Has the Pandemic Put Your Marriage at Risk?

Alicia and Trevor’s marriage was humming along before the pandemic. They were both constantly busy. He went to the office every day, played team sports on the weekend—hockey in the winter, softball in the summer. She was more of an introvert, working from home, swimming laps for exercise. They came together at dinner sometimes, and all was well.

Has The Pandemic Put Your Marriage At Risk? Nancy'S Counseling Corner

Suddenly they were thrown together day and night when Trevor began to work from home. His personality as an extrovert made him miss social interaction at work and the sports he used to enjoy for his physical and mental health. He began to feel trapped at home and struggled to cope with the loss of routines that brought him comfort and a feeling of stability.

 

Meanwhile, Alicia was glad her husband would be home more often. She was looking forward to his help around the house. The couple used to have cleaning help once a week, but the person who did it was no longer available. She had to care for her mother who had Covid-19. So the housework was piling up, although Alicia sometimes got out the vacuum between online meetings. The couple no longer considered dining out in restaurants to be safe, so there were more groceries to buy, more cooking to do, and more dishes to wash. In fact, Alicia felt like her kitchen duties were seemingly endless.

 

Trevor, on the other hand, found working from home very stressful, isolating and frustrating. His opportunities as an extrovert had been curtailed and his mental health was suffering. And even though he felt like he was working hard—online meetings took some getting used to—his workload had been cut back due to the pandemic’s effect on his employer. The cut-back came with a pay-cut, and Trevor experienced some wounded pride along with financial stress.

 

Alicia, who, as an introvert, valued her alone time, was constantly with her spouse. She found herself more and more stretched with work. Added to her to-do list was reassuring Trevor. Her housework was already disproportionately much greater than Trevor’s contribution. And now she had to “babysit” him. His anxiety disorder, which had been dormant before, had become full blown. It was more than she could handle.

 

The rise in American divorces can be tied to the pandemic. The fact is, there has been a significant spike in divorces since the pandemic. Couples like Alicia and Trevor seemed to coexist just fine until the pandemic brought their relationship into sharper focus. They weren’t necessarily happy before, but they were stable. They were distracted by their activities. They were able to spend significant amount of time apart. They could more easily ignore problems with their relationship.

 

The pandemic forced Alicia and Trevor to take stock, seek professional help, and decide whether they should stay together or not. It’s not an easy decision when they’re already dealing with the effects of the pandemic.

 

Nancy Travers is an Orange County Counseling professional. If you need safe, effective counseling services, please get in touch. You can reach her here: https://nancyscounselingcorner.com/contact

 

 

If you found this post helpful, you might also enjoy exploring some of our other articles that dive deeper into the topics of relationships, communication, and emotional wellness. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your current connection, better understand co-dependency, or prepare for a healthy marriage, these related posts offer valuable insights and tools to support your journey. Take a look—you may find just what you need.

Related Posts

The Key to Love

Multiple studies have been conducted exploring the idea that two people can develop a close relationship by sharing their most intimate thoughts. In one famous study the two people involved began as strangers, but soon, through a series of increasingly more probing questions, they became close. The questions began innocuously enough, as a getting-to-know-you exercise. They progressed to more personal issues that left each person feeling vulnerable. When the self-disclosure

Read More »

Unseen Trauma, Shame, Codependency

The trauma of being unseen often lies at the root of both shame and codependency, quietly shaping how we relate to ourselves and others throughout our lives. This unseen wound—often rooted in early relational experiences—leaves an enduring imprint on our emotional landscape, one that can quietly dictate our behavior, self-worth, and capacity for connection well into adulthood. When a person’s emotional reality is consistently ignored, dismissed, or invalidated—especially during the

Read More »

Sex, Sex, and More Sex

Sex is often the cornerstone of a good relationship. Sure, it’s possible to have a wonderful relationship without it, but sex can really enhance and strengthen your journey as a couple. In fact, research tells us that couples who are committed long-term, and who can communicate with each other about their sex life, have better sex and have it more often than those who don’t talk about it. They feel

Read More »
RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING SERVICES

Find The Counseling Service That Is Right For You

At Nancy’s Counseling Corner, we’re here to support every stage of your relationship journey. Whether you’re navigating challenges in your marriage, preparing for lifelong commitment through premarital counseling, or working through the emotions of separation and divorce, our services are designed with care, compassion, and expertise. We specialize in Marriage Counseling, Relationship Counseling, Premarital Counseling, Divorce Counseling, Co-dependency Counseling—and so much more. No matter where you are, healing and growth are possible. Let’s take that next step—together.

Marriage & Couples Counseling

Marriage is a lifelong commitment that requires hard work, love, care, and understanding the needs of other people.

Relationship Counseling

Can help you find–and keep–the love of your life. Relationships are challenging and require an extensive amount of patience.

Divorce Counseling

Divorce Counseling is an emotional and strenuous thought for those seeking to solve marital problems.

Depression Counseling

Depression is a mental disorder characterized by at least 10-14 days of noticeable or recognizable low mood.

Co-dependency

“Codependency” is a term we hear thrown around a lot these days, though many of us aren’t sure exactly what it means.

Premarital Counseling

Offers Premarital Counseling to couples in the Orange County area that are considering to get married or are already engaged.

Anxiety Counseling

Offers Premarital Counseling to couples in the Orange County area that are considering to get married or are already engaged.

Meditation

Offers Premarital Counseling to couples in the Orange County area that are considering to get married or are already engaged.

Hypnosis

Offers Premarital Counseling to couples in the Orange County area that are considering to get married or are already engaged.