My family were not Christian when I was a child, and my mum was never warm towards me or my sister because we reminded her of her aging and mortality,
which she resented. The sexual revolution had made her fixate on being a young woman and gave her no preparation to function as a mum. She eventually
committed adultery against my dad with his best friend when I was about 15. My mum left, and my older sister already lived away (with her boyfriend),
so it was just my dad and me at home, but he was very depressed. I moved out at 16 and moved in with a girlfriend.
My parents’ divorce took four years through costly solicitors and was full of bitter hurt. My girlfriend at the time and I introduced my dad to my girlfriend’s
mum, who had also been hurt by her adulterous ex-husband. We had meant for them to be friends, but they got together and my girlfriend’s mum moved
in with my dad and eventually became my step-mum. So I was engaged to my step-sister.
mum, who had also been hurt by her adulterous ex-husband. We had meant for them to be friends, but they got together and my girlfriend’s mum moved
in with my dad and eventually became my step-mum. So I was engaged to my step-sister.
We moved to university together, but I was struggling to function and I started receiving humanistic counseling when I was 19 or 20 for about two years.
Then my fiancée and I went to couple’s therapy on and off for about a year, but we finally broke up when I was 21, after years of difficulty and perseverance
in a really unnatural situation. We’d been together since we were 15, lived together since 16, broke up after 6 formative and tumultuous years.
Then my fiancée and I went to couple’s therapy on and off for about a year, but we finally broke up when I was 21, after years of difficulty and perseverance
in a really unnatural situation. We’d been together since we were 15, lived together since 16, broke up after 6 formative and tumultuous years.
Since we broke up, she’s been diagnosed as bi-polar: she was physically and emotionally abusive, coercive, and controlling towards me during our relationship,
but because of my dad’s marriage to her mum, my dad never helped me. He and my step-mum took my abusive partner’s side and colluded in her abuse
of me, and made me feel responsible for her treatment of me.
but because of my dad’s marriage to her mum, my dad never helped me. He and my step-mum took my abusive partner’s side and colluded in her abuse
of me, and made me feel responsible for her treatment of me.
Then one day I met an evangelist and after being amazed by the love present in the Christian community I became a Christian and met my now wife, also
a Christian, when I was 22. We had a godly courtship for two years and on the advice of my evangelist and pastor we got married when I was 24 after
a short marriage course provided by some lovely Christian mentors. My wife is incredibly loving and not at all like my mother or my ex-partner
were. However, because of my formative traumatic experiences, I do unconsciously project onto her and so I experience her behavior as rejecting
or neglecting me, even when she is not.
a Christian, when I was 22. We had a godly courtship for two years and on the advice of my evangelist and pastor we got married when I was 24 after
a short marriage course provided by some lovely Christian mentors. My wife is incredibly loving and not at all like my mother or my ex-partner
were. However, because of my formative traumatic experiences, I do unconsciously project onto her and so I experience her behavior as rejecting
or neglecting me, even when she is not.
She knows this about my psychology and is patient and supportive. We talk about these things articulately. I have been in psychotherapy for the last
five years and really am healing, with therapy, a Christian marriage, church community, and especially the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God.
five years and really am healing, with therapy, a Christian marriage, church community, and especially the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God.
Submitted by A.L.P. in February 2016.
