by Christine Hammond on November 22, 2019
Three divorces later, Susan finally discovered that she kept marrying the same type of abusive person over and over. In the middle of an argument, Brian yelled and accidentally called his new girlfriend, “Mom.” Naturally, she ended the relationship. Steve, who was shy, conservative, and introverted his whole life, married a flamboyant salesperson. Why is… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on October 27, 2019
Ann regularly told her husband, Andrew, “I feel all alone in this world (within our family, at my job, or in our neighborhood).” At the beginning of their marriage, Andrew erroneously believed that he could fill that void in her life and went to great lengths to demonstrate that Ann was not alone. However, she… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on September 18, 2019
What is an affair? It is a sexual encounter, romantic comrade, or obsessive attachment between two people without a significant other’s knowledge. It can come in many forms but all of them have the underlying issue of a betrayal of trust, unfaithfulness to a commitment, and infidelity of the relationship. Sometimes it destroys the initial… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on June 7, 2019
It was clear that after 7 years of marriage, Jack and Jill still loved each other. But they way they solved problems, or rather, the way they didn’t solve problems, was destroying their marriage. The last argument ended in a physical altercation and a wrestling match that left them ashamed and humiliated. Neither had ever… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on May 30, 2019
Looking back, Jack could see that his relationship with Amanda was over several months ago, perhaps even years. But he was in denial and didn’t want to confront the painful issues that were left unresolved. What was once overlooked, minimized, explained away, or discounted is now an obvious sign of his deteriorating relationship. At first,… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on April 10, 2019
When Bryan first met his girlfriend, he was smitten. She was charming, helpful, generous, kind, and interesting. She would laugh at his lame jokes, tell him how smart he was, was adventurous, and actively seek ways to spend time together. Naturally, Bryan overlooked some of the more concerning behaviors that his friends pointed out. His… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on March 8, 2019
It wasn’t until counseling that Tim realized he was married to a narcissist. Again. And unfortunately, again. The narcissism in his first wife was obvious. Her obsession with power and control of his life and money alienated her from their kids. His second wife was so preoccupied with her appearance that he lost track of… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on February 15, 2019
At first, it sounds like a silly question. Not to Julie. She was trying to pin down a new definition after having been in an abusive relationship for eight years. She wanted love. She wanted to be in love and be loved by someone who treated her right. But the years of abuse had conditioned… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on October 28, 2018
For Megan, getting married was an easier decision than getting a divorce. Their relationship started so well and seemed so natural that Megan ignored the warning signs her family tried to show her. Now, after three years of being married, she realized that a divorce would be necessary. Making this decision, however, was much harder… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on October 28, 2018
After 15 years of marriage, Tim’s wife said she wanted to separate. He was shocked. It came out of nowhere. Just the month before they were on a family vacation and now she was asking for a separation? Her reasons were vague at best and the harder he tried to convince her otherwise, the more… (more…)