Steve was relatively quiet and generally didn’t share a lot. Abby was slightly more verbal but felt disconnected from Steve. Abby shared something in our couples counseling session, and Steve didn’t respond. Within seconds, they were disconnected again. 

I told Steve he needed to respond, and that his silence had created a disconnection. Even a simple “OK” would suffice, as long as he truly heard what Abby shared. 

It’s important for couples to share back and forth until the conversation reaches a natural conclusion. In Steve’s case, his silence dropped the conversation. Any acknowledgment keeps the conversation and connection alive.