Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeffrey Young.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
For Jeffrey Young, therapy is more than a profession—it’s the culmination of a life spent exploring how people grow, change, and connect. Today, as an individual and couples therapist at The Relationship Place in San Diego, Jeffrey brings together decades of experience in teaching, philosophy, and personal transformation to help clients build healthier, more fulfilling relationships.
Jeffrey’s path to therapy began in the classroom. After earning his BA in Philosophy from UC Irvine, he completed a MA in Classics and Comparative Literature at UC San Diego, expecting a career in academia. Instead, he found himself drawn to the world of education, teaching English and humanities at Francis Parker School. There, he developed an integrative curriculum that blended literature, history, and science, while also launching student clubs ranging from sailing to opera.
Teaching gave Jeffrey a front-row seat to human growth and development. “I was fascinated by the different pathways people take,” he reflects, “and how family and cultural dynamics can create both opportunities and barriers.” This curiosity would eventually steer him toward a new career in therapy.
The shift was as personal as it was professional. During his years in education, Jeffrey struggled with alcohol addiction. Recovery—and the therapy that supported it—proved transformative. Around the same time, a relative invited him to a men’s spiritual retreat in the mountains. “I came down with a renewed sense of purpose,” he recalls. “I knew I wanted to work with men and women on their personal growth.”
This realization launched him on a new path. He enrolled in the MA program in Marital and Family Therapy at the University of San Diego, where his practicum at the VA San Diego allowed him to work with veterans and their partners, honing his skills as a couples therapist.
Jeffrey’s career foundation was laid through diverse and challenging roles: serving in community clinics like Vista Hill and CRF, leading a teen recovery program at McAllister Institute, and working as a Licensed Mental Health Clinician at the County of San Diego’s psychiatric hospital. There, he collaborated with psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers to serve some of the most vulnerable members of the community.
“These experiences gave me perspective and resilience,” he says. “I learned how to meet people where they are, whether they’re in crisis or looking for growth.”
The most significant breakthrough in Jeffrey’s personal and professional life came when he met Dr. Dana McNeil, CEO of The Relationship Place and his life partner. Together, they’ve created a shared mission of providing world-class therapy to couples and individuals in San Diego. Jeffrey began training in the Gottman Method, one of the most highly revered and trusted evidence-based approaches to relationship therapy, while still working full-time in county mental health. By early 2024, he transitioned fully into private practice at The Relationship Place, where he now sees couples and individuals daily.
At The Relationship Place, Jeffrey integrates his training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Gottman Method principles and Level 3 training, guiding clients toward self-actualization, deeper connection, and resilience. He has also developed Thriveways, a men’s mental health program offering short-term, goal-oriented therapy to help men improve relationships, navigate life transitions, overcome addictions, and live in alignment with their values.
Building on this foundation, Jeffrey is launching Building Brotherhood, a weekly men’s group designed to provide peer support and accountability in a safe, growth-oriented environment. In addition, he offers therapy intensives, multi-day sessions designed to help couples jumpstart or recalibrate their relationship. Some intensives are co-led with Dr. McNeil, offering couples the rare opportunity to benefit from the combined expertise of two seasoned therapists.
Outside of work, Jeffrey finds joy and grounding in creativity and connection. A lifelong musician, he plays guitar, bass, and keyboards, and is a passionate vinyl collector. He and Dr. McNeil enjoy sailing, entertaining friends and family at their home in Golden Hill, and attending concerts at San Diego venues like the Rady Shell and Jacob’s Music Center. They are always planning their next travel adventure.
“I’ve always believed that life is about both meaning and joy,” Jeffrey reflects. “That’s true in therapy and in how I live my own life. I want my clients to know that growth is possible, even in the face of struggle, and that connection is worth the effort.”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
After more than a decade of teaching, Jeffrey moved across the country for a relationship, only to discover that the school he expected to join had already given his position to someone else. “It was devastating,” he recalls. “I had built my life around teaching, and suddenly that door was closed.” The setback forced him to reinvent himself, leading to unexpected adventures like teaching English in Mexico, but it also deepened his awareness of how loss, disappointment, and transitions can shake one’s sense of identity.
Another struggle was far more personal. During his teaching years, Jeffrey battled alcohol addiction. Recovery, supported by therapy and a strong program, proved to be life-changing. Around that time, a relative invited him to a men’s spiritual retreat in the mountains, an experience that gave him a renewed sense of purpose. “I came down with clarity,” he says. “I knew I wanted to work with men and women on their growth and healing.”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Relationship Place?
At The Relationship Place in San Diego, Jeffrey Young has established himself as a trusted guide for couples and individuals navigating the challenges of connection, communication, and growth. Drawing on his training in the Gottman Method and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), he works with clients to strengthen relationships, resolve long-standing conflicts, and realign with personal values.
Jeffrey has also created Thriveways, a men’s mental health program designed as a short-term, goal-oriented course of therapy. Through Thriveways, men are supported in making life transitions, improving their relationships, overcoming addictions, and living in alignment with their values. Building on this work, he is launching Building Brotherhood, a weekly men’s group that provides an ongoing space for men to foster connection, accountability, and resilience together.
Beyond the therapy room, Jeffrey extends his insights through writing and public speaking. He contributes regularly to The Relationship Place’s blog, offering reflections and practical tools for couples and individuals. Together with his partner, Dr. Dana McNeil, CEO of The Relationship Place, he has presented on the timely and complex subject of Gray Divorce at the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) Annual Symposium in San Francisco. He has also appeared as a guest on Dr. McNeil’s podcast, The D-Spot, where they discuss the evolving landscape of relationships and the challenges couples face in today’s world. Jeffrey serves as a supervisor, training the next generation of therapists.
What were you like growing up?
As a child, Jeffrey was introspective and curious, often content to spend hours building, reading, or sketching fish inspired by his love of the ocean. Jacques Cousteau was an early hero, and he even joined the Junior Oceanographer Corps at Scripps Institute. Music quickly became another passion: he started on flute at eight, then taught himself bass guitar by ear at thirteen. By high school, he was playing semi-professionally in several popular bands, one of which earned an invitation to perform at Gazzarri’s in West Hollywood.
Art was also an important influence. Inspired by his father, Don Young, a talented and successful artist, Jeffrey spent many hours in art classes, though he sensed it would be hard to carve his own path in that field. School itself often took a back seat to music. He sometimes skipped classes to jam with friends, learning complex songs from Queen and Rush, and came dangerously close to not graduating. It took a straight-A senior year to secure his diploma.
College was a turning point. Starting at Mesa Community College and later transferring to UC Irvine, Jeffrey discovered that he could excel academically by pursuing subjects that sparked his interest. He initially intended to study psychobiology, but a growing fascination with ideas and meaning led him to philosophy. Inspired in part by the works of novelist-philosopher Ayn Rand, he changed majors late in his undergraduate career, adding an extra year but ultimately graduating cum laude in philosophy. It was a defining reinvention: a near-dropout who found his way to academic distinction by following curiosity and conviction.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sdrelationshipplace.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sdrelationshipplace
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-young-lmft-98110719/
- Youtube: @JeffreyYoungLMFT
