‘Married At First Sight’ Season 3 Spoilers: One Couple Agrees To Avoid A Sexual Relationship In Episode 8 [RECAP]

Communication is important for all married couples. The “Married at First Sight” couples have only a few weeks to figure it out. Dr. Joseph Cilona, a psychologist, stopped by to talk to the couples and realized they all need to communicate certain things more clearly. While it led one couple to feeling closer, another seemed further apart than ever in Season 3, episode 8.

Tres and Vanessa

Vanessa Nelson isn’t in a good mood, but she refuses to talk to Tres Russell about it. They talk to Dr. Joseph Cilona about how closed off she is. Vanessa explains that her difficulty communicating is rooted in fear. Her father leaving her left her with a lot of issues that she’ll have to work through. Tres doesn’t know all that much about Vanessa’s father, but he understands that it has deeply affected her.

Vanessa brings Tres to her mother’s house so Tres can understand her upbringing a little more. Vanessa’s mother shows off baby pictures and gives him a little insight. She explains that Vanessa kind of goes into a “shutdown mode” where she just won’t open up, and her trust issues aren’t just with him. She has difficulty opening up to most people, even her family.

Robbie and Ashley, Vanessa’s friends, are an engaged couple who offer the newlyweds some advice. They say that trust builds over time and they have to find ways to communicate.

Tres asks Vanessa to talk to him about her father. “It made me really want just a strong marriage,” she explains. Vanessa wants a husband who is very different from her father. She wants a partner who is focused on family and wants to create a solid foundation. Tres says that’s what he wants and thanks her for opening up to him.

David and Ashley

David Norton is upset that he still hasn’t kissed his wife. He vents to his friends and says he looks at the watch Ashley Doherty gave him on their wedding day whenever he gets frustrated. “The best time is yet to come” is engraved on it, and David has to believe that.

David goes out of town for work, and Ashley wants to make sure she checks in with him throughout the trip. It’s their first time spending the night apart. David misses his wife. While Ashley is alone, she tries to do some spouse duties like laundry and cleaning. Even though she isn’t ready to be physical with her husband, she says she still wants to take on the typical wifely role.

When David sees that Ashley did his laundry, he gives her a hug. However, Ashley’s dog starts barking and ruins the moment, much to David’s dismay.

Ashley is introduced to several of David’s friends when they host a barbecue. He hopes that his wife and his friends bond. She likes his buddies, and David hopes this means they’re headed in a good direction.

Dr. Joseph comes over, and Ashley is a little nervous. She talks to him alone first and explains she still isn’t feeling attracted to her husband. Dr. Joseph reminds her that she said she put too much emphasis on physical attraction in past relationships, but Ashley thought that attraction would grow by now. Ashley hasn’t told her husband this because she is too afraid to hurt David’s feelings. She doesn’t even think they act like a newly dating couple, let alone a married couple.

The psychologist has Ashley explain to David that he isn’t physically the type of person that she dates. She is upset that she isn’t attracted to him, and David is a little hurt. Dr. Joseph asks David to put their physical relationship on the back burner so they can stop worrying about their sexual attraction and work on other parts of their relationship.

Neil and Sam

Sam Role’s job transferred her to a different location, so she and Neil Bowlus are temporarily moving to her old house. Sam is happy, but Neil is concerned. It’s small, and Sam has a roommate, Sammie. Neil doesn’t even have a key right away, so he feels like a guest. Neil wants to move quickly into a new house.

When Neil voices his opinion, Sam is upset that he didn’t say that earlier. Neil says he’ll look for houses all day and night if he has to, and Sam comments that his deep commitment to house hunting is definitely fake. “I learn from the best,” Neil jokes.

Unfortunately, his wife doesn’t find it funny. She gets angry and storms off. Sam tells him to “get out” so Neil leaves the house. Neil explains to the cameras that it was a joking jab, much like she does to him. Neil goes back to the house later, and Sam has calmed down. They agree to sleep at their separate houses, but they promise it’ll just be a few days.

Dr. Joseph visits them and discusses their living situation. The psychologist points out that they have very different communication methods, and they need to meet in the middle. He suggests they come up with something Sam can say when she feels too stressed during conversations with Neil. It’ll allow her to walk away before blowing up and come back to the conversation with a clear head.

Later, Neil plans Sam’s birthday celebration, and he brings her to a dinner theater. Sam gets a small part in the performance, and she is happy that he planned such a fun night. She thinks he really understands her and they seem like they're in a good place after their fight.

“Married at First Sight” Season 3 airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST on FYI.