#16: Cassandra Syndrome and Undiagnosed Autism in Marriage - South of Normal | Lyssna här

Feeling emotionally alone in your marriage can be devastating, especially when love is still there but connection feels gone. In this episode, Jheri talks about Cassandra Syndrome, a relationship dynamic that often appears when autism goes undiagnosed and one partner is neurotypical. Drawing from her professional work with neurodiverse couples and her own lived experience in a neurodivergent marriage, Jheri explains why autistic partners are frequently misread as cold or indifferent, why neurotypical partners feel chronically unseen, and why traditional therapy often misses the real issue. This conversation reframes emotional disconnection as a neurological mismatch rather than a character flaw and shows how understanding autism can replace blame with clarity and restore connection.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(01:06) What Is Cassandra Syndrome

(02:23) How Autism Gets Misread as Emotional Absence

(04:58) Signs You’re Stuck in a Cassandra Dynamic

(06:42) What Changes After Autism Is Identified

(09:58) Living This Inside My Own Marriage

Have you ever felt emotionally alone in your marriage even though love is still present? Leave your answers in the comments.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(01:06) What Is Cassandra Syndrome

(02:03) How Autism Gets Misread as Emotional Absence