Just over a month ago I interviewed Hilary Duff in person for a Sick Kids' event. And of course I had to ask her about her Canadian husband, Mike Comrie. I've got to say she sounded like a woman completely in love with her man. But yesterday, Hilary and Mike announced they were separating. I was shocked. She had the biggest smile during our interview when talking about him. And she didn't seem like a celebrity lying through her teeth. But maybe she was a woman trying to hide her pain? I decided to re-read my interview with her and realized there were signs that all was not well. Hilary said what attracted her to Mike was that he was really down to earth. But she kept saying "was" For example,  "I feel like he was really down to earth...I was really attracted to that quality." It's such a small detail but the fact that she used "was" says to me that these feelings were in the past. Maybe Mike isn't that down to earth guy any more or maybe Hilary just isn't attracted to him any more. This would make sense since when Hilary's publicist announced the separation to People magazine, the statement said  "They remain best friends."  Maybe Hilary and Mike just fell out of love with each other. I wouldn't be surprised if that's what happened. It happens to many couples. You've been together for a couple of years and the sparks start to fade. You end up as friends more than lovers.  It's sad when this happens, especially when kids are involved, like Hilary and Mike's nearly two-year-old son Luca.  A source told People that there separation wasn't a "rash decision." "It's something [Hilary] thought through." This statement made me think more about my interview with Hilary. She told me she was in Toronto for a girls' weekend and had left Luca back in Los Angeles while she enjoyed some mommy downtime. I can't help but wonder if Hilary used this time to think about her marriage. And I'm sure she talked it out with her girlfriends during those few days in Toronto. Having friends to lean on during rough times in your marriage is key. They can help you forget about your troubles, be there for you to rant to and of course be a shoulder to cry on. It's sometimes quite hard to admit you r relationship is in trouble , but it's also so therapeutic to finally share how you're feeling. I hope Hilary is getting lots of support during this time and that this latest celebrity split remains amicable. But I've got to say after re-evaluating my interview with Hilary, I think there were signs her relationship had hit a rough spot. How do you deal with problems in your romantic relationship? Photo courtesy of  GeeJo/Wikimedia Commons