When Couples Counseling Becomes a Necessity
Stuart and Leah had recently gotten married and were having the time of their lives, traveling and exploring the world and genuinely getting to know one another. When they returned home, after a year of roaming the world, the trouble began. Leah became anxious and worried every time Stuart would leave her side. After a while, Leah had trouble leaving the house. She became so preoccupied with Stuart’s whereabouts that soon, she couldn’t thinking straight. That’s when Stuart thought they should meet with a couples counselor.
According to Stuart:
I had no clue who I was dealing with. She seemed so normal when we were travelling. Suddenly she seemed like a different person…like a nut case frankly. She would time when I left the house and when I would return. At first I thought she was kidding. But then, she freaked out one time when I was 40 minutes late. Or shall I say, 43 minutes late, according to her. It was then I knew we had to do something or our marriage would be over.
Stuart’s departure was terrifying for Leah. She had severe abandonment issues. Both of her parents had died before she was 5. Her mother had died suddenly and her father had an accident at his place of work. Stuart didn’t realize Leah’s abandonment issues early on. He had no reason to. He had never “left” her.
Couples counseling allowed the couple to explore Leah’s problems in a safe environment. Stuart finally understood the complexity of Leah’s issues and Leah began to recognize that she could retain autonomy and happiness, even when Stuart wasn’t around.
