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“An emotional affair doesn’t necessarily mean sexual attraction, therapists say.”

“A friendship can slide into emotional infidelity when you keep it a secret from your spouse and prioritize the relationship over your marriage, says Galena Rhoades, a couples therapist and research professor of psychology at the University of Denver, who studies infidelity. You take time away from your spouse to connect with the other person, for example, or share confidences that you would normally share with your spouse.”

“Eventually, she left her marriage—not to be with her ex, but because their relationship helped her imagine something better, she says. “I could be stronger and funnier and brighter, and that is what helped me leave,” says McMasters.”