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Can You Love Your Spouse but Want a Divorce?

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21.08.2026

The Challenges of Divorce

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Love can remain even when a marriage ends.

Emotional and practical needs that go unmet can create distance.

Repeated conflict or broken trust can wear down even the most committed relationships.

Diverging values and life goals can lessen compatibility, hastening the end of a relationship.

Not every person who comes to me for a divorce does so because they despise their spouse. There are always those who tell me, in no uncertain terms, that they love their spouse and that’s why they’re leaving them. Or that’s why they decided together to end their marriage. These are the divorces that are often misunderstood by those who witness them from outside the relationship. Counterintuitive, for sure, but there are reasons why you can love your spouse but still want a divorce.

Needs Continue to Go Unmet

One of the quickest paths to feeling lonely in a marriage is not having your needs met. Unmet needs can be emotional, physical, or both. If, for example, your spouse doesn’t communicate well or is simply uninterested in your feelings, whether about the relationship or something you are experiencing unrelated to it, you can feel unsatisfied by the quality of your interactions.

Additionally, not feeling supported at home, such as when........

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