Anyone in a relationship can attest to the fact that, when you are on the receiving end of someone’s defensive behavior, the impact is that you don’t feel seen, heard, or understood. However, the negative impact of defensiveness extends beyond the destruction it can wreak on your relationships; defensiveness can keep you arrested in an emotionally immature version of yourself because defensiveness interrupts your ability to listen to your partner and to take in the reflection of the person closest to you.