“When I suggested to Ben that he could try opening up to Alexa, given how supportive she was, he told me he thought he should be more self-reliant, saying, “I should be able to weather this on my own. Isn’t it up to me to meet my own emotional needs?” What a lonely thought. I told Ben that we all need other people to meet our emotional needs for comfort and closeness. That’s what relationships are all about.”