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How Empty Nest Syndrome Affects A Marriage

Sadly, empty nest syndrome symptoms affect not only individuals but marriages too. In this blog, I will address what is the effect of empty nest syndrome in marriage and how to become closer. It’s a serious issue as research has linked empty nest syndrome and affairs. Don’t presume your husband or wife will be ok and your marriage will get stronger, it takes action for that.

When your children were young and chaotic with lots of birthday parties and activities to do each weekend, perhaps you dreamt of the days when they’d be older and not so much work. Perhaps you dreamt about sleeping full nights without having to tend to children or being able to sleep in on Saturdays. Perhaps you wished for the sulky teenage years to be over and life to be drama free, thinking about all the things you could finally do for yourself. Hopeful that when the free time came you would be able to relax and enjoy the freedom to choose how to run your day.

The problem with this kind of thinking though is that most people don’t anticipate the impact on the marriage when the children move out and the house is back to just the two of you.

Most couples tend to their children’s needs above all else and perhaps needing to work extra in order to give their children the best in life. What happens is that parents get so busy they spend less time as a couple and more time just getting everything done.

By the time the kids are out the house, both partners may either stop being busy and feel an empty void or continue to be busy and feel lonely because they miss the affection and attention they gave to and received from the children. Feeling lost and low after children leave is known as empty nest syndrome.

Transitioning to an empty nest is often harder than most parents realise. This is not only because it is an incredibly big change to get used to after so long but also because empty nest syndrome affects a marriage. For example, the silence in the home may be unbearable and the distance between a couple maybe more obvious. If one in the marriage was doing a lot more of the caregiving than the other, they may feel lost, not knowing who they are or what they want to do next or what makes them happy anymore.

Living without a purpose is horrible and it’s the first thing I focus on with individuals. We also explore together their passions, interests, what they value most in life and what they want for their future. Sometimes its’s to start a business, or find a job they love, for others it’s about charity work and giving back, some men and women want to learn a new skill or take on a personal challenge. What the couple desire and decide to do with their life next must be address for the difficult empty nest syndrome symptoms to subside.

As a consistent low mood in one or both parties can lead to taking out frustrations out on one another or simply avoiding each other. This causes more heartache and pain, leading to a further breakdown in connection.

Sometimes the empty nest syndrome can magnify problems that couples already have and with no children to hide behind couples can’t escape. I have men and women come to me questioning if they want to stay married anymore, some state they have waited it out for the children and want their own change, to be selfish (as they call it) and live for them.

Often husband’s and wife’s underestimate the grief an empty nest can bring. Many unfortunately get depressed and become stuck in depression as they hold on to it as it is numbing their pain.

It is not doom and gloom for all couples though, some marriages thrive after the children leave home, as there is more time and space to give each other attention, appreciation and affection. The difference is using the emotional pain to grow together rather than apart. Emotionally support one another, investing time and energy to organise and do fun new things.

I also get empty nesters to share their dreams and plans for the future. This is one of my favourite things to do, to not let an empty nest affect a marriage alignment and going back to basics is key. This is where couple recreate a whole new relationship.

To be proactive and take charge of your happiness today you can get my 7 secrets to fixing your marriage here

Or book a call with me HERE

Mila TutorMila Tutor
07:10 25 Mar 23
I have worked with Nicola for some time now and have found her to be compassionate, kind, and extremely helpful. She has helped me a lot.
Riti SajitRiti Sajit
06:58 25 Mar 23
Nicola is a wonderful human 🤍 Thank you for helping me through my difficult time.Still living by your words and advice. I would definitely recommend anyone needing relationship counseling to try Nicola :)
Mihaela BotnariMihaela Botnari
12:54 17 Mar 23
Thank you for destroying my relationship. My partner reached out for support and you advised him that there is nothing for him to heal and that he should send his girlfriend for therapy, like this is your place to tell him. I’ve been through therapy myself and I know how to make the difference between a good therapist and someone who just wants to get more money, and the second seems to definitely be your purpose!
Helen HHelen H
19:13 10 Nov 22
Nicola’s support and advice proved invaluable when my marriage was struggling. Over a series of meetings (online and fact to face, to suit our needs), Nicola helped steer us through a very difficult time. She was always calm, neutral and never made us feel like we had failed or had ‘messed up’. Nicola has a wealth of experience and keeps up with current research, but has a very unique approach to getting you back on track. With regular support materials and just being there, she helped us realise that our relationship could go on; by making us look at ourselves and helping us consider the tools we needed to move forwards. I can honestly say that I don’t think our marriage would have survived such a difficult time without Nicola’s expertise. I often listen to Nicola’s podcasts on Spotify when I’m needing a bit of extra support. Thank you, Nicola
Justin LossJustin Loss
13:23 30 Jun 22
Nicola has been a massive help. I had tried traditional counseling and it had seemed to be moving me further away from what I wanted. After listening to several of Nicola's podcasts I decided to reach out to her. The discovery call was enlightening and she described a process that was more focused on creating a better future vs reliving the pass. From there I went through her Breakthrough Program...All I can say is Wow! Her program and guidance has quickly changed my mindset which has in turn improved all my relationships and overall stress level. I highly recommend working with Nicola and can't thank her enough for her help and care.
Ciaran CarlisleCiaran Carlisle
22:16 23 Jan 22
My partner and I spent a number of sessions with Nicola discussing our relationship difficulties, both together and one on one sessions. She has been so good to talk to - incredibly helpful and understanding with our problems.My partner and I have come out of this with a better understanding and move love for each other. Nicola has taught us many techniques to use in situations were we feel at odds which has been fantastic. We would recommend Nicola 100% for relationship advice.Thank you so much again.
Loida Delgado-PerezLoida Delgado-Perez
03:09 22 Jan 22
Nicola's marriage counselling have been life changing for both my partner and I. The learnings have been exponential and have transform us individually and as a couple. We reached out to Nicola at the lowest point of our relationship and about to break apart. Her compassionate and smart yet practical advice and exercises transform us in such a way that we are now at the best we've ever been personally and as a couple.As a result we've decided to get married and book Nicola every year for a couple's check in! I couldn't recommend her sessions more to anyone feeling stuck and wanting to be in a better place. Best investment of time, money and effort EVER. Thank you Nicola, you are an inspiration to me and many others :)
Christianne KaddoumChristianne Kaddoum
17:19 20 Oct 21
The hours I’ve spent working with Nicola have been the most valuable of my life.I now feel equipped to do things differently. It’s been the most liberating and empowering experience and I’ve learnt things that will stay with me forever.Through the excellent help from Nicola, it is now possible for me to have a different and healthier approach to various situations.She has professionally helped me to consider my perspectives in a way I hadn’t before.I can finally begin to reframe my life experience and see them in a whole new light.Thanks Nicola!
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