Cathy, a forty year old teacher at our local high school came to see me for marriage problems. She was a short, neatly dressed, slender woman. Her eyes were red and swollen as if she had been crying recently. Although friendly, Cathy seemed tense as we began discussing her reasons for coming to see me.
Cathy came for individual counseling after being referred by their pastor. She had complained to her pastor that she was ready to end her marriage because of problems that lingered without remedy. Her visit to me was a last ditch attempt to save their marriage.
Looking at her intake sheet gave me a hint of her reason for coming: "My husband tells me what to do and how to think."
I began our session by asking her to share about herself and her reasons for coming to counseling.
"Well, I’ve been married for fifteen years to Paul, who works as a chemical engineer at Weyerhaeuser. He’s been there a long time and makes a good salary. He’s in charge of a lot of people there and seems to bring that attitude home to our marriage. It seems like he wants to play God with me and our daughters. There is a right way — his way — and a wrong way — our way. It is the world according to Paul, and I’m not sure I can live like this anymore."
"It sounds like this has been going on for some time in your marriage."
"You know, I never noticed it at first. I guess it is like you read about. I used to like his strength and determination. I used to like that he was a solid leader in our home and church. I have always been proud of how he has taken leadership positions at church. He takes his faith seriously, and I like that."
"But, at home he can be a bit overwhelming?" I asked.
"I feel like I am going crazy in my marriage. I feel like I am suffocating in my own house and can’t stand it anymore. I can’t have my own thoughts. I can’t disagree with him without him telling me how my ideas are wrong. I am always feeling judged."
"What exactly does your husband do to make you feel this way?" I asked.
"You know. I don’t know exactly. It just seems like he has an answer for everything. He tells me the ‘right way’ to do things," she said raising a pointed finger. "He has to be right. But, what drives me the craziest is when he tells me that I am wrong in how I discipline our daughters, or the way I balance my checkbook."
"So, he corrects you and makes you feel bad for your choices?"
"Oh yeah. He does that all the time. He even finishes my sentences for me, or criticizes me for something I might do even before I do it."
"Your husband seems to have strong opinions about things, Cathy. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. It is when we force those opinions onto others that we get into trouble. It is when we take our judgments and put them onto others that cause the damage."
