Bridgerton & Couples Counseling: A Session with Duke & Daphne

Bridgerton and Relationship Communication: What Daphne and the Duke Get So Wrong

A Couples Therapist Breaks Down Miscommunication, Expectations, and Emotional Disconnect in the Hit Netflix Romance

If you’ve ever watched Daphne and Simon spiral through miscommunication, emotional shutdowns, and “wait, you didn’t tell me you didn’t want kids?” moments—then you already know. This couple needs therapy. 

As a couples therapist, I couldn’t help but notice all the ways they were missing each other. And spoiler: it’s not just about plot twists. It’s about unspoken expectations, emotional avoidance, and a total lack of communication skills in their marriage.

If they were in my office, here’s where we’d start:

  • Unpacking unrealistic relationship expectations

  • Naming and expressing emotional needs

  • Learning healthy conflict resolution skills

  • Getting clear about parenting decisions and shared values

The biggest red flag? They were trying to meet each other’s needs without ever actually talking about them. That’s how resentment builds. That’s how connection dies.

In this video, I break down:

Why Daphne and the Duke’s love story is a communication cautionary tale

What emotional misattunement really looks like (spoiler: it’s not just dramatic music and carriage rides)

How you can apply real couples therapy tools to fictional and real-life relationship patterns

Where are they missing each other? And how can we stop doing the same thing in our own relationships?

👇🏽 Hit play below. Let’s talk Bridgerton—therapist style.


Tina Shrader