Dealing with the Pain of a Deteriorating Marriage

If you’re experiencing heartache and pain due to a marriage or relationship that is falling apart, you’re not alone. There are many couples struggling to find hope that a couples counseling retreat can keep together. In fact, in one recent marriage study, researchers found that one-quarter of married people no longer feel “in love” with their partner, 15 percent wish they had married someone else, and 3 in 10 have considered ending their marriage or separating for a time.

Another study showed that 63.1 percent of men and 60.7 percent of women classify their marriages as very happy, which means 37 to 40 percent of men and women are experiencing unhappiness in marriage. The point of these statistics is to show it’s not uncommon to experience unhappiness in a serious, committed relationship like marriage. It’s okay, and actually quite important, to acknowledge that your relationship with a significant other is sometimes less than satisfying. It’s vital to be honest about your feelings.

Most of all, it’s important to know that you’re not alone in feeling this way. Many couples experience serious relationship turbulence and even reach the point where they contemplate divorce.

However, many of these same couples still manage to cling to hope and find a way to work through their differences. Often times, such couples find this hope through a LIFE marriage counseling retreat in one of our beautiful, picturesque locations. A LIFE couples counseling retreat and the couples retreat counseling sessions therein are what give couples the “aha” moments to help them realize that they can make their relationship work. If you’re on the verge of divorce, know that there is still hope.

Knowing When It’s Time to Get Help

Perhaps you’re at the point in your marriage where you’re feeling hopeless, alone, and in pain. At what point do you come to terms with the heartache and realize nothing is changing? How do you know when it’s time to get help from a LIFE relationship counseling retreat?

In addition to feeling the heartache and pain of an unsatisfying marriage, here are some specific signs that show it’s time for you and your spouse to get help:

• Communication has dwindled and/or does not lead to mutually agreeable and lasting solutions
• Emotional connection and unity have significantly decreased
• Trust has eroded, sometimes due to a significant betrayal, but often through a build-up of small dissatisfactions and broken promises
• Resentments have built walls between you
• Quality time together has slipped dangerously low on the priority list
• Criticism and complaints outnumber gratitude and kindness

If you are seeing one or more of these signs in your marriage or relationship, it’s time to seek outside help. Don’t give up hope. No matter how far gone you may think your marriage is, you and your spouse can still find a way to bring your marriage back to vibrant and fulfilling life.

Finding Courage and Hope Amidst Relationship Distress

Despite the turmoil you may be experiencing in your marriage right now, there is still hope you can find the higher and happier ground you crave. Answer this question: “If you could communicate again, work out the issues between you, and reestablish trust and emotional connection, would you want to be married?” If the answer is yes, you can be successful in rebuilding your marriage and family. Here are some ways you can find hope:

• Attend a LIFE marital counseling retreat. LIFE Marriage Retreats are life changing. Whether you’re looking for couples retreats Colorado Springs offers or couples retreats Fort Collins offers, know that you can find couples retreats LIFE offers in relatively close locations that will truly help you to rebuild your marriage stronger and more fulfilling than it has ever been be
  fore. The experiential activities, one-on-one marriage counseling, all-inclusive pricing, and breathtaking locations are what set LIFE marriage retreats apart from other retreats and make them so successful.
• Put down the magnifying glass and pick up the mirror. The best way to build a better marriage is to build a better self, then bring that better self into the relationship every day. Focus on what you can do differently and change about you and you will find yourself on a personally more satisfying path even as you invite and inspire your partner to join you in positive ways.
• Focus on your spouse’s positive qualities. While you may think your partner’s good qualities are few and far between, the fact is they have many. Watch their response as you acknowledge their 
• contributions. The more you focus on the positive, the more hope you will feel, and the more you will be able to resolve differences in positive ways.
• Don’t give in to despair. In the midst of a struggling marriage, it can be easy to let hopelessness and despair take over your heart. It’s ok to acknowledge things are less than ideal, but with that acknowledgement, make a goal to focus on solutions, not the problems.
• Spend quality time together. Spend time regularly doing some things that you both enjoy. Create a safe atmosphere and agree on a rule that during that time problems and issues are not to be discussed.
• Be patient. Remember that even couples in happy marriages still have to work through problems and find ways to be patient when feeling frustrated. Do your best to put positive energy into the relationship every day, then patiently await the results; they will come.

At the end of the day, know that one of the best ways you can find hope for your marriage is through a LIFE marriage retreat. San Diego, Utah, and Texas are three of LIFE’s stunning retreat locations that couples have found true hope and success in. If you’ve been searching for marriage counseling in Texas or for a couples retreat Colorado offers, know that the best place to find marriage help is at a LIFE couples counseling retreat. California and its peaceful beaches are waiting for you and your spouse to start your journey of healing.

Contact LIFE Marriage Retreats Today to Book a Couples Counseling Retreat

If you’re interested in attending a LIFE couples counseling retreat, call LIFE Marriage Retreats today. Our marriage retreats will give you an immersive, life-changing experience that you won’t get from regular marriage counseling San Diego offers. You can contact us to book a retreat today by calling (877) 376-7127 or by visiting lifemarriageretreats.com.