Why Won’t he Talk about the Affair?

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Chat Transcript of the Q & A

Glad you are here. Feel free to add your questions or comments.

3:00 PM

Lori Johnson (to All):

yes

3:00 PM

Simon (to All):

yes

3:00 PM

Kathy (to All):

yes

3:00 PM

Todd (to All):

spoke with you couple weeks ago had trouble with sound on my end but after struggling for a year of knowing she had the affair last week I uncovered some emails she sent another guy back and forth for a couple of months after the other affair had ended. she had also told me she forgot about these that it was just a game she was playing with him since he lived so far away. I just don’t know how to trust and believe her anymore

3:04 PM

Todd (to All):

she tells me no end game for her

3:04 PM

Todd (to All):

they mean nothing

3:05 PM

Todd (to All):

but now she’s showing me she wants me just looking for way to believe her that she wants me and only me

3:07 PM

Todd (to All):

well she promises me now this were huge mistakes and will never happen again but also promised me before an affair she could never do this

3:07 PM

Todd (to All):

yea

3:07 PM

Todd (to All):

yes

3:09 PM

tami (to All):

Affair is over X 1 year, in almost every way my husband acts “normal”, tells me that days go by without him thinking of it and he wants me to “move on”. How is this possible for the cheater to just sweep it all under the rug? He has done some talking of the affair but now pretty much shuts down at any mention and will not discuss any further. Is basically taking the “actions speak louder than words” response and just wants to move on with our life.

3:09 PM

Gen (to All):

i had an affair earlier this year and I told my husband. we tried reconciling but we didn’t see a marriage counselor. I truly felt guilty and disgusted in myself but I’m such an emotional person that my actions didn’t match with what I felt inside. I slowed communications with the OM but I didn’t cut it all off, which is dumb of me. my husband couldn’t take it so he left and I haven’t spoken to him at all for 3 months. we have no kids, and I truly want to save my marriage. I feel that not seeing him led me to think more logically but I feel as though it’s too late

3:10 PM

Gen (to All):

is it too late for me to do something or reach out to him?

3:10 PM

Gen (to All):

he blocked me from phone calls, hasn’t answered my texts or emails

3:14 PM

Gen (to All):

and he would tell me that it’s over and I should move on since he had a new life. basically was the last thing I’ve heard from him

3:14 PM

Lori (to All):

i’m 2 ys out from d-day, is it part of the process to go through a beleif that “i’m through the process of grief and trauma of the affair but now all of a sudden i’m thinking i don’t want to stay in the relationship. not because of the affair but because of the relationship and the man seperate from the affair. Is it possible this is just a natural part of the process of healing from the affair? should a give it time to see if this sense moves through me?

3:17 PM

tami (to All):

no, unable but can type

3:18 PM

tami (to All):

“It just happened”, mid life crisis affair.

3:18 PM

tami (to All):

Yes, he doesn’t like to see me in pain. Wants to ignore it.

3:19 PM

tami (to All):

thank you

3:19 PM

Jd (PRIVATE):

hi bob, this is my first time call and very difficult for me to do. around this time last year and summer her behavior became very different almost one of entitlement. we have two young children and have done typical counseling upon my finding of an affair with a coworker (she said it was only emotional however I have my reservations and concerns it was more via the vast “indicators and evidence” I had encountered. I am fully disabled and have been a stay at home dad with our children since they were born. she has never apologized for the affair and I did tell her that no matter what the truth I would never leave and break up our family, I just need the truth (which I still haven’t received).

3:19 PM

Mike P. (to All):

Dr. Bob, I didn’t see you outline an exit affair in your list of the 7 types of affairs. Do you believe that these typically fall under the other types that you have outlined?

3:21 PM

tami (to All):

Lori – I have these feelings as well. Thank you for asking this. I too wonder if this is a normal feeling following the trauma.

3:22 PM

Caroline Scheirer (to All):

Hi Bob, how can i get my husband open up and talk about his affair and confront it? D-day was 3 months ago and he only ended the affair about 2 weeks ago and stated he wanted to stay in our relationship. He is not the kind of personality to confront his feeling or talk about them, but i need that to move on.

3:22 PM

Lori (to All):

very much so! thank you

3:24 PM

Katherine (to All):

My husband had at least an emotional affair. In the middle of it he told me he didn’t love me anymore and suggested divorce. He denied the affair for a long time until I found something on our computer that showed his strong feelings for the OW. He said he’d end it, but didn’t so I talked to the OW and I believe she ended it. This was December. He still sees the OW regularly through a shared volunteer activity though. He initially tried to blame me for the affair (marriage made me do it), but said he wanted to work on the marriage. However, recently he says he’s not sure what he wants and that he doesn’t always like being around me because I’m a reminder of his shortcomings. I’ve offered forgiveness, compassion, etc. and he tells me that I haven’t contributed to his feeling this way, but we’re not making progress. If he really is mired in shame, how do I address this?

3:26 PM

Jd (PRIVATE):

at the time of discovery she was “all in” doing and saying whatever she could to make our marriage work. I spent a ton of $$ , time and effort to get us away to be alone to dedicate time to us and continue to make sure I do as much as possible emotionally and physically. of late again she has become very distant and says things like I (me) don’t understand how much damage I have caused and that I am an awful husband, controlling etc. her family has always been a point of contention in that they enable her behavior to assist in covering up and encouraging her to continue to maintain distance from me. they do as much as possible to try and belittle me. we live very Close to them and we are summoned to go to her moms house multiple times per week, no less than one.

3:26 PM

Caroline Scheirer (to All):

great, thank you

3:26 PM

Alex Winer (to All):

If wife separated 7 months ago and carrying on her affair. What are my steps?

3:28 PM

Jd (PRIVATE):

everytime we go over there my children get physically hurt by her siblings children and nothing is ever addressed. the latest was my nephew who is 10 and 130lbs and when they were in the pool and he tho

3:29 PM

Carla (to All):

My husband who is having an affair says that he views everything about our marriage in a negative light. I thought our marriage was quite good — we had some of the usual difficulties – but overall my feeling is that it was very positive. How can I get him to remember the positive things about our relationship?

3:29 PM

Jd (PRIVATE):

thought no one was watching tried to drown her, holding her head underwater until I went sprinting out (falling in the interim because of my back issues) and NO ONE WOULD SAY A WORD TO THIS CHILD. my wife wouldn’t even interview

3:30 PM

Jd (PRIVATE):

intervene

3:30 PM

Katherine (to All):

Thank you.

3:30 PM

Jd (PRIVATE):

I’m at my ropes end as she continues to distance

3:30 PM

Kathy (to All):

Thank you

3:31 PM

Carla (to All):

thanks!

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