Karen announced in our first session that she didn’t want to continue the relationship with her husband, Rob. Although she reported that she still liked him and knew he was a great father, she had fallen out of love with him over a period of years. She felt that she did not have enough love in her heart to continue the relationship.

Rob’s initial feelings of hurt morphed into anger. He wasn’t aware that Karen had such negative feelings for him. Here they were in their first marriage counseling session, and she didn’t want to continue the relationship. He was outraged that Karen didn’t tell him this years ago.

Karen said she gave many indicators, but when Rob pressed her on specific examples, she said that she gave strong hints. Rob was infuriated that the best she could do was “hints”. He felt it was unfair.

If someone is unhappy in a relationship, it is important to share this with your partner as early as possible. It gives the couple a chance to repair the unhappiness. If someone begins to think about leaving the relationship, it is crucial to share this and seek professional advice before it’s too late.