Carol has two sisters, and they are all close. The three of them share their lives, including talking about their husbands. Carol’s husband, Owen, takes issue when one of the sisters approaches him with a topic he never shared personally with the sister. When Owen shares something vulnerable with Carol, and she passes it along, he feels betrayed.

Emotional intimacy includes being able to share vulnerabilities with a partner. Owen expects Carol to hold his confidence. Owen perceives that Carol’s desire to share stories is more important than maintaining his trust.

Owen shared this many times previously but didn’t feel heard. Since this dynamic was putting their relationship at risk, Carol finally listened to the gravity of not sharing Owen’s vulnerable thoughts and feelings. She is now dedicated to maintaining his trust.