I often hear wives recount mean, nasty, and negative things that their husbands have said. Examples are things like: "you are so selfish," Or "none of my friends' wives make the demands that you do," Or "it's sad that I don't even look forward to coming home after work because I know that you ... Views: 580
Many wives have separated husbands who are saying one thing in front of the kids, but are then saying different things behind closed doors. Many times, the husband will put on a happy face or paint a positive picture about getting back together when the children are around. But, when the ... Views: 579
I sometimes hear from wives who are extremely worried because their husband has made it very clear that he isn't sure that he's completely happy with the marriage. Often, the husband will begin to hint that he needs time to think or to sort out his feelings. As often, the wife will hover or ... Views: 578
Many wives are struggling to deal with disappointed husbands. Often, the husband has alluded to the fact (or he has come right out and said) that he's disappointed in the marriage because it isn't what he was expecting or hoping for. It's nearly impossible to hear these types of discussions ... Views: 577
I sometimes hear from people who have begun to do a lot of self-work either in an attempt to save their marriage or as an attempt to improve themselves. Sometimes, they go into this process thinking that much of the problems in their marriage lie with their spouse. But as they really begin to ... Views: 576
I know the feeling that many wives have when their husband is about to walk out the door to pursue a break or separation. There can be a sense of panic. You can feel desperate. And you are more likely to say or do something that you might regret.
This article will outline the things that I ... Views: 573
I sometimes get emails from wives whose husbands are dealing with some form of depression. The descriptions given run the gauntlet from clinical depression to a chemical imbalance, to bipolar disorder, to manic depressive disorder. And, in today's very tough economic environment, folks are ... Views: 566
In a perfect world, your spouse would be your biggest cheerleader. He is the one who should lift you up and defend you against all others. When you're feeling bad about yourself or have doubts, he is the one who should tell you that you are more than fine just the way you are - or at the very ... Views: 565
Many wives struggle with how to address their husband's lies. Sometimes, these lies have to do with very important things like money, fidelity, and the marriage itself. Other times, the lies themselves aren't about serious or deal-breaking topics, but the fact that he continuously lies to you ... Views: 564
Having your spouse move back in after a trial separation is a goal that most of us are hoping for more than anything else. That is the day that is marked in red on your calendar. That is the day that is going to seem like Christmas morning and your birthday all rolled into one.
But as the ... Views: 563
If you were to ask a separated wife who was living without her husband if she wanted him back even if he didn't 100% want to be there, many separated wives would say that yes, she would want him back however she could get him. However, if you are a wife who knows that your husband doesn't want ... Views: 563
Some wives have finally convinced their husbands to commit to saving or reviving their marriage. But often once they have reached this milestone, they aren't sure what to do next.
A wife might explain: "for the last couple of years, my husband and I have drifted further and further apart. ... Views: 561
I often hear from people who want to get their spouse to stop constantly asking for a separation. Much of the time, they have considered many tactics in order to help them to achieve this. One common tactic is to respond with a firm "no" and then to ignore their spouse. They are hoping that if ... Views: 560
I hear from a lot of folks who are trying to decide if their marriage is worth saving. They often want to tell me the details of their marriage and then get my opinion as to whether they should fight for their marriage or just give in and call it quits. The thing is, I never feel that I'm really ... Views: 556
When you are reluctantly separated and want to save your marriage, you often intuitively know that communication is vitally important. Saving your marriage means that you are going to eventually need to overcome what drove you apart in the first place and then re-create the intimacy that will ... Views: 555
No one wants to look for trouble in their marriage where none exists. I've seen perfectly good marriages struggle greatly because one spouse decided to over-analyze and complain about even the smallest, most benign issues. So it can be very important to separate the big issues from the little ... Views: 554
I sometimes hear from people who are sure that the stressful situation in their lives is directly behind their marital problems, their separation, or their upcoming divorce. They will tell you that they had a wonderful marriage before the event reared its ugly head. And they don't know how to ... Views: 554
The other day, I received an email from a wife who said that no matter what she says or does, she can not convince her husband that their marriage can be made better or can be saved. She said in part: "I just can't get my husband to understand and believe that if we were both committed to doing ... Views: 552
I rarely get correspondence from wives telling me that their husband is too sweet, too sensitive, or too concerned about their feelings. Sure, I get the occasional complaint that a husband is too involved in the wife's life, but this is rare.
More often, I hear from wives who complain that ... Views: 551
Many husbands who initiate a separation are fairly confident about their wives' level of commitment during it. After all, it is the husband who wanted to separate in the first place. Since many wives don't want any marital break, we often assume that the wife will cling to her marriage for dear ... Views: 550
Many wives who feel as if their marriage is in trouble suspect that they aren't giving their husband what he needs to feel completely happy in the marriage. Sometimes, these unsatisfied husbands will tell their wives exactly why they are so unhappy with complaints like: “I just don't feel like ... Views: 548
Knowing the couple I'm about to describe as I already do, I can pretty much picture the scene in my mind. And since I myself went through the same scene in what seems like another lifetime ago, I've felt what I know that the wife is feeling right now. I can literally not only see what probably ... Views: 548
I'm all about preventing divorce and stale marriages through positive means, but I have to tell you, I cringe when I hear the phrase "repairing a marriage." When you vocalize that you want to "repair your marriage," it's as if you view your marriage as a rusty, broken-down car that's been ... Views: 546
This question is actually more common than you may think. When couples are in crisis or are in talks about taking a break, splitting up, or divorcing, emotions can run high and doubt can creep in. Affection, attraction, and love can still be smoldering under the surface even if a couple is ... Views: 544
I often get emails from wives who suspect that their husband no longer wants to be in the relationship. Often, people ask me for "signs that a husband doesn't want to be married or in the marriage anymore." And, I often will respond with a list of danger signs to watch for, but I also typically ... Views: 542
It's not uncommon for me to hear from people who have discovered that their marriage hasn't turned out how they thought that it would. Many see this as a negative thing because they perceive that their spouse is falling short in some way. And many feel as if their spouse isn't meeting his or her ... Views: 540
I recently received correspondence from a wife who told me that she was afraid that she losing feelings of love for her husband. She specifically said that she no longer felt "connected" or "intimate" with him and she suspected that he felt the same way. They weren't being ugly to one another or ... Views: 537
I often hear from people who are facing a separation and who don't necessarily agree with the reasoning that their spouse is offering up. And even if they do see some validity to their reasoning, they often just don't how to change who or what they already are.
Here's just one example. I ... Views: 537
I sometimes hear from folks who want more than anything to have a chance to save their marriage, especially when they perceive that the issues within that same marriage are all of their faults. However, sometimes not only is the issue that has threatened the marriage difficult to overcome, but ... Views: 536
I speak with wives who know that their husband wants a divorce because he has either told them of his intentions directly or filed divorce papers. Sometimes though, the panic that they feel about this (especially when they don't want a divorce) gets a reprieve because the husband one day just ... Views: 535
I recently heard from a wife who just wasn't sure what to do. Her husband had left her and the home the week before and now was not accepting her calls, texts, or emails. Anytime that she did get him on the phone, placed herself in front of him, and had his attention for long enough to get a ... Views: 531
I get a lot of correspondence from wives lamenting a husband's distance, coldness, and aloofness. Some of these come from wives who are already separated and others come from wives who are still married, but who suspect that their spouse may be contemplating a break or separation. These wives ... Views: 529
Many of the people who write to me about the problems or troubles in their marriages realize that a break down in communication is one of the major issues that they face and need to overcome. As easy as it is to identify that you have these issues, it can be more difficult to actually improve ... Views: 527
When many of us have been in a relationship as important as our marriage, we can begin to define ourselves by it, at least in part. We come to identify ourselves as a wife, or as part of a family. So when that coupling is questioned or is paused, it can literally feel as if we have lost a part ... Views: 527
I recently heard from a wife who told me that her husband had firmly told her that he was "sick of" her lies and was considering a divorce. The wife had to admit that the husband was extremely justified in his frustration. In truth, the wife had lied to him early in their relationship. And, to ... Views: 524
I often hear from people who want step-by-step instructions on how to repair their marriage. Often, they know that some change needs to happen, but they just don't know where to start. And, they are afraid of doing something that is only going to make matters worse. Many tell me they think that ... Views: 524
In some matters, it feels as if it almost pays to be naive or in the dark - at least where your marriage is concerned. Because some knowledge can never be unlearned once you learn it. And when it is something that is very hurtful - like your spouse being unhappy or considering a separation or ... Views: 520
It can get very frustrating when you've become dissatisfied with your marriage, but are also very unhappy with your spouse's attempt to resolve it. His complacency can make you feel as if he is taking you (and the marriage) for granted. You may get up your courage to tell him that this just ... Views: 519
As women, we are often naturally affectionate. It is often not any effort for us to touch someone's arm, offer a hug, or tell those who we love just how great we think they are. In fact, many of us feel that this is at least one reason why we were put on this earth - to enhance the lives of ... Views: 517
It can be very hurtful and frustrating when your spouse constantly complains about a certain level of unhappiness despite improvements that you've tried to make. You might think that you've addressed his concerns, only to turn around and find that he is sullen and unhappy again. It can begin ... Views: 516
It's not uncommon for people facing a trial separation to seek out statistics on the same. It's normal to want to know what you are up against. People want to know if separation is usually a precursor to divorce or if the process actually helps most of the couples who attempt it.
Before I go ... Views: 514
Many wives are very disappointed in the way that their husband is acting during a trial or marital separation. Often, the wives had hoped that the time apart would actually improve both people's behavior. But, much to their dismay, the opposite has happened.
One might say: "things weren't ... Views: 513
I often write about saving marriages. Or, if a separation or divorce has happened, I sometimes try to help the wife to get her husband back (so long as the relationship was a healthy one worth saving.) Often times, I'm contacted by wives who want to know the "signs that my husband wants me ... Views: 511
There's an old saying which goes: "when you marry someone, you are also marrying their family - their parents, their children, and their siblings." Of course, when you are deeply in love, you figure that you can handle any extended family that comes your way. And sometimes, families actually get ... Views: 509
I sometimes hear from wives who are struggling with the reasoning that their husband is using for pursuing distance, a break, or a marital separation. Sometimes, the husband will try to tell the wife that the feelings are no longer there, if they were ever there in the first place. This can be ... Views: 509
Most of the people who contact me are willing to do just about anything to save their marriage and prevent a divorce. Sometimes, their spouse doesn't want a divorce either, but this isn't always the case. The situation that I most often see is that one spouse is considering a divorce, while the ... Views: 508
The emails that I get are often from the spouse who wants to remain married and who wants advice on how to get their husband, wife, or partner back on board. Typically, one spouse will say, hint at, or act like they don't want to be married anymore, but this is not at all the way that the still ... Views: 508
Many wives who contact me are going through some serious turmoil within their marriage. Some are just beginning a separation and some have even been served with divorce papers. Others just know that their marriage is in serious trouble. Despite all of the drama going on their lives, many of ... Views: 507
So often, I hear from people who tell me that either their spouse is blatantly telling them that he just isn't happy or his actions have made this so obvious that it is just impossible to ignore. Many of these folks feel that this is a little unfair because not everything that their spouse is ... Views: 507
I often write about how I was able to save my own marriage when it was on its last legs, so I am sometimes approached my wives in a similar situation. Recently, I've been asked for advice or tips on topics like "how can I get my husband to love me again," or "my husband detaches from me," or "my ... Views: 505