Wonderful article and insights. There is a world of difference between talking about vulnerability, almost like we're complaining but framing it in a way that seems vulnerable, and showing how we 'survived' or thrived, etc. But the other kind of vulnerability address things we don't even want to look at, yet the cognitive dissonance is real. Such as situations, when someone knows a certain thing isn't working, yet on the surface it might seem like it's working (with a few tweaks here and there). Noticing the discrepancy between how we act and how we feel is the start of addressing our real vulnerability, such as your husband pointing our that you hate your job, but don't behave like that. Because of uncertainty and fear of how we will be perceived for addressing these issues, it's easier to stay protected in 'pseudo' vulnerability'. Thanks for sharing this great story throwing light on an important topic.