Dr. Tracy Dalgleish, Ottawa, ON (2025)

11/18/2025

Does your relationship look like you thought it would when you first got together?

Let me know your experience in the comments.👇👇

Normalizing the ebbs and flows of a relationship - and how that ultimately leads to growth and longevity - is key in staying connected and engaged with our partner.

This doesn’t mean we don’t strive to remain close consistently, or that we are “settling” for a lack of enjoyment. Rather, it’s a matter of knowing that two imperfect human beings will result in an imperfect relationship.

You’re not failing.

When our relationship doesn’t meet an expectation we hold in our head, it may be time to step back and constructively evaluate the expectation itself rather than criticizing the relationship (or our partner).

Here are 3 quick ways to step out of unrealistic expectations:

1. Stay aware that Hollywood notions of nonstop passionate love are for entertainment, not inspiration

2. Ask yourself if you want a lasting partnership OR feelings of newness: you can’t have both

3. Focus on the big picture: If you want to be in the relationship (big picture), then, if there’s a part of your relationship you’d like to be different (smaller picture), try a new approach to get there (no more simply wishing things would change without being willing to take action)

Want ideas for how to take action? Join me for the popular MORE THAN ROOMMATES challenge beginning December 3rd to help you get out of the mundane and back into the relationship you said ‘Yes’ to. I’ve taken the best strategies from years of work with couples just like you and curated it into 10 days you can fit into your busy life and get out of this feeling.

Comment ROOMIE and I’ll send you the link to join.

relationship expectations | emotional connection | long term partnership | couples growth | marriage support

11/18/2025

Does your relationship look like you thought it would when you first got together?

Let me know your experience in the comments.👇👇

Normalizing the ebbs and flows of a relationship - and how that ultimately leads to growth and longevity - is key in staying connected and engaged with our partner.

This doesn't mean we don't strive to remain close consistently, or that we are "settling" for a lack of enjoyment. Rather, it's a matter of knowing that two imperfect human beings will result in an imperfect relationship.

You're not failing.

When our relationship doesn't meet an expectation we hold in our head, it may be time to step back and constructively evaluate the expectation itself rather than criticizing the relationship (or our partner).

Here are 3 quick ways to step out of unrealistic expectations:

1. Stay aware that Hollywood notions of nonstop passionate love are for entertainment, not inspiration

2. Ask yourself if you want a lasting partnership OR feelings of newness: you can't have both

3. Focus on the big picture: If you want to be in the relationship (big picture), then, if there's a part of your relationship you'd like to be different (smaller picture), try a new approach to get there (no more simply wishing things would change without being willing to take action)

Want ideas for how to take action? Join me for the popular MORE THAN ROOMMATES challenge beginning December 3rd to help you get out of the mundane and back into the relationship you said 'Yes' to. I've taken the best strategies from years of work with couples just like you and curated it into 10 days you can fit into your busy life and get out of this feeling.

Comment ROOMIE and I’ll send you the link to join.

relationship expectations | emotional connection | long term partnership | couples growth | marriage support

11/17/2025

Setting boundaries around the holidays? You’re not alone.

This time of year brings up so much: guilt, pressure, people-pleasing, and the weight of tradition.

Here’s what I want you to hold onto this holiday season:

Boundaries aren’t rejection. They’re protection.

For your energy, your relationship, and the family you’re building.

And if you’re navigating in-law dynamics?

It’s okay if your partner doesn’t get it perfect the first time. Especially if this is new for them.

Let me tell you this: boundaries are a skill. And just like any skill, they take time, practice, and support.

✨ Comment LIMITS and I’ll DM you the link to my boundaries Q&A podcast episode of Dear Dr. Tracy where I answer your toughest boundary questions.

✨ If you haven’t yet, grab my book and start getting on the same page for the holidays. You’ll finish the book having clear guidelines on how to set boundaries and be aligned as a team this holiday season. Comment TRIANGLE for all the links.

boundaries | inlaws | relationship advice | marriage counselor | emotional boundaries | holiday stress | couples therapist | mother-in-law | marriage tips | family dynamics

11/17/2025

It’s slide 6 for me. Which one is it for you?

✨ Now Available with several 5 ⭐️ reviews saying how helpful my new book is!

Comment TRIANGLE and I’ll send the links to you by message. Available on all formats, but I love the hard copy to make notes in all the exercises.

Family boundaries | navigating the holidays as a team

11/13/2025

Setting boundaries isn’t what breaks a family.

It’s when hurtful behavior continues without responsibility and accountability.

Toxic dynamics thrive when no one takes ownership.

And when you finally speak up? They call you the problem.

✨ My new book You, Your Husband, and His Mother is here—filled with scripts, strategies, and stories to help you navigate in-law dynamics without losing yourself or your marriage.

Grab your copy today and start building the boundaries your relationship deserves.

Available wherever books are sold.

toxic in-laws | mother-in-law issues | setting boundaries | family conflict | marriage advice | relationship dynamics | couples therapist | emotional maturity | communication in relationships | holiday stress and family

11/12/2025

You’re not the problem. You’re just the one finally naming it.

Here are 5 things husbands say about their moms that keep their wives feeling unseen:

“She didn’t mean anything by it.”
👉 This focuses on intent over impact. It minimizes your feelings to reduce conflict. But intent doesn’t cancel out impact.

“That’s just how she is.”
👉 Avoidance disguised as acceptance. He’s asking you to normalize what he no longer questions.

“Let’s not make this a big deal.”
👉 This signals emotional avoidance, and it's a hard pattern to break. It prioritizes short-term calm over long-term connection. Peacekeeping ≠ peacemaking.

“You’re being too sensitive.”
👉 Deflection, one of the most profound ways to hurt a relationship's intimacy. He may be protecting his comfort—but it invalidates your reality and erodes safety.

“It’s not worth the fight.”
👉 Many partners fear conflict. By avoiding the conversation, he leaves you carrying the emotional weight alone.

This isn’t just about your mother-in-law’s latest comment.

It’s a loyalty bind—the tension between the family he came from and the one he’s building.

And when that bind goes unchecked, it shows up in phrases that quietly unravel trust.

While this might be a hard truth, it's imperative to choose the relationship you’re in, even when it’s hard.

If navigating your relationship with his mother has left you feeling like the outsider in your own family, my new book is for you.

You, Your Husband, and His Mother gives you the tools to break free from resentment, set boundaries with confidence, and rebuild connection—with your partner and yourself.

✨ AVAILABLE NOW! Comment THE TRIANGLE now and I'll DM you the link to order!

Relationship Boundaries | Marriage After Kids | In-Law Drama | Couples Therapy Tools

11/12/2025

Setting boundaries with his mom doesn’t mean you’re rejecting her.

Boundaries protect your marriage. They keep resentment low. And they make relationships healthier in the long run.

When you say no to what drains you, you’re saying yes to what keeps your relationship strong.

As a couples therapist, here’s what I know: healthy families aren’t built by keeping everyone happy—they’re built by staying honest and kind.

💡 My new book, You, Your Husband, and His Mother, is here. Inside, I’ll teach you how to set boundaries with respect and strength—without guilt.

✨ Order your copy today—link is in my bio.

Because boundaries don’t end relationships. They help them thrive.

boundaries in marriage | mother in law relationships | family boundaries | couples therapy | emotional intelligence | relationship communication | marriage help | healthy relationships | family dynamics | relationship advice

11/10/2025

Holidays can bring out the best and hardest parts of family life.

The memories.
The expectations.
The unspoken hopes about how things “should” go.

If you’re a parent or grandparent who wants to stay connected, I want you to know this — love doesn’t need control to be felt.

As a couples therapist, here’s what I know 👇👇

When families choose curiosity over control, everyone feels safer, closer, and more seen.

💡 In my new book, You, Your Husband, and His Mother, I’ll help you understand these family patterns — and how to create lasting connection that doesn’t depend on guilt, obligation, or being “the same as before.”

✨ My book is NOW AVAILABLE!

Because the greatest gift you can give your family this season is connection that lasts beyond the holidays.

holiday boundaries | mother in law relationships | family connection | family communication | couples therapy | family dynamics | relationship advice | marriage help

11/09/2025

Does your husband know how to respond to a mother who uses guilt and passive aggressiveness?

Tell me in the comments 👇👇

You want to model for your kids what a healthy relationship looks like.

✨ A marriage where both partners express their needs and truly feel heard.
✨ A family where feelings are respected and no one is responsible for managing someone else’s emotions.
✨ Extended family relationships where boundaries are clear, but love and connection still have space to grow.

But when it comes to your in-laws, you feel stuck.
Your husband slips into old patterns.
You feel dismissed and unseen.

And the example you want to set for your kids feels further out of reach.

You’re not alone. So many couples are navigating this exact struggle.

✨ You, Your Husband, and His Mother is the book I wrote for couples like you.

In these pages, I’ll help you:

Stop second-guessing yourself by learning about family legacy patterns and hidden expectations

Discover your MIL type so you feel prepared to respond (I walk you through it!)

Explore your values so boundaries aren’t just reactionary in conflict

Learn your triangle and the pattern that’s keeping you and your husband stuck

Build the united front you need with your partner to set boundaries with his family

Let’s rewrite this story together.

✨ Now available and on all formats!!

Comment THE TRIANGLE now and I’ll DM you the details.

Marriage Boundaries | In-Law Dynamics | Family Patterns | Couples Therapy Tools

Dr. Tracy Dalgleish

11/18/2025

11/18/2025

11/17/2025

11/17/2025

11/13/2025

11/12/2025

11/12/2025

11/10/2025

11/09/2025

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