Marriage Counseling Chicago Archives

This is the third part of a 3-part blog series about the immediate aftermath of both partners in a relationship learning about one partner’s infidelity. This blog, which focuses on the specific experiences of the unfaithful partner, follows considerations for the couple in coping in the immediate aftermath of infidelity and a blog focusing on the hurt partner. While the unfaithful partner is likely experiencing fewer losses at this stage than the hurt partner, the unfaithful partner…

This is the second part of a 3-part blog series about the immediate aftermath of both partners in a relationship learning about one partner’s infidelity. This blog, which focuses on the specific experiences of the hurt partner, follows considerations for the couple in coping with infidelity and precedes a blog focusing on the unfaithful partner. The hurt partner – the partner who learns of their partner’s infidelity – is likely to struggle more intensely immediately after the…

This is the first part of a 3-part blog series about the immediate aftermath of both partners in a relationship learning about one partner’s infidelity. This blog will focus on how to cope in the immediate aftermath with considerations for the couple, and the next 2 blogs will focus on the more specific experiences of the hurt partner and the unfaithful partner. There is almost nothing more devastating to the livelihood of a couple than the disclosure…

Believe it or not, arranged marriages are still a thing in many cultures, especially in South Asian cultures. Arranged marriages were very common in the past, in which many children were married to settle some sort of agreements between families. For example, my grandparents were married at the age of 1 and 3, and did not actually live together or anything until they were teenagers. They were arranged due to settling some land without offering money. Even…

After writing my last post, I could not help but think of ways to address marital isolation and how individuals can become more aware of symptoms of marital isolation within their own marriage. I wanted to elaborate on the significance of understanding your own and your partner’s marital expectations, values, and beliefs. Feeling alone in your marriage, and feeling as though you and your partner on different trajectories is not easy. Transitions are hard and scary but…

I recently read an article by Mandy Len Catron called, ‘What You Lose When You Gain A Spouse.’ I have decided to reflect some of my own responses to this article as a way to explore the concept of marital loneliness. As someone who has grown up in a hetero-normative family with a Mom and Dad that are still happily married, this concept of marital loneliness was new to me. Of course, society has imprinted in our…

Steven Topper, LCPC Try a little game in the morning and see if you can go one whole day without blaming anyone, for anything. It may be harder than we’d think. Often in life we find ourselves wronged. It may be random strangers, friends, family, or significant others that have brought pain and wrongdoing. These experiences often lead to anger, frustration, disappointment, among many other uncomfortable emotions. It can be a painful and sobering experience, though our…