This isn’t the ideal romantic situation, since being able to express emotions with your partner is essential to building bonds, says marriage counselor Talal H. Alsaleem, PsyD, LMFT. “Emotional availability is one’s capacity, desire, and readiness for reciprocating vulnerability,” he says. Without that emotional openness, it’s almost impossible to really get to know someone. And if you can’t really get to know them, falling in love or creating a future together is going to prove tricky.