India, Dec. 6 -- Relationship therapists say emotional safety has quietly become one of the clearest signs of whether a couple stays close or starts drifting. It seems simple - feel safe, feel seen, feel understood - but getting there usually takes a bunch of imperfect, real-life work. At its core, emotional safety is the relief of being yourself with someone without tightening up or waiting for judgment.

When that space opens up, people drop the mask. They speak honestly. They let the rough edges show. And the moment one person feels safe enough to do that, the other usually follows, which is where real connection starts to take shape.

Brene Brown, author and research professor of social work at the University of Houston, told Psychcen...