Time to Trade In or Restore Your Relationship?

Old Car in Field with text 'Time to Trade In or Restore?'

This article was written by Freya Robbins

Are you considering it may be time to trade in that Old Jalopy? Are you thinking an updated model may help you get more mileage out of your relationship? Is the engine of your relationship misfiring?

A Man Admiring A Car

Relationships can be a little like cars. We love the bright and shiny and the new car smell. Remember when we spent time in the beginning keeping that new car nice and clean, handwashing and waxing on the weekend? But then, after we put a few miles on them, they begin to lose their luster. They show the wear of everyday life and we begin to wonder if we shouldn’t turn it in for a newer model. Sure, we’ve traveled many miles together and she’s not broken down completely. She’s been loyal, faithful, plus she’s paid for!

If you are like most of us, you could be thinking you are a little too emotional or maybe having a midlife crisis. Or maybe it is just from being cooped up with someone in the same space for a long time. The COVID-19 Pandemic put amazing amounts of stress on us as a nation, as individuals, and as families. The unprecedented situation, coupled with lock-downs and kids unable to attend regular school and activities kept all of us a little too close to each other, for a little too long!

A Mother Helping Her Daughter With Zoom Classwork

Whether it is due to the strains of the pandemic or just the pile up effect of everyday life, many of us have found ourselves questioning whether or not we could really make the relationship thing work over the long haul.

Wondering if it is just you? Wondering if your mate feels the same? Worried that you can’t put it back together again? Concerned about money and the kids? These are all very normal questions anytime, but especially with what we have been through of late.

Really, I am not sure how a lot of couples are able to handle this right now, especially with young children at home. Take a moment and give yourself a pat on the back for making it as long as you have so far; this has not been an easy task.

If I can give you one piece of advice: don’t do anything drastic. It should go without saying, but we are not cars; we have emotions and feelings and the ability to communicate and either hurt or repair each other with our words and actions. Your partner and your relationship are worth taking the time to calmly and fully evaluate the situation.

A Couple With Their Counselor

If you feel like you may be unsure of the direction your relationship has been taking, you might consider Marital Mediation. Marital Mediation is not a replacement for individualized therapy, counseling, or marriage therapy. It is a service that will help you ascertain if your marriage just needs a tune up or if the damage is so great that it can’t be repaired. We help you find a way forward no matter what situation you find yourself in.

Blocks With Text Mediator Dispute Problem Conflict

Often having a neutral third party to aid the discourse helps put issues into perspective. A mediator doesn’t try to analyze us but helps us understand the needs of both sides, so we can assess if and how those needs can be best met. They help us decide where we are going and help us arrive at the preferred destination.

We are here for you when you need us.

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Freya Robbins

Freya has been assisting families for years, combining professional training and her own experience in marriage, parenting and divorce; she truly relates to her clients. Freya founded Zollinger Mediation was in 2004, and she has been assisting families with divorce mediation, marital mediation, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements and eldercare mediation since. Freya business is known as The Positive Alternative to adversarial divorce. She educates her clients and shares ideas in a straightforward but accepting way about how to resolve conflict. In addition to her mediation practice, Freya holds a Series 6 License and is licensed to sell Life and Health Insurance, Annuities, Mutual Funds and Retirement plans. She holds a Certification in Long Term Care (CLTC) and is certified as a Chartered Special Needs Consultant (ChSNC). She helps families with special needs as she has a son with Epilepsy. She also cared for both of her parents as they needed assistance with care and in preparation for passing. Freya has written articles for West Coast Woman Magazine, the Observer and has been volunteer speaker for the Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota County. Freya is an advocate for eliminating Childhood Sexual Abuse and serves on the Board of the Child Protection Center in Sarasota, FL. Freya raised her 2 children as a single parent while building her businesses. Freya serves on the board of the Sarasota County Senior Advocacy Council and Josh Provides Epilepsy Support Group. Her most recent claim to fame is her marriage to Loyd Robbins in May of 2015. Love lives again!