Tara Fields, PhD, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has more than 20 years of experience treating individuals, couples, and families. As a guest on television programs including The Oprah Winfrey Show and Good Morning America and as the host of WE TV’s Fix My Family, Dr. Tara Fields has earned praise and recognition for her straightforward, practical approach to relationship and family issues.
In the United States, between 40 to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Although ending a marriage or other serious, long-term relationship may be the best decision for some couples, many people choose to leave a troubled relationship without trying to work through the problems. This is unfortunate, because working through such issues allows individuals to examine their own behavior and avoid repeating the same relationship mistakes.
Why not leave a faltering relationship?
Many times, if we’re not happy with a relationship, or if something goes wrong, we choose to bail out instead of looking for the opportunity – the opportunity to learn more about ourselves and even strengthen the relationship. We believe it’s too much work, or we tell ourselves, “It’s her fault, not mine” or “He’s never going to forgive me.” However, if we give up on the relationship without at least trying to work through the problems, we’re almost inevitably doomed to experience them again in another relationship.
Can any relationship be saved?
It may be time to leave if you’ve been doing the work and your partner is unwilling, or if your partner’s behavior constitutes an extreme breach of morality or ethics that speaks to a significant issue with his or her character. In these instances, it may be in your best interest to leave, especially if children are involved.
In many cases, however, the bottom line is this: if you choose to end a relationship without exploring your part in the issues, you’re almost certainly doomed to repeat the experience. Relationships aren’t like iPhones; you can’t just upgrade to the latest version and automatically be free of the old model’s problems.
In the United States, between 40 to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Although ending a marriage or other serious, long-term relationship may be the best decision for some couples, many people choose to leave a troubled relationship without trying to work through the problems. This is unfortunate, because working through such issues allows individuals to examine their own behavior and avoid repeating the same relationship mistakes.
Why not leave a faltering relationship?
Many times, if we’re not happy with a relationship, or if something goes wrong, we choose to bail out instead of looking for the opportunity – the opportunity to learn more about ourselves and even strengthen the relationship. We believe it’s too much work, or we tell ourselves, “It’s her fault, not mine” or “He’s never going to forgive me.” However, if we give up on the relationship without at least trying to work through the problems, we’re almost inevitably doomed to experience them again in another relationship.
Can any relationship be saved?
It may be time to leave if you’ve been doing the work and your partner is unwilling, or if your partner’s behavior constitutes an extreme breach of morality or ethics that speaks to a significant issue with his or her character. In these instances, it may be in your best interest to leave, especially if children are involved.
In many cases, however, the bottom line is this: if you choose to end a relationship without exploring your part in the issues, you’re almost certainly doomed to repeat the experience. Relationships aren’t like iPhones; you can’t just upgrade to the latest version and automatically be free of the old model’s problems.