Dealing with Emotional Disconnection in Marriage

I don’t think I’m overstating things when I say that most men have trouble opening up emotionally. Guys put up walls around their feelings for lots of reasons, but the consequence is always the same. They’re disconnected from deeper, more meaningful experiences with their spouse, children, and friends.

Men don’t usually use the word “disconnected” to describe themselves (we prefer descriptors like “lone wolf” or the “strong, silent type”), but as Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” A disconnected man is one who is unaware that he is nonrelational, distant, and emotionally unavailable.

The depth and authenticity of a relationship is directly connected to how emotionally transparent two people are with each other. Emotionally disconnected men – and the women who are married to them – can discover new life in their relationship. Author Jim Turner and I are discussing how emotionally disconnected men can learn to open up even when it feels painful or awkward on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly.

Jim says, “A disconnected man is like a lion dropped into an ocean. He is powerful in his own environment on land, but helpless in a watery one. He might be able to swim for a while, but he cannot make sense of his surroundings. He will eventually flail around in frustration, then withdraw, and then give up.”

How do you prevent that in your marriage?

Hear my full conversation with Jim on your local radio station, online, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, via Google Podcasts, or listen on our free phone app.

Jim Turner’s book The Disconnected Man: Breaking Down Walls and Restoring Intimacy with Him is available for a gift of any amount. Click here for more information or give us a call at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).