The Dangers of Secret-Keeping in a Marriage

Posted on by Robert J. Reeves

Secret-keeping in a marriage can be a slippery slope that can quickly lead to a lot of broken trust. Although everybody has a right to privacy, there is a difference between privacy and keeping secrets or lying to your partner. Lying can quickly compound into a very messy situation. Additionally, keeping secrets can block you from being able to be intimate with your partner. It can lead to broken trust and a lack of self-confidence for your spouse. And finally, it can be a slippery slope to behaviors like infidelity. Instead of keeping secrets from your spouse, it’s healthier to explore why you feel hesitant to share something with them. Tackling those feelings through marriage counseling or private therapy can help you open up more and can allow you to form an even deeper bond of trust with your spouse.

The Dangers of Secret-Keeping in a Marriage: Broken Trust

Lies Compound

One of the reasons why secret-keeping in a marriage is so dangerous is because lies often compound. When people lie about things, it’s difficult to stop at just one lie. They often end up telling more lies to cover up the first one. Then, it becomes difficult to remember which half-truths and lies of omission they’ve even told. After all of that, revealing the truth can feel much harder because they also have to reveal all of the cover-ups and deception surrounding it.

Lack of Intimacy

Another reason why secret-keeping in a marriage can be unhealthy is because it can lead to a lack of intimacy. A lie can create an invisible barrier between you and your partner that might be difficult to overcome. It might make you feel uncomfortable being around them, or make you avoid certain topics. Your spouse will likely pick up on that discomfort and be confused and hurt about why you suddenly are distancing yourself from them.

Broken Trust

Broken trust is another danger of secret-keeping in a marriage. If your partner catches you in a lie, it can be difficult to overcome. It might shake their confidence in you and make them question what other things you might be lying to them about. Additionally, being lied to can lead to a lot of confidence issues. That broken trust in your marriage can fester and become a huge source of pain if you continue to deceive your partner.

Slippery Slope

Finally, lying in a marriage can be a slippery slope to other behaviors. Once you get over the initial discomfort of telling a lie, it becomes easier and easier to tell more. Then, it might become easier to fall into unhealthy habits, like infidelity. Secret-keeping in a marriage can be a slippery slope to things like affairs. Then, as the lies add up and become more and more intricate, the resulting damage when they are found out can be catastrophic to your marriage.

Everybody has a right to privacy in their relationships, however, secret-keeping in a marriage can be unhealthy. It can lead to more and more lies, a lack of intimacy, and broken trust. It can also result in unhealthy behaviors like covering up financial struggles, infidelity, or addiction. If you are feeling the need to keep secrets from your spouse, it’s important to discover where those feelings are coming from. Instead of lying, seek out professional help. A marriage counselor can allow you both to open up more, or private therapy can help you come to terms with why you are feeling ashamed to share your feelings with your partner. Being vulnerable with your partner can actually bring you much closer together and can end up making you an even stronger couple.

Moving On After Infidelity

Posted on by Robert J. Reeves
If you and your spouse are in the process of moving on after infidelity, it’s important to be patient with one another. An affair can truly shake a relationship to its core. But if you have decided to forgive your partner and continue with the marriage, it’s important to establish some ground rules moving forward. Open communication will be incredibly important, as will setting boundaries for the relationship. It’s also helpful to work on building back your self-confidence as well. Finally, seek professional help through a therapist or marriage counselor. Hopefully, they can give you some useful tips for learning to rebuild that trust in your partner. While some couples don’t survive infidelity, others are able to work together to get through this difficult time and end up even stronger on the other side.

Moving On After Infidelity: Learning to Trust Again

Establish Open Communication

When moving on after infidelity, it’s important to establish a policy of open communication. It can be difficult to learn to trust your partner again after they cheat on you. Especially if it involved lying to you about their whereabouts or being secretive with their behavior. Working on your communication skills can help you ensure that you are each filling one another’s emotional cups in the future.

Set Boundaries

Setting boundaries is also important when moving on after infidelity. While you might be able to move past this instance of cheating, your partner needs to understand that this is not the type of mistake that can happen more than once. Establish clear boundaries about what the consequences are if they cheat on you again. Additionally, it might be helpful to ensure that they and the person they cheated with break all contact.

Build Self-Confidence

Building up your self-confidence when moving on after infidelity can take some time. It’s easy for your self-esteem to take a hit if your partner cheats on you. But it’s important to remind yourself that you are not at fault. Still, it can take some time to get back your old confidence. Try out some new hobbies and set new goals for yourself. Reaching milestones can give you a boost of confidence.

Seek Professional Help

Finally, moving on after infidelity can be easier if you enlist the help of professionals. Marriage counseling can be hugely beneficial for you and your spouse. A counselor will help you rebuild your trust and can give you advice for navigating hardships in your relationship as well as communicating more effectively. However, it’s also helpful to see a therapist on your own to help with any residual trust or confidence issues. Moving on after an affair can be a process that takes some time. And it’s not usually a straight line. You might hit other bumps in the road along the way. However, if you and your spouse are determined to move past the cheating and make your marriage work, you’ll need to establish open communication from here on. You might also do well setting some boundaries for your relationship. Work on building back your self-confidence, and don’t be afraid to reach out and get professional help when you need it. Hopefully, you and your spouse will be able to move on from the affair and be able to rebuild your marriage even stronger than before.

The Benefits of Using “I Feel” Statements

Posted on by Robert J. Reeves
Using “I Feel” statements is a tactic that marriage counselors and mediators advocate for time and time again. When people argue, they are prone to using statements that place blame on the other party. During a divorce or mediation, this can create a toxic environment that makes your divorce even more contentious. Instead, opt to use statements starting with “I Feel” rather than “You” to help with more constructive conflict resolution. The idea is to be more assertive about your feelings while being less accusatory. When used properly, these statements can help you tackle disagreements more smoothly and hopefully, without escalating things further. If you and your ex are going through a difficult mediation or divorce, consider employing this powerful technique.

The Benefits of Using “I Feel” Statements in Conflict Resolution

What Are They?

The use of “I feel” statements comes from Thomas Gordon who originally applied the technique to children learning to associate emotions with actions. The idea is to explain how you’re feeling, rather than tackling a disagreement by placing blame on the other person. When we start an argument with “you always do such and such” it’s more likely to make the other person get defensive. Instead, saying “I feel hurt when you” might go more smoothly.

How to Use Them

When using “I feel” statements, it’s helpful to first identify an emotion, and then attach it to an issue. For example “I feel anxious when you stay out late without calling.” Then, add a call to action or a potential resolution. For example, “I feel anxious when you stay out late without calling. Can you please set a reminder in your phone to text me?” The resolution doesn’t have to work for both of you, but it’s a way of opening up a constructive conversation.

What’s the Point?

The point of “I feel” statements are to be able to help resolve conflict without things escalating because of the blame game. When we use phrases that start with accusations, it can feel like criticism. It makes the other person more likely to get defensive and dig in their heels more. In mediation or divorce court, it can lead to them becoming more contentious. The goal of using these types of statements is to be able to open up the lines of communication to find a resolution that works for both parties. Without increasing hostility.

Using Them in Mediation

Mediation is a great time to use “I feel” statements. Oftentimes, mediation fails because couples are too busy placing blame and accusations on one another. Things escalate and then each party begins making decisions out of resentment and pettiness. Instead, try employing “I feel” statements to keep tensions from boiling over. Hopefully, they will help you reach a compromise and will prevent the divorce from becoming more contentious. While it might sound silly at first, using “I feel” statements are a very popular conflict resolution tactic that many marriage counselors and family therapists employ. The statements allow each person to express their feelings without placing blame or accusations on the other person. Using “I feel” instead of “You” to begin sentences can help you express ideas without making your ex feel defensive. If you are going through mediation or the divorce process, you can employ this technique to try to minimize hostility with your ex. Hopefully, you can use these statements to calm the waters and make your divorce less stressful.

Divorce Court: Putting Your Best Foot Forward

Posted on by Robert J. Reeves
Divorce court can be a long and arduous process. Even just the thought of going through the divorce process might have you feeling anxious and stressed out. To make the experience as positive as possible, it’s helpful to put your best foot forward and make the best first impressions that you can. Hire an attorney to represent your interests and protect yourself financially as soon as you can. Let go of the idea of “winning” and instead focus on prioritizing the things you care most about. Avoid trash-talking your ex, especially on social media. And finally, when you are actually in court, practice basic etiquette to start things out on a positive note. Hopefully, by setting yourself up for success you’ll be able to get the settlement you want and deserve.

Divorce Court: Putting Your Best Foot Forward to Get the Best Outcome

Hire an Attorney

The first step in improving your divorce court experience is to hire an attorney to represent your interests. They can walk you through the divorce process, help you gather materials, and help you present a case. Hire somebody as quickly as you can so that they can help you protect yourself financially and make the strongest case possible.

Let Go of “Winning”

It’s also helpful to let go of the idea of “winning” your divorce. In divorce court, there are no winners. Instead, focus on prioritizing the things that you care most about. Let go of petty squabbles and don’t let yourself get sucked into nit-picking over small details. Focus on your main goals and fight hard for them without getting distracted. Find ways to compromise whenever possible to make things less contentious.

Avoid Trash-Talking

Another thing that can help improve your divorce court experience is to avoid trash-talking your ex. Especially on social media. While it might feel good to vent to the world at large, it can get you into trouble. If word gets back to your ex, which it probably will, it can make them more contentious. It can also have harmful effects on any child custody battles because it might make a judge question whether or not you can co-parent peacefully in the future.

Court Etiquette

Finally, when facing divorce court, it’s important to know basic legal etiquette. Your attorney can walk you through the details, but you should plan to dress conservatively and professionally. Avoid loud clothing, accessories, or hairstyles. When in court, address the judge with the correct title, and always show respect to them and other members of the court. Don’t interrupt or cause distractions, and answer politely when asked questions. Divorce court is never fun for anybody. However, you can make your experience more positive by setting yourself up for success from the start. Hire an attorney as soon as you know that a divorce is inevitable so that you can begin protecting yourself legally and financially. Let go of the idea that anybody will come out on top and instead focus on the things you care about most. Avoid bashing your ex to avoid making things more contentious. And finally, dress the part and act politely when you are actually in court to make the best first impression. Hopefully, the divorce process will be as quick and stress-free as possible.