Why this viral dating trend can leave partners questioning everything By Talker News Oct 1, 2026 5 hrs ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Photo by Vitaly Gariev via Pexels By Lauren WilkinA couples therapist is warning people that the "monkey branching" relationship trend can leave partners questioning what was real and what wasn't. × This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz2J=2 |6J6C[ 2 =:46?D65 E96C2A:DE 7C@> |24F?8:6[ !6??DJ=G2?:2[ H9@ DA64:2=:K6D :? C6=2E:@?D9:A 2EE249>6?E[ 6IA=2:?65i QV|@?<6J 3C2?49:?8V :D 2 A@A ADJ49@=@8J E6C> 7@C =:?:?8 FA 2 ?6H k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ab^_d^ad^86EE:?8\4962E65\@?\:?\C6=2E:@?D9:AD\>2J\EC:886C\2\7@C>\@7\AED5\6IA6CE^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmC@>2?E:4 C6=2E:@?D9:Ak^2m 367@C6 6?5:?8 E96 4FCC6?E @?6]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%9:D :D D:>:=2C E@ >@?<6JD DH:?8:?8 7C@> 3C2?49 E@ 3C2?49 \ E96J 5@?VE =6E 8@ @7 E96 4FCC6?E 3C2?49 F?E:= E96J 92G6 2?@E96C 3C2?49 H:E9:? E96:C C6249[Q D96 25565]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm(9:=6 E96 E6C> 92D 366? 4:C4F=2E:?8 D:?46 a_ad[ D62C496D 7@C V>@?<6J 3C2?49:?8V 92G6 C646?E=J DFC865[ H:E9 A6@A=6 E2<:?8 E@ D@4:2= >65:2 2?5 #655:E 7@C 25G:46 @? 9@H E@ 4@A6]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp?5 z2J=2 D2JD E92E 6G6? E9@F89 :EVD 2 4@>>@? A96?@>6?@?[ H6 D9@F=5?VE F?56C6DE:>2E6 E96 92C> :E 42? 5@]k^Am Photo by Monstera Production via Pexxels By Talker kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQV|@?<6J 3C2?49:?8V 42? 9FCE 3@E9 E96 4FCC6?E 2?5 ?6H A2CE?6C[Q D96 H2C?65]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%96 4FCC6?E A2CE?6C 42? 36 =67E 8C:6G:?8 E96 C6=2E:@?D9:A H9:=6 2=D@ BF6DE:@?:?8 H92E H2D C62= 2D E96 :?5:G:5F2= BF:4<=J 6?E6CD 2 ?6H C6=2E:@?D9:A]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%96 ?6H A2CE?6C >2J F?<?@H:?8=J 36 D6CG:?8 2D 2 q2?5\p:5 7@C A2:?7F= 766=:?8D @C 2 D@FC46 @7 G2=:52E:@? 2?5 C62DDFC2?46[ H:E9@FE C62=:K:?8 9@H >F49 E92E ?665 :D 5C:G:?8 E96 C6=2E:@?D9:A]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQu@C E96 A6CD@? >@G:?8 36EH66? A2CE?6CD[ E96 :>>65:2E6 C62DDFC2?46 42? >2<6 :E 62D:6C E@ 2G@:5 6I2>:?:?8 E96:C @H? C@=6 :? C6=2E:@?D9:A 5:77:4F=E:6D[ :?4C62D:?8 E96 C:D< @7 C6A62E:?8 E96>]k^Am More from this section Pa. SNAP maximum benefits and income limits rise Oct. 1 Global health research makes America richer and healthier Can Pretend Shopping Help You Spend Less? kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ|@?<6J 3C2?49:?8 42? 2==@H J@F E@ 492?86 A2CE?6CD H:E9@FE 492?8:?8 E96 H2J J@F 92?5=6 4=@D6?6DD[ 4@?7=:4E[ @C 5:D2AA@:?E>6?E]Qk^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz2J=2 D2JD D96 D66D E96 D2>6 C62D@?D 4@>:?8 FA E:>6 2?5 E:>6 282:? 7@C E9:D <:?5 @7 2EE249>6?E DEJ=6]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQu@C D@>6 A6@A=6[ D64FC:?8 2?@E96C C6=2E:@?D9:A 96=AD E96> 2G@:5 H92E 36:?8 2=@?6 3C:?8D FA[Q D96 6IA=2:?65]k^Am Photo by Timur Weber via Pexels By Talker kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQq6:?8 D:?8=6 >2J DE:C A2:?7F= 766=:?8D 23@FE E96:C H@CE9[ =@G23:=:EJ[ @C 23:=:EJ E@ 4@A6 @? E96:C @H?[Q 6IA=2:?D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]<2J=2>6J6C=A4]4@>^Qmz2J=2k^2m[ H9@ @H?D 2 AC:G2E6 AC24E:46 :? !6??DJ=G2?:2 E92E 96=AD A6@A=6 ?2G:82E6 C6=2E:@?D9:A 2?5 2EE249>6?E 492==6?86D]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQp ?6H C6=2E:@?D9:A 42? D6CG6 2D 2 q2?5\p:5i :E D@@E96D E9@D6 766=:?8D H:E9@FE ?646DD2C:=J 255C6DD:?8 H92EVD F?56C?62E9]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%9:D 42? 36 F?56CDE@@5 E9C@F89 E96 =6?D @7 2EE249>6?E 2?I:6EJ[ A2CE:4F=2C=J H96? D@>6@?6 C6=:6D 962G:=J @? C@>2?E:4 C62DDFC2?46 E@ 766= D64FC6]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQu@C @E96CD[ Q>@?<6J 3C2?49:?8Q 42? 766= =:<6 2? 62DJ H2J @FE H96? 2 C6=2E:@?D9:A 364@>6D >@C6 6>@E:@?2==J 56>2?5:?8]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ$@>6@?6 H9@ DECF88=6D H:E9 GF=?6C23:=:EJ >2J EFC? E@H2C5 2 ?6H A6CD@? H96? E96:C 4FCC6?E C6=2E:@?D9:A C6BF:C6D 5:77:4F=E 4@?G6CD2E:@?D[ 4@?7=:4E C6A2:C[ @C 566A6C :?E:>24J]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQp ?6H C6=2E:@?D9:A @776CD 6I4:E6>6?E 2?5 4@??64E:@? 367@C6 :E 42CC:6D E9@D6 D2>6 56>2?5D] %96J >2J H2?E E96 C62DDFC2?46 @7 92G:?8 D@>6@?6 H:E9@FE E96 GF=?6C23:=:EJ @7 36:?8 7F==J <?@H?]Qk^AmkA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz2J=2 6IA=2:?D E92E E96D6 2C6 ;FDE A@DD:3=6 6IA=2?2E:@?D[ ?@E 6I4FD6D]k^Am Originally published on talker.news, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Tags Lauren Wilkin Recommended for you Most Popular Wife charged with murder of husband Inclement weather causing football games to move Councilor Young denies BOE accusations Preplanned littering in New Site a nuisance Resident wants first option if city property is put up for sale Local Weather Currently in Alexander City 85° Sunny88° / 64° 6 PM 84° 7 PM 80° 8 PM 77° 9 PM 75° 10 PM 74°
