CNN reminds us, in light of the Congressman Anthony Wiener scandal, what makes an emotional affair.
Ian Kerner writes (excerpt):
In her seminal book on emotional infidelity, “Not Just Friends,” the late psychotherapist Shirley Glass implores readers to “maintain appropriate walls and windows. Keep the windows open at home. Put up privacy walls with others who could threaten your marriage.” She contends than an emotional affair is marked by three distinguishing qualities:
– Close friendship and emotional intimacy. [feeling of shared closeness and understanding]
– Sexual attraction. [feelings of attraction]
– Secrecy. Here’s where friendship and attraction cross the line into emotional cheating. In an emotional affair, each person stops sharing certain aspects of the friendship with his or her partner, and starts confiding more in the “friend” and less in his or her partner.