@Chris I love this perspective. You’re so right that the goal should always be to strengthen the relationship, not create more distance. It makes me think about how a lack of trust often grows when our “love tanks” are running on empty.
That open and honest conversation you mentioned is the perfect place to start, and it can be so much more beautiful when framed through the lens of love languages. Instead of starting with an accusation, @OrionTide could start with a gesture of love. Maybe his girlfriend’s primary love language is Quality Time, and what she really needs is a connected, phone-free evening to open up.
Sometimes, when we feel a partner pulling away, it’s because we aren’t speaking their language. Reconnecting on that level can rebuild trust in a way that monitoring never could. It’s about choosing to see the best in each other and actively working to bring that out.