WE HOPE THIS REVIEW WILL BRING YOU HOPE, WHOVEVER YOU MAY BE, AND SHOWCASE THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF BRAD ROBINSON AND MARRIAGE SOULTUIONS:
"All these 5 star reviews, they're just so fake! I mean, LOOK AT THEM, they look TOO happy!" Words spoken in collective agreement on a mid-summers night. A concerned family member had sent a link to a highly recommended marriage councilor, our marriage problems now indiscriminately being carried outside the walls of our home. "We don't need counseling, we're just in this or not. It's that simple". This, of course, was a lie.
Everyone tells you that marriage is hard, something you must work at together, and yet the trials we endured did not seem to have a playbook to reference. Sure, there's a hundred, thousand, million, billion books written on how to overcome the worst a marriage can face, television shows proclaiming the secrets to a healthy marriage, $100 box sets on how to have a perfect family, but none of those could connect to us. We were different. We were just, different.
When the reality of a divorce was imminent, we agreed to seek the help of Marriage Solutions. This seemingly "perfect" couple on a marriage counseling website, with boasts of major network appearances and "Best Reviewed Couple Therapy Practice in the Midwest" was sure to squash the inevitable cries of "not trying" when the divorce was done. When we walked into the practice, we expected the grandiose accolades and accomplishments of this magical place where marriages are saved to be gratuitously shoved down our throats, as if in awe of some superpower bestowed upon this little, humble office. We were disappointed.
We met with Brad Robinson, a man who upon first meeting, would make you forget all the reservations you had about such a well spoken-of individual. He was average height, soft spoken, offers a handshake and a water. He was simple. He takes us into his office and we sit down on the couch. Full size, not a love seat. We expect this is where he starts in with achievement rates, how everything else is a sham and he can show us the real secrets. "This is going to hurt..." he whispers. The pause is numbing. "I can't guarantee I can help you save your marriage, but like a doctor treating an infection," he continues, "we have to clean the wounds to let them heal properly". If your reading this and your stomach dropped, the feeling was palpable in the room. All the bandages we had applied to our relationship were about to come off. Will we survive this? In Brad's office hangs a shadow painting of a Spanish Matador and a Bull. It now had context.
We met with Brad every week. At first, those drives to his practice were nerve racking, always wondering what new level of our complicated relationship would be brought into those four walls. Can the healing survive? What are we going to face this week? As gut-wrenching as the process could be, one thing became apparent as our sessions continued. A comfortable feeling would come over as Brad sat with us, as if the room were slowly flooding with oxygen. For the first time, we felt secure in discussing our marriage, and safe with opening up about ourselves. Have you ever watched one of those TV shows that always seems to have a harmonious ending? Conflict is resolved, and although you know there's more for the characters to explore on the next episode, you get the sense that they're safe during that pause. That's what leaving our sessions with Brad resembled. We walked through the wasteland of our marriage, but we always came out, holding each others hand a little tighter. We found in each other not a difference, but a similarity. Our fears, weaknesses, hopes, dreams, hurts, love, they were not different. We were not different. We were more alike in ways we simply could not see.
It's December 31st, New Years Eve. As we write this, we're resolved that the true credit to the healing of our marriage was the incredible work of Brad Robinson and the people at Marriage Solutions. His insight into the foundations of a successful marriage and wisdom to seek healing, not just of the union of you and your spouse, but of the individual, has left us in a place of renewed confidence. We never thought we would be here, it simply was not meant for us. We were different. But we will now testify that we were wrong, and how great it feels to say that. Thank You Brad, Thank You Marriage Solutions. We wouldn't be here without you.
-Schuyler and Katy read more
