Vulnerability, Vacation, and the Mental Load

Planning a summer vacation should bring connection—not conflict. But for many couples, time away becomes a pressure cooker for everything they haven’t talked about: the unequal mental load, unspoken expectations, and simmering resentment.

In this episode, Dr. Tracy Dalgleish, clinical psychologist and couples therapist, is joined by her husband Greg to unpack how to prepare your relationship for vacation. Together, they dive into the emotional and logistical stress of the mental load, how to divide responsibilities fairly, and the importance of communicating needs and boundaries before you hit the road.

Plus, they share a powerful DM from a community member—a husband learning how to sit with vulnerability and navigate the discomfort of disappointing his partner. It’s an honest look at what it means to grow in a relationship, and how emotional intimacy is built not in big moments, but in the small, everyday repairs.

Whether you’re planning a family vacation, dealing with in-laws on your summer trip, or trying to reduce resentment in your marriage, this episode gives you practical strategies to feel more connected—not just on vacation, but long after you return home.

RESOURCES:

Want your questions answered on the show? ⁠⁠Submit them here!⁠⁠    

Discover your relationship negative cycle with my free quiz: ⁠⁠Take it here⁠⁠

Ready to deepen your connection? ⁠⁠Download my 100 Questions⁠⁠

Build better connection and feel close starting today. Join the ⁠⁠30 Days to Us Challenge⁠⁠

Heal old wounds and build healthy interdependence with my book “I Didn’t Sign Up for This” - order ⁠⁠here! ⁠⁠

LINKS:

⁠Vionic Shoes⁠: Use code TRACY for 15% off at https://www.vionicshoes.com

Mint Mobile: Just $15 a month with mintmobile.com/TRACY

AirDoctorPro: Save $300 with code TRACY at https://airdoctorpro.com

GoPure Beauty: Save 25% at ⁠https://gopurebeauty.com/tracy⁠ code TRACY

⁠⁠AquaTru⁠⁠ - water filter: Use promo code for TRACY for 20% off at https://aquatru.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices