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The Breakup Trend That’s Basically the Opposite of Ghosting

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14.09.2026

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The Breakup Trend That’s Basically the Opposite of Ghosting

The approach centers on honesty, boundaries, and a clear final conversation instead of disappearing or dragging out the end.

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Instead of ghosting your soon-to-be ex-partner this spooky season, why not have an actual, respectful conversation like a mature adult?

This breakup tactic is so rare today that it actually has its own name: the “connected goodbye.” According to The New York Times, a “connected goodbye” is a healthier way to handle a breakup. Priya Parker, a conflict resolution facilitator, coined and defined “the connected goodbye” as “the refusal to allow the slow fade or the quiet exit,” as she wrote in her book, The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict.

What Is a ‘Connected Goodbye’?

According to Whitney Willborn, LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker at BasePoint BreakThrough, “A connected goodbye is when you intend for your relationship to be over and express that in a way so others can........

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