About Marie Thouin, PhD

My passion is love, and my mission is to help others navigate dating & relationships with a growth mindset and joyous heart. 

My Story

In my teens, I was the most socially awkward person ever.

I was called a “nerd” and a “loser” by my peers. As an only child, I did not have the street smarts to defend myself against constant teasing and bullying; and I certainly did not have the social capital to be “chosen” as someone’s girlfriend.

This experience of intense rejection brought a dark cloud over me. I became angry, disillusioned, and lonely. Life was hell: I shut my heart and body down, and hid up in my head to run away from the pain I was feeling.

Little did I know at the time, that these years of emotional pain would bring about some of the biggest GIFTS I would ever receive!

1) Not having the option of “fitting in” forced me to give up on ever fitting in. What a RELIEF! I was freed from the tyranny of normalcy early in life, so I went off to carve my own path.

2) Not being able to give and receive love freely opened my eyes to the importance and value of love. I will NEVER take friendship or intimacy for granted. Loneliness taught me to create, honor, and cherish love, and treat it with reverence—not as something owed to me, but as the most precious gift of all.

3) After shutting down my heart and body for many years, opening back up became a conscious CHOICE.

Overcoming social awkwardness, going towards people, and trusting myself & others were not a “default state” for me.

The experience of saying YES to relationships, in spite of the vulnerability and fears, freed me from old resentments and anger. I was able to move back into my body and heart.

I chose to fall in love with LIFE again, after resenting it for so long.

This CHOICE—and my continued commitment to a healing path of radical love—allowed me to nurture the best friendships I could dream of, and later get married to a gorgeous and caring human.

This experience, above anything else, is what allows me to guide others on this path today!

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My Philosophy

I started Love InSight because I believe that bringing more love, joy, and consciousness in our relationships is the fastest way to change our entire lives AND the world!

At the individual level, dating & relationships illuminate the places where we have shut down our hearts to love. When we come face-to-face with these difficult moments through real-life experience, we have a rich opportunity to learn from our challenges instead of staying stuck in old patterns. Thus, practicing mindful dating & relationships can be a gateway to personal and spiritual growth, bringing more freedom and fulfillment in every area of our lives.

At the collective level, every time we experience deep authentic love with another person, we create a vibration of peace, harmony, and transformation that is automatically making the world a better place for everyone. Learning the dating & relationship skills we need to thrive (clear communication, boundaries, vulnerability, intimacy, etc.) can create a healthier paradigm of human connection at the global level.

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What I bring to the table:

• PhD in East-West Psychology, with a focus on intimate relationships (check out my academic work and my CV);

• A safe, shame-free, & non-judgmental space for you to bring ALL of yourself—including sexual concerns, insecurities, fears, body image issues, or any other areas that you are experiencing emotional pain around;

• Personal experience with hundreds of dates and overcoming social awkwardness—you’ll learn from my experiences!

• Over two decades of healing & self-discovery work with mentors & coaches;

• Extensive knowledge of online dating: creating profiles, selecting sites & apps, and strategy;

• My approach focuses on celebrating and supporting the authentic self, as well as the expression of diverse, traditional and non-traditional relationships including consensual non-monogamy (see my work on compersion here).

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