If you can get your husband to accompany you to a musical at the movie theater, you might not need any sort of counseling, not even imago therapy!
Almost 40 years into her career as an Oscar-winning actress, Meryl Streep has once again stepped into the musical genre.
Joining an ensemble cast including the likes of Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, Chris Pine, and Johnny Depp, Streep plays the Witch in the Stephen Sondheim classic. The film is an adaptation of the wildly popular musical, which is essentially a revisionist spin on some of our most loved fairy tales.
The basic plot of the film revolves around the Witch, who wants to find a potion that will reverse a curse and make her beautiful and young again. Her tragic error sets a number of bad events into motion, including the arrival of a giant.
As great as the movie sounds, you will probably have a hard time getting your husband to join you at the theater. When he won’t see movies you are interested in or do things that you enjoy doing, you might need to reconnect with your spouse.
How exactly can you reconnect with your spouse when things start to fizzle? Some couples undergo imago therapy while others seek another form of counseling. There are also a few things you can do on your own. Here are some tips:
- Respect your differences. You need to remember that the two of you are very different people. Your method of dealing with stress might not be the same as your husband’s. This doesn’t make either one of you better or worse – just different. Try not to judge one another.
- Don’t take everything personally. It might be hard advice to follow, but you’ve got to stop taking things personally. This is especially true if your husband isn’t the type to debrief you after every event in his life. He might simply have a need for privacy, so be sure to give him some breathing room.
- Don’t chase down a conversation. Nagging someone is never a good idea. If your partner seems unavailable, consider giving him some distance. If there is considerable stress involved, resist the urge to press.
- Give him space. Sure, there was once a time where you couldn’t get enough of each other, but the longer you’ve been together, the more likely it is that you’ll need your own space. Don’t hover or give unwanted advice, and avoid calling or texting incessantly.
Reconnecting with your spouse doesn’t always require something like imago relationship therapy, but it will take a lot of work. If you sense that the two of you are gradually growing apart, start by accepting your differences and work toward establishing a newly solid relationship.
