How Dissociation Shows Up in Couples Therapy: When One Partner Stops Feeling
Emotionally, dissociation often shows up as numbness or blankness—but in couples therapy, it affects both people. When one partner disconnects emotionally, the other can feel stranded, frustrated, or invisible.
At our North Sydney practice, we work with couples to navigate this complexity with compassion, skill, and attuned repair.
Partner A Withdraws Emotionally... while Partner B Feels Alone
This dynamic can make the partner whose emotions are present feel:
Helpless or rejected
Confused: “What happened?”
Angry or resentful for perceived abandonment
It may also trigger re-traumatization if emotional neglect has happened before.
In Therapy, We Do Three Things
Help the dissociating partner learn language for what they’re feeling (or not feeling)
Help the present partner feel seen without needing emotional labor from the other
Co-create rituals or signals that allow reconnection when dissociation happens
Repair doesn't mean forcing emotion. It means holding space before connection is expected—and returning gently after disconnection.
North Sydney Support for Emotional Distance in Relationships
If your connection frequently dissolves into silence or numbness, that doesn’t need to become the norm. Couples therapy can help you create new ways to stay emotionally present—even when it’s hard.
Book a session
We offer gentle, trauma-informed couples therapy in North Sydney and online.
