by Travers & Travers | Jun 11, 2019 | Divorce

Married couples in Texas and around the country often file for divorce following a crisis or traumatic incident. In many cases, these events brought relationship problems to a head that had been simmering for years. Psychologists have identified several types of relationships, and some of them are far more likely to weather marital setbacks and upheaval than others.

When both spouses have strong and competitive personalities, constantly battling for control can become tiring. In these relationships, a traumatic event can prompt one spouse to decide that they have had enough. People who were coddled or spoiled as children are often drawn to partners who take care of them. These marriages often run into problems when the active partner becomes ill and the passive partner is forced to step into the now-vacant caregiver role. In some cases, the active partner becomes resentful and decides to leave when a setback adds to their burden.

Sometimes counseling can help the couple resolve the issue. But sometimes the problems have become so ingrained that counseling is ineffective.

The husbands or wives of aggressive and dominating partners often live in a perpetual state of fear. Emotional or physical abuse is not uncommon in these relationships, and a major event could provide the abused partner with the courage to take a stand and demand a divorce. The chemistry between spouses who married for the wrong reasons often fades. When relationships become dull and couples lead separate lives, a traumatic incident could prompt one or both of the spouses to conclude that their best hope for true happiness lies elsewhere.

Spouses who have spent years or even decades in dysfunctional relationships are often traumatized when they decide to file for divorce. Experienced family law attorneys may recognize the signs of emotional trauma and could suggest alternatives to litigation that are less adversarial and intimidating. Mediation and collaborative divorce are approaches that work toward an amicable resolution by finding common ground, and they may be more suitable for spouses who would prefer to avoid conflict.