The Places That Choose You Back: A Travel Therapist's Guide to Finding Your POWER PLACES

Stop wandering aimlessly and start traveling intentionally.

Have you ever stood somewhere and felt like you could breathe for the first time in months? Or visited a place that everyone raved about, only to feel… nothing?

As a therapist who's spent years traveling and studying human behavior, I've discovered that the places that heal us aren't random. They fit our personalities.

Are We Traveling Wrong?

What if we're following other people's "must-see" lists instead of asking what WE actually need?

Any of us can visit a place and mark it off our "been there, done that" list. But how many places can we really say connected with us at a deeper level?

Why? Maybe it's our headspace when we were there, or maybe we've gotten to the point where travel is just one more thing to consume. I have a bad habit of gobbling my food. I could be at the fanciest restaurant, and my plate's empty before I've tasted anything.

This is like the difference between sucking down a domestic beer and savoring an aged whiskey. Both are great and have their place.

I want you to think of this as the 18-year old single malt scotch of travel assessments. It's not about the journey TO the place—it's about your journey IN the place. What is it about that place that means something to you? Does it change you or reinforce who you are? Did you feel at home immediately, or did it surprise you?

Here's my point: ANY place can be YOUR place when you know what speaks to you.

The Travel Stress Epidemic

I'm sure you've heard about (or experienced) this: couples returning from their "dream vacation" more stressed than when they left. Families spending thousands to be miserable together in paradise. Solo travelers forcing themselves to love experiences that drain them.

I know there are places out there that would restore these people—places that would strengthen their relationships rather than strain them, places that would leave them feeling more like themselves, not less.

The Pattern I Couldn't Unsee

This realization hit me during my own travels. My husband and I joke about it now (though it wasn't always funny). When we remember places—hell, even in the car afterwards—we saw completely different things. The same places meant totally different things to each of us.

My therapist brain says this makes perfect sense. My wife brain… well, that depends on the day.

But my analyst brain (how many brains am I up to?) couldn't help but notice the patterns everywhere and went into hyperdrive, grouping the types of travelers I was seeing.

Perfect example: Venice, Italy. If you've been, you know you need to be okay getting lost in crazy spaces that take you everywhere and nowhere at all. My husband and I went years into our marriage with our teamwork system well-honed.

What became clear quickly was seeing the couples who were NOT in such a place. They were paused at bridges with that deer-in-headlights look, pointing in different directions and clearly not on the same page.

The hotel became my perfect social experiment. I met three newlywed couples at the lovely breakfast spread—all optimistic and "in love," ready for their day. By happy hour, I saw the results: one couple with only the husband at the bar, another couple at a table not talking to each other, and the third couple nearby laughing and connecting.

Maybe Venice should come with a warning: "Only go if you're ready for navigational challenges and potential arguments with loved ones."

Same place. Completely different impact on mental health and relationships.

Your Travel Personality Matters

Here's what I've learned: we all have a travel personality that, when honored, can be deeply healing. When ignored, travel becomes just another source of stress.

Some people need solitude to recharge—but they keep booking group tours. Others crave human connection—but they keep choosing isolated retreats. Some need intellectual stimulation—but they keep following Instagram to "relaxing" beaches.

The Solution: YOUR Places Stamp

This is why I created Your Places Stamp. It's a tool designed with therapeutic principles to help you understand:

• What environments restore you

• How to choose destinations that strengthen relationships

• Why certain places feel like home

• How to travel in a way that serves your well-being

I've refined it from 53 scattered questions down to 16 that identify the most crucial characteristics. Eight distinct types have emerged from my observations of how different personalities interact with place.

I Need Your Help

There's still fine-tuning needed to meet my assessment standards, so I'm asking for your assistance. Please take this quiz with an open mind and soft heart. But once you get your results, bring out your toughest critic to make it better.

Join the YOUR Places Club

If you've ever felt frustrated by travel that didn't deliver what you hoped, or if you suspect there are places out there that would heal you in ways you haven't experienced yet, I want to help you find them.

Take the assessment. Discover your type. Then let's explore together how intentional travel can become a powerful tool for your health and relationships.

Because somewhere out there is a place that will choose you back. Let's find it!

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