Note: This post is part of a series of true stories of clients who came to The Couples Center for marriage counseling. Identifying information has been changed to protect their privacy.

After a hard year dealing with a health issue, a woman and her partner, both in their late 40s, arrived at The Couples Center to address what she described as his “distance and disconnection” from her. At this point, she said, she even suspected him of cheating. He seemed surprised by her accusations, telling me that he’s remained loyal to her and, although the past year has been difficult for them, he loves her and has always been by her side. Distraught, they hoped marriage counseling could help them understand what was happening.