Have you noticed how many marriages struggle after the kids leave the home?

Have the roles and stresses of raising children and building careers pulled you in different directions over the years?

In some ways, entering this phase of marriage can be as “new” as it was when you first started. The “rules and roles” of the relationship need to be reviewed and re-established.

In her book Marriage in the Middle, Dorothy Littell Greco observes:

The divergent experiences that we’re being thrust into can stimulate the kind of character development necessary to prevent us and our marriages from getting stuck or disintegrating. To the get the most benefit from these soul-expanding experiences, we have to be willing to acknowledge those places where our marriages are currently fragile or even failing. And of course, an acknowledgement is not enough. We have to address those vulnerabilities with purpose and commitment.

In PhaseNEXT, we believe that your marriage can thrive in midlife. But, work is required. This starts with evaluating your mutual direction and the divergence that may have developed. We explore questions like:

• What roles, responsibilities and expectations have developed while raising children that are no longer necessary or even helpful?

• Are there any injuries or transgressions that have not been addressed?

• What does my spouse want for his or her midlife? What is his or her purpose and calling?

• Can we merge our pursuits on a common path?

• How can I help my spouse thrive?