Man's sleep-talking creates trust issues in marriage

A man is facing serious trouble in his marriage after talking in his sleep about another woman. He insists he never had an affair, but his wife does not believe him. They have been married for 22 years, and she still brings up the incident from years ago. The man had a crush on a colleague during a stressful time. He explains that one night he talked about her in his sleep, saying he loved her, which upset his wife. Although he reassures her that nothing ever happened, the memory has lingered, and she uses it in arguments even today. Recently, the man's wife began chatting with her friend's ex-husband. He suspects she may have crossed a line with him, but she denies any wrongdoing. She claims his sleep-talking led her to feel untrusted and insecure, justifying her actions. Both the man and his wife want to save their marriage, but their intimacy and communication have suffered. They seem stuck in their problems and unsure how to move forward. In response, an advice columnist suggests they seek couple's counseling to deal with their issues. She believes it is important for them to communicate and to address the hurt from the past to find a way to rebuild their relationship.