Following deployment-related relationship trauma, individuals often experience feelings of betrayal, abandonment, loneliness, anger, fear, and anxiety. These negative emotions can cause significant damage to the couple's bond and trust, which may result in marital breakups, divorces, or infidelity.
Some couples are able to overcome these challenges and rebuild their connection. Emotional repair is the process through which couples heal from relational ruptures and regain trust in each other. Trust restoration involves establishing shared goals, communication channels, rituals, and rules that promote mutual respect, understanding, and closeness.
There are several mechanisms that support emotional repair and trust restoration following deployment-induced relational ruptures. One mechanism is empathy, which refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. Empathic partners show compassion, care, and concern for their partner's experiences during deployment, and they work together to alleviate the emotional pain caused by the separation. This helps to build a sense of intimacy, which can be maintained even when the couple is physically apart. Another mechanism is effective communication, which allows couples to express their needs, desires, and expectations openly and honestly. It also provides opportunities for problem-solving, conflict resolution, and collaboration. Effective communication requires active listening, nonverbal cues, clarification, and validation of each partner's perspective.
Another crucial mechanism is time management, wherein both partners set aside dedicated time to connect with each other. Regular communication through phone calls, video chats, letters, emails, and social media messages can help maintain emotional bonds despite distance.
Couples should plan regular visits and vacations to spend quality time together. Time management requires planning, organization, and prioritization to ensure that all parties feel supported and appreciated.
Forgiveness plays an essential role in emotional repair and trust restoration. Couples must learn to let go of resentment, anger, and grudges and focus on rebuilding their relationship instead. Forgiveness involves acknowledging wrongdoings, apologizing, seeking advice from third parties, and committing to change.
Deployments can cause significant damage to military families, but some couples are able to overcome these challenges through emotional repair and trust restoration. Empathy, effective communication, time management, and forgiveness are mechanisms that support this process.
It takes effort, patience, and commitment from both partners to achieve successful outcomes.
What mechanisms support emotional repair and trust restoration following deployment-induced relational ruptures?
Emotional repair and trust restoration after deployment can be supported by various mechanisms, which may include open communication, active listening, validation of feelings, empathy, understanding each other's perspective, setting realistic expectations, expressing gratitude, spending quality time together, and making efforts to reconnect with each other. Additionally, therapy sessions can help couples explore their thoughts and emotions, learn new skills for better communication, and strengthen their relationship.