaks down the three factors that drive positive senti...

I'm covering everything you need to know about the slow burn, from why it feels so uncomfortable when you've only known whirlwind romances, to how to know if you're actually ready for it, to the signs you need to pump the brakes early on. I also get into where physical intimacy fits in, how to tell the difference between a slow burn and just not vibing with someone, and tips for enjoying the proce...