Dr. Tracy Identifies Couple's "Pretending" Habit on Family or Fiancé

Relationship History and Patterns

• 💍 Janae and Phillip are engaged after a year and a half of dating.
• 💔 Phillip has had serious relationships lasting 11 years and another significant one.
• ⏳ Janae was married for 17 years and was in another relationship for 7 years.

Janae's Conflict Avoidance

• 🗣️ Janae admits to shutting down and avoiding arguments by not talking for days in past relationships.
• 🚶‍♀️ She states she prefers to have her space and then initiate conversation when ready.
• 🚫 This pattern is now emerging in her relationship with Phillip.

Dr. Tracy's Analysis

• 🎭 Dr. Tracy identifies Janae's silent treatment as a form of “pretending” – pretending the issue isn't happening.
• ⚠️ She highlights that returning to the relationship and acting like nothing occurred is also a pretending habit.
• 💔 This cycle of avoidance and lack of repair is deemed unhealthy and unsustainable for marriage.

Couple's Reaction

• ✅ Janae acknowledges the truth in Dr. Tracy's assessment and recognizes the need to hear it.
• 🤝 Phillip agrees that they need to learn new ways to handle conflict.