Dealing With Break-Ups |

  

Is your marriage in crisis? You need to act now and stop putting your head in the sand. Your problems are likely to become a lot worse if you neglect them. If your relationship is worth saving, putting some effort in now will be worth it in the long run; even if it makes you uncomfortable.

Not sure how to tackle your problems? All marriages go through rough spots but with a little bit of effort, respect and understanding most can be saved. All you need is the know how. How do you find that? Well you could book both of you in for some relationship counseling. But some people cannot talk to strangers so are better off taking advice from an internet dating site or better yet purchasing a course designed to help them save their marriage.

Is it worth the effort? Well only you can answer that but I am guessing that if you married this person, you loved them once and probably still do. Real life often gets in the way of our relationships. We are so busy running around trying to please our family, our boss and our friends that often our partner gets forgotten. That is a huge mistake. Your other half should always be number one on your priority list. You cannot have a great marriage unless both of you appreciate the other person and show this appreciation on a regular basis.

Often when couples start bickering it is a sign that both of them are frustrated. Making love may have become a distant memory. Sex may be a little word but it is very important to maintain intimate relations in any relationship. It is the glue that will hold both of you together. It may not be the same as it was in the early days when you first met but true intimacy develops over time and with a little patience and practice you can recapture that lost magic.

Communication is vital to make any partnership work but particularly a marriage. It is too easy to assume you know what your other half is doing or thinking. He or she may be under pressure at work or be concerned about the state of the economy and how it will impact on your life. They may be distracted but it doesn’t mean that they have fallen out of love with you. It also doesn’t mean that they have been unfaithful or are looking to leave your life.

So why not get a sitter for your kids and ask your partner out on a date. Go to a restaurant and sit down and chat. Don’t talk about your kids, your finances or your family members. Pretend you have just met and are trying to impress each other. Slowly but surely you can revive that spark between you and working together can resolve any issues that are causing your problems.

Hopefully you will soon realize that rather than having your marriage in crisis, you can have a happy relationship with your current partner.

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In many states, all a husband or wife has to do to end the relationship is state to the court that there are “irreconcilable differences” and the court will grant the divorce. But, in any marriage, there should be irreconcilable differences. The best way to save marriage is to embrace the conflict that is inherent in a close partnership between two people.

We often think of divorcing couples as the ones who screamed at each other all of the time. But if these couples can communicate their needs through elevated voices, they are actually doing better than the couple that avoids all conflict at the cost of expressing their needs and beliefs.

It is these silent couples who need to save marriage through embracing conflict.

While no one is suggesting that emotional and verbal abuse is a good thing for a relationship, couples who don’t acknowledge that there are problems and differences are actually more likely to split up according to Dr. John Gottman, a researcher who runs the Love Lab.

So, if you want to save a marriage, you need to learn how to communicate and express your differences. Here are some tips for communication in marriage:

· Allow enough time for proper communication. If you are not spending enough time together to air your differences and share your strengths, you will find your relationship is in trouble. Work on building couple’s time back into your life. For instance, make a point of eating dinner together several times a week or going out on a date very week.

· Really listen when your partner speaks. It is amazing how much we tune out our partners. He or she may be telling you what you need to know. But, if you are not listening, it is all in vain.

· Find out why your partner is annoyed. When your husband or wife is being particularly grumpy, find out what is really going on. Sometimes, it may be that you have done something that has annoyed them. Other times, it may be that something completely unrelated has occurred. But you won’t know unless you ask.

· Get inside his or her world. As couples begin to drift apart, they start to live in separate worlds. When you make an attempt to get inside his or her world, you may just save the marriage.

· Stop judging. Express what needs you have and listen to your spouse’s needs. But, don’t be quick to judge or criticize.

· Be honest. One of the biggest problems for people who don’t like conflict is that they can’t be honest about what they want and need. When you start to express honest opinions about things, you will begin to save marriage.

Marriage is hard work. But, if it is worth it to you to save marriage, you will do the work. That means more communication, and yes, more conflict.

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If your relationship is in trouble, you might want to consider counseling to help save marriage. Your marriage is the central point in your life. All of your other relationships – with children, with family, and with friends – revolve around the marriage axis. Therefore, there is a need to help save marriage.

How do you know if marriage counseling is right for you? If you have any of these problems, you might want to consider counseling to help save your marriage:

· Infidelity
· Communication
· Conflict
· Work-Life Balance
· Problems with Children
· Blended Family Issues
· Family Violence
· Substance Abuse

A family counselor or therapist will be able to help you to enhance your family relationship by helping you to explore effective communication techniques, conflict resolution solutions, and other kinds of “coping skills” that will make your family work better. A therapist can also help you work on resolving deep issues that have carried over from childhood traumas.

So, how to you choose a family therapist? Well, you should know that you don’t have to pick the first one you call. It is perfectly acceptable to interview three to five counselors before deciding which therapist will work best for you and your spouse.

Some of the questions you might want to ask include:

· Have you worked with couples experiencing the difficulties we’re having?
· What should I expect from counseling?
· What are your treatment methods?
· What are your prices?

You can find the names of therapists by asking for referrals from friends or family members who have tried counseling themselves. There are also referral services set up by non-profit boards who can give you the name or names of licensed professionals.

If you do not get a satisfactory number of referrals, you might want to check out therapist’s sites on the internet. When the yellow pages was the only source of advertising for therapists, the consumer would get little more than a name and a phone number. But now, a counselor’s site can include a resume, articles he or she has written, and a description of their practice. You will be able to get an idea of how a therapist will work from his or her web site.

You do want to make sure that the therapist you choose is licensed. Some therapists have what is known as a MFT (Marriage & Family Therapist License) which can only be obtained after a therapist completes both a master’s degree in Psychology and 1500 hours of internship work under another licensed therapist. Other acceptable licenses include the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), Ph.D or Psy.D. (Psychologist with a doctorate degree) and M.D. (Psychiatrist.)

You want to choose a licensed professional because there are educational, internship, and practice standards that must be maintained to retain the license. “Relationship coaches” and others with similar names do not have similar obligations.

Different counselors have different payment options. Some offer sliding scale fees while others are able to take insurance.

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Divorces are at an all time high. Sometimes it seems that it’s easier to get a divorce than to get married.

People get hurt in divorce. The parties are forever scarred. Children, if there are any, never get over the hurt. Knowing this, you may be wondering “How do I stop my divorce?”

There are three steps to stopping a divorce.

The first thing that you have to realize is that saying you’ve changed does not mean you really have changed. If you are the person who is at fault in the relationship, it’s not enough to give lip service to the idea of change.

If you have been having affairs, for instance, it is going to take time for your partner to believe that you are no longer going back to your wandering ways. It is not enough to tell your partner that you’re not stepping out anymore. You will have to take concrete actions. As an example, you may need to allow your partner to “monitor” your activities by checking in with him or her on a frequent basis. If your job requires you to travel, you may have to look for a new job that keeps you close to home.

Other things besides affairs can mess up a relationship. For instance, if the wife’s spending habits are causing money problems which weaken the marriage, she may have to commit to cutting up the credit cards and living on a cash allowance. If the husband’s work habits keep him away from home too often, he may have to commit to being home by 6:30 every night no matter what. At the crux of this step is what is the most important thing in your life? If it is your marriage, you will make the necessary changes. But don’t just give lip service to them. Actions speak louder than words.

The next step is to avoid using emotional blackmail if you want to stop your divorce. Recognize that love is NOT enough to save your marriage. Telling your partner, “but I love you” in the heat of an argument will not win you any points. When you say “I love you” at inappropriate times, your partner is forced to say “I love you, BUT…” this weakens the emotional tie that love has between you.

Use the powerful “I love you” message when your wounds are mended, not at the heat of an argument.

You can’t use logic or guilt to change your partner’s mind. Arguing like this will only involve a spiraling argument. If you feel you must win, then you will lose.

Finally, don’t think that you can win an argument. Some people like to use their superior logic or argumentative skills to “prove” they are right and their partner is wrong. This may work in a formally scored debate, but in a marriage (which is scored on emotions not facts) it’s sure to fail. Instead of arguing, solve the problem. If your spouse brings up a fault in you, discuss possible solutions rather than argue back.

Are you wondering how to “stop my divorce?” Start by following the “stop my divorce” advice I’ve laid out in this article.

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Statistically speaking, nearly sixty percent of marriages fail. Many couples are looking into ways to avoid becoming that statistic. Although some marriages cannot be fixed, many can.  It takes dedication and determination on the part of both the husband and the wife to help save their marriage, regardless of what the underlying problems are or who is at fault.

The following are some effective tips to help save marriage.  However, for these to work, both the husband and wife must be committed to following these guidelines and work together to solve their differences.

1. Communicate. This is absolutely essential for making a marriage work and last.  You both must clearly state how you feel, your opinions, your wants and needs to each other.  By discovering what each of you feel is wrong in your marriage, you can work towards a solution.

2. Keep calm. When you are having problems in your marriage it is easy to get upset. Try to approach your problems with a level head and voice. Being hurtful or disrespectful to your spouse will not help the situation.

3. Compromise. It takes two in a marriage, so both of your views must be respected. If you give a little, you may get a lot and be happier.

4. Set goals. Goals give you direction. Make sure to set goals in your marriage that reflect both of your views and determine what you both need to do to get there.

5. Be patient. It takes time to work on problems in a marriage. Make sure that you are patient with your spouse as well as with yourself as you work towards fixing problems. Rushing to fix things can have an adverse effect.

6. Forgive and forget. Depending on your situation, this can be difficult, especially if your partner was unfaithful. If you want to save your marriage in spite of their infidelity, you will have to try and forgive them so that you can work together to preserve your marriage. Forgetting about what they have done may not be easy either. If you want to move on, it is essential that you are not dwelling on the past. Focus on the here and now and what you can both can do today to make your marriage better.

7. Get counseling. If you cannot work out your differences, counseling can help.  A good counselor can help you with guidance, support, encouragement and give you unbiased views that can give you insight on how to correct the problems in your marriage. They can help you find the right solutions and methods based on what is best for you as a couple for the problems that are being faced.

It is very important that you both agree to counseling and intend to take an active role in your sessions for counseling to be an effective tool for help in your marriage. When choosing a counselor, make sure that they are licensed professionals and that you feel comfortable working with them.

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Every marriage goes through ups and downs.  A number of marriages also go through times of severe turmoil, such as deaths in the family, chronic illnesses, unfaithfulness, or national disasters.  Some marriages hold strong during any ups and downs; others begin to crumble.  For any marriage in crisis, however, marital counseling can help.

Each couple’s marriage is, of course, unique.  Therefore, the way in which that couple deals with problems and issues will be unique.  However, there are several signs which are common to all marriages–signs which point toward trouble brewing in the relationship.  The earlier a couple begins to recognize the signs, the earlier the couple can begin marriage counseling.  And, the sooner the couple starts counseling, the better the couple’s chances of saving their marriage.

Here are the common warning signs of a marriage that is likely headed toward crisis:

• The couple bickers, nags, and nitpicks a great deal.

• The couple doesn’t fight fairly.

• The couple tends to spend a good deal of time apart, doing activities separately because that is more fun than spending time together.

• The couple doesn’t talk about problems together.  One member of the couple may be unaware of household issues or problems with the children that the other couple member handles, for instance.

• The couple no longer agrees on long-term goals and values, either for themselves or for the family as a whole.

• The couple has a low level of intimacy–or none.

• The couple doesn’t talk much.  The two members of the couple may be unaware of significant events or happenings at each other’s workplaces, for example.

Marriage counseling can help couples who are having any of the above issues.  Counseling can also assist couples who are in crisis for other reasons.  There is no reason for a couple to stay in an unhappy marriage; yet people who head straight for separation or divorce without trying to first make the marriage work through the use of marital counseling may be throwing in the towel without giving their marriage a fair chance.

Professional marriage counselors have experience in working with couples who have gone through all types of difficulties.  Counselors can assist couples in dealing with infidelity, spending issues, problems with family and children, differences in faith, and much more.

Couples who attend marriage counseling learn the following:

• How to resolve conflict through effective listening

• How to state needs clearly and openly without anger or resentment

• How to get what is needed in the relationship without making demands

• How to work through unresolved issues in the marriage

• How to understand the needs of both members of the couple–and how to meet those needs

Marriage counseling works best if couples go as soon as they begin having problems in their marriage.  A marriage in crisis can be helped with marital counseling; however, if a couple waits too long to seek counseling, their chances of saving their marriage may not be as great.

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No one goes into their marriage wanting to fail. Many couples dont want divorce because they believe that it equals failure. New facts and figures now state that if divorce is not considered when problems arise in a marriage that couples can resolve their issues and have a stronger marriage.

If you are having problems and are considering divorce, make sure to try to find alternatives that promote fixing the problems via open and truthful communication or marriage counseling. This is preferable over the pain and effort involved in divorcing your spouse.

When others hear that you are having marriage trouble, many couples get unsolicited advice from friends and coworkers that they really dont want. Divorce to others can be seen as a quick fix when in truth it can simply add to your problems rather than fixing them. While you appreciate the support and advice offered by your friends, keep in mind that this is your marriage, not theirs.

By looking at statistics, 80 percent of surveyed couples who at one time considered divorce and subsequently decided not to go through with it claimed to be happily married years later. This can be explained by two possible outcomes. The first is that the couples who previously were considering divorce decided to deal with their problems directly. In doing so, it not only acknowledged their problems but it may have resulted in their finding effective solutions that saved their marriage.

The second is that when divorce was considered that it can change the entire dynamic of a relationship. For some couples this could be a positive thing or it could be detrimental to others. If a problem develops, those considering a divorce could see this as a way out without ever dealing with the issue directly. If these problems grow or the issues faced become more divisive, the option of divorce can be seen as an easy out and therefore become very appealing.

However, those who did not consider a divorce may find some success. They are forced to deal with their problems, and possibly find a constructive solution and common ground. Although this can be hard work and is not as easy as a divorce appears to be in fixing problems, working together and facing issues can be much more rewarding.

Marriage is a team of two players. When both players are actively working towards solutions to their problems and remove divorce as an option, resolutions can be found for their differences. This will strengthen their marriage as you will be working towards something better rather than looking for a way to cut your losses and run.

If you remove divorce as an option and resolve to work through your differences, you can make your marriage work.  It will give you the motivation to work to improve your relationship through understanding and communication. By listening to each other and finding ways to compromise that benefit the both of you; you can build a marriage that will last for years to come.

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If you are separated from your husband physically or emotionally, the thought of the failure of your relationship can be unbearable. You do not want to give up on your marriage, so all you think is I want my husband back. Depending on the extent of the problems between the two of you, reconciliation can be difficult but not impossible.

You may have tried everything that you can think of to get him back to no avail.  Here are some other ideas to consider to help you reach your goal of reconciliation.

1. Give him some space.  Some men feel limited in their marriage, like they are boxed in. The more limitations he feels are placed on him may make him distant and emotionally unavailable due to this feeling.  By having a little freedom to tinker in the garage, watch sports or hang out with the guys on a regular basis, your husband will appreciate it and enjoy the time he spends with you and your family more.

2. Limit contact. If you are separated from your husband, keep your contact with him to a minimum. This is important because it will give him a chance to work through his feelings of the separation. While your separation has been very upsetting to you, it can be just as upsetting to him. You may be thinking I want my husband back so I need to talk to him and reason with him to pull your marriage together, but constant contact could prove to be more divisive than helpful. By limiting contact, you give both of you the time you need to step back and look at your situation objectively and make positive changes that can bring you together again.

3. Be introspective. Regardless of who is at fault for the problems in your marriage, both of you need to work together to mend your relationship. Be objective and take a look at your faults. Think about what you can do or changes you can make that can bring you together. This can involve being a better listener, nagging less or showing your husband more attention.

4. Set priorities. Your relationship with your husband may have deteriorated due to your work or other commitments outside of your home. Find ways to make time for your husband and show him how important he is to you. It is also important for him to do the same for you. As determined as you may to get your husband back, unless you both work towards a resolution it will not happen.

5. Listen. When he is ready to talk, make sure that you listen to everything he has to say as objectively as possible. Address any questions he has directly and communicate your feelings clearly to him. Have an honest discussion with him and make sure that he feels that he is heard and understood. This is an emotional situation that you are in, however be as calm as possible as getting upset will not be helpful.

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“Dear Abby. . .How do I get my husband to love me again?” Have you been thinking this to yourself and wondering where to turn for help? You’re marriage has gone stale and you don’t know exactly why, or even if you do know why, you don’t know exactly what to do about it.

What usually happens unfortunately is that as time passes, the powerful love, respect and admiration that women feel from their husband is replaced by feelings of hurt, awkwardness and distance. Some women are sure that their husbands have fallen out of love with them. sometimes the husband actually spells it out. Or sometimes the husband denies this but the “something’s-wrong-feelings” are still around. If you feel that your husband has fallen out of love with you, there are steps you can take to bring you back to where you once were in your relationship and/or to make your marriage even stronger.

Try to think back to when you and your husband first fell in love. Do you remember what you loved about him and what he loved about you? Of course we all change as we get older so some of our qualities have become stronger and some have disappeared. A really common example of this is when a career-woman becomes a stay-at-home mom.

Sometimes husbands miss the way their wives were before they became homemakers. So now you’re thinking, “Well, I can’t do anything about that!” To some extent that’s true. You have a new and important role now in life that you shouldn’t give up but you could try to add some variety in every once in a while by taking a night off to go out with friends or volunteer for a cause. This will remind your husband, and probably even yourself, that you are a multi faceted person with a lot to offer.

Here is something else that you need to consider if you’re trying to get your husband to fall back in love with you. Remember what the bible says? “Do unto others as you would have done to you. . .”? How are you treating your husband? Of course how you act towards him may be altered if you feel that he doesn’t love you anymore. But how have you been treating him in the last few years even before you noticed the change in him?  It’s easy and commonplace to start taking your husband for granted once you’re married and even more so after the years go on. He probably does the same with you.

Maybe you’ve been dedicating yourself to the children for the most part and that means less one-on-one time with your man? Or maybe you’re constantly nagging him about certain things you want done around the house which he neglects to do?

If you can switch your behavior around and start treating your husband the way you would like to be treated, he will eventually catch on and do the same.  By letting your husband know that you appreciate and love him, you’ll bring the two of you closer. And that is one answer to your question “How do I get my husband to love me again?”

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Are you unable to think about anything except “I want my wife to love me again”? Has your marriage gone by the wayside and you don’t know why or what to do about it? Here are some tips that can help you out.

If you don’t know why your wife has stopped loving you (or so she says), then that’s the first thing you need to figure out. First of all, if your wife is still with you, then she probably does still love you. If she didn’t, she would be somewhere else. So that’s something positive you want to keep in mind. So why is she saying that she doesn’t love you or just acting like she doesn’t love you?

The main reason that a woman will feel like she’s fallen out of love is because she isn’t getting the attention and appreciation that she craves. Women are multi-faceted and do many things for you and your family. They work, take care of the kids, do all the household duties, have a social life that includes other friends and families and other interests that you both may not share.

So, ask yourself, do you appreciate everything your wife does for you? Do you apprecitate that she is her own person and has her own ideas and interests, not all of which will be the same as yours. Do you appreciate all the little things she does to show you she cares? If so, then you need to let her know if you haven’t already.

On the other hand, there is such a thing as overdoing it. You don’t want to be fawning all over your wife and constantly asking her what’s wrong and how you can help her or make her feel more loved. If you’ve been doing that and it’s just making her push you away even more, then it’s time to stop. Don’t be negative or hostile about it. continue to be positive and cheerful.

But just give her space. Focus on taking care of yourself. Make sure you’re eating right, exercising and going out with friends. Take the kids out on your own and leave your wife some time to herself. You can still offer comments up like “Boy, you sure do look nice today” but leave it at that. Then walk out the door and go to work.

Once you step back a bit and give your wife some space, as well as focus on yourself and show her that you are not going to dye without her, she will start to see you as someone that is to be admired and appreciated as well. Take it slow and let her make the first move towards you again. Hopefully this has helped you take some of the mystery and pain out of the statement “I want my wife to love me again.”

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