As a couples therapist, I’m often asked to help individuals and couples understand whether staying in a relationship is right for them, and it’s a question that carries immense emotional weight.

This month, let’s go a step further into the heart of the question by reflecting on some core insights that can help clarify your path forward.

Deciding to leave a relationship can be one of the most heart-wrenching decisions you’ll ever face. It often involves conflicting feelings, hopes for change, and the fear of the unknown.

Life can sometimes throw us unexpected challenges that leave us feeling lost and broken. The pain of separation and divorce can be particularly overwhelming, shaking the very foundations of our existence.

The other day a friend of mine who is going through a separation and divorce said, “I’m through the anger stage and now I’m just sad.” Without a beat I exclaimed, “Congratulations!”. It might seem a bit insensitive but not if you understood my viewpoint of anger.

My husband and I decided to separate with the intention to divorce 25 days and 6 hours ago. To say that I have been in the depths of pain would be an understatement. The first few days felt like I had been punched in the stomach.

When life throws us curveballs, and we find ourselves navigating through tough times, it's natural for our emotions to be tested. We all have default emotional states that we resort to during challenging periods.