Conscious Uncoupling: What Gwyneth Paltrow Calls a Separation

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow announced her split from Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin after a 10-year marriage on her website, titling the post "conscious uncoupling," which has brought the highfalutin term to the mainstream. 

"It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate," Paltrow wrote in the "Conscious Uncoupling" post on Tuesday. "We have been working hard for well over a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible between us, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much we will remain separate. We are, however, and always will be a family, and in many ways we are closer than we have ever been."

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While the term "conscious uncoupling" prompted some to scratch their heads and others to make snarky remarks, it is a term used by psychologists.

"But as I scrolled down, I quickly realized that 'conscious uncoupling' is not just a Gwyneth-ism or a Goop-ism," Elle's Natalie Matthews wrote. "Conscious uncoupling is very much a thing, one that's been around for years, though under the radar — well, until now. Leave it to GP to always be the first to introduce any and every new-age lifestyle tip and trick we never knew we needed, even during what must be a painful and tragic time."

Dr. Habib Sadeghi, founder of Be Hive of Healing, an integrative health center based in Los Angeles, and his wife Dr. Sherry Sami explained what conscious uncoupling means on the Goop website.

"Conscious uncoupling is the ability to understand that every irritation and argument (within a marriage) was a signal to look inside ourselves and identify a negative internal object that needed healing," the pair wrote. "From this perspective, there are no bad guys, just two people. It's about people as individuals, not just the relationship."

The post brought on criticism from some, such as Daniel D'Addario of Salon.com. 

"(Paltrow) consistently fulfills the ideal of what a Hollywood star might act like if she opened up to the public, providing a gratuitously satisfying look inside the delusions of Hollywood," D'Addario wrote. "That she thinks she has the common touch despite being born into Hollywood royalty and having the time and means to spend all day focusing on her appearance and personal comfort is by far the funniest thing about Paltrow. And her tips about divorce are as cluelessly airheaded in exactly the same way."

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