You may wonder, as you contemplate the state of your marriage or partnership, how things would have turned out if you had not been quarantined together for nearly 12 months. There is no doubt that the pandemic caused by COVID19 has contributed to your marital stress, tension, exhaustion, and agitation. Sometimes the agitation is simply the by-product of the pull of work, kids, and spousal duties.  In these situations, you know that if you could just get back to the gym regularly or hang-out with your girlfriends for a weekend in the woods, you would emerge refreshed and clear-headed.

However, sometimes, though, the tension and frustration are amplified and apparent because your relationship is truly in trouble. Whereas in the past you could engage, knowingly or not, in avoidant behaviors like staying extra hours at the office, traveling across the country to sales meetings or playing intramural sports with your friends, these tactics are not an option during a health pandemic.  The reality of living through the COVID19 pandemic is that we are made to face our realities… whether we like them or not.