Dear Dr. Buckingham, My husband and I discussed the possibility of starting marriage therapy after reading several of your articles. We are excited about the possibility, but do not know what to expect. We have been married for 15 years now, but I do not feel that I know my husband well. In fact, I am not sure if I know myself well. We argue over little things and are … [Read more...]
Help! My Marriage is in Trouble, and I Think My Mother is to Blame
Dear Dr. Buckingham, My 10-year marriage is on the rocks, and I'm starting to believe that my mother is the cause. I grew up watching my mother being aggressive toward my father. She often told him what to do, and he did not push back. He was not good with expressing his emotions unless he was angry. I believe he took her stuff and just focused on being a great … [Read more...]
Am I being Abused in My Marriage?
Dear Dr. Buckingham, I have been married for 17 years and blessed with two beautiful girls ages 16 and 14. In the past, my husband has been flirting with workmates, my friends, and any female he met on social media. The funny bit is, whenever I caught him, he would claim it's harmless flirting and there are HIV among other deadly STDs and would apologize and move … [Read more...]
How Do You Cope with a Traumatized Spouse?
Dear Dr. Buckingham, My marriage is just 9 months old. My wife is pregnant and I lost my job 6 months ago. I try doing other things to provide for the family but, it's not easy. My wife works and her salary is OK for us but I know it's my responsibility. I know she expects more from me but, I've been unable to find a job. Recently, she has been very angry. She calls me … [Read more...]
3 Surprising Ways Stress Can Make Your Marriage Stronger
Stress can be a killer; we already know that. People do crazy things when under too much stress. The body and emotions react in strange ways we are not used to. If not handled, stress not only strains our personal life, but also causes our marriages to suffer. There is not much that goes on in our personal life that doesn’t have an effect on our marriages. We are faced with … [Read more...]
Can My Marriage Survive Separation?
Hi Dr. Buckingham, My husband and I have been together for 10 years and married for 5 of those years. We're now separated since January of 2014. We started having some serious issues about 2 years after we were married (2011) and it just seems that we can't get back on the right track. We're both Christians, and take our faith seriously. That's a major reason we haven't … [Read more...]
I Want My Husband To Be Emotionally Available: Am I asking Too Much?
Dear Dr Buckingham, I have been married for just a year and we were dating off and on for 10 years because he was deployed a lot and I was stationed elsewhere. We both already had 1 son from previous relationships, and 3 years ago we had a son together. BLENDED! Over the past 7 to 8 years my husband has gained about 175 pounds and he gets depressed. When I tell him to cut … [Read more...]
Ask Dr. Buckingham: Can I Thrive in a Loveless Marriage?
Dear Dr. Buckingham, I have been married for 6 years to a man I feel like I just don’t love and not sure if I ever did. I was going through a phase where I wanted to get my life right with God and met my husband in church. He said all the right things and I married him after 7 months of knowing him. We have such a personality difference and I just don’t look at him as the man … [Read more...]
My Wife Is Insecure: What Can I Do to Make Our Marriage Work?
Greetings Dr. Buckingham, I just read a post of yours and had to send you an email about my concerns. I am a married late 30 year old with two kids by my wife and have an older son from a previous relationship. My concern is similar to the post "my-ex does not know we are married". I want to thank you for sharing advice to our community. My concern is that--in my opinion- … [Read more...]
Ask Dr. Buckingham: What Should I do if My Spouse Is Not Contributing?
Dear Dr. Buckingham, My husband and I have been married for almost three years; we were together off and on for almost 10 years before that. My husband and I separated once before because of his lack of ability to provide and lead our family. After about a year apart, he seemed to have gotten himself together and came back. Satisfied with the change I saw in him, I agreed to … [Read more...]
Deal with Cheating in Your Marriage; Don’t Just “Move Past It”
Marriage isn't easy and I'm sure many of you know that. It takes a lot of effort to maintain a happy home where both parties are truly getting what they need from each other. In many cases, this harmony between a couple is not being achieved which opens the door to many things such as cheating. The day you find out that your partner has cheated on you can be extremely difficult … [Read more...]
My Husband Cheated; Should I Divorce or Stay?
Dear Dr. Buckingham I have been married 14 years. My husband recently cheated. We have been trying to work things out but I'm angry. He tried to find fault in me, to justify his affair. He admitted that, only after I beat myself up over and over trying to find out what I did to cause it. A part of me wants to just divorce him! What should I do? Help me heal! … [Read more...]
Ask Dr. Buckingham: When is It Time to Leave My Marriage?
Dr. Buckingham, My Name is Ashley, and I am married with 2 children: 1 girl and 1 boy whom has Autism. My husband and I have been married for 4 1/2 years. We are not as connected as we used to be. There are a lot of things that I could name that he is not doing for my sake or his kids’ sake; mind you they are 3, and 5 years old. I am drained in the relationship and am not … [Read more...]