As a relationship therapist, I’ve seen heartbreak unfold not with yelling or accusations but with quiet indifference. Partners drift apart, sometimes so subtly that one person doesn’t realize it until the other has emotionally checked out. The tragedy? Often, the signs were there all along, begging to be noticed.

Take Ada and Kyle, for instance. Ada sat across from me, her voice a mix of sadness and frustration. “I just don’t understand what happened. Kyle used to be so present, but now it feels like I’m living with a roommate instead of a partner.” Kyle shrugged, avoiding eye contact. “I don’t know, maybe we just grew apart,” he muttered. Ada was blindsided, but Kyle had been emotionally withdrawing for months.

This slow erosion of connection can feel like betrayal, especially when one partner doesn’t see it coming. But, the truth is, distance rarely happens overnight. I call this the 3-D Effect, described in my book, Why Can't You Read My Mind? What........

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