Can Islamic Marriage Counselling Help After Emotional Abuse, Constant Conflict & Resentment?
Asalamu alaykum everyone. I’m posting because I genuinely feel emotionally exhausted and would appreciate sincere advice, especially from people who have experience with marriage counselling or emotionally strained marriages.
My wife and I have a 2-year-old daughter. Over the last year things have become very emotionally difficult at home. My wife gets overwhelmed and overstimulated very easily, especially being at home a lot with our daughter, and when stressed she can lash out verbally, shout, swear, mock me, and become very negative. I’ve reached a point where I constantly feel on edge and like I’m walking on eggshells. Even small mistakes can turn into emotional explosions.
At the same time, I don’t believe my wife is an evil person. She has gone through a lot emotionally herself, and recently during a health visitor appointment she became emotional, cried, admitted she feels overwhelmed, and support/counselling was suggested. She is also open to Islamic marriage counselling in the future.
The reason I’m struggling is because I honestly feel emotionally worn down now. I’ve had anxiety and even self-harm thoughts before because of how overwhelmed I’ve become mentally. Some professionals suggested marriage counselling could help, while a domestic abuse helpline warned me that people who emotionally abuse others often don’t change.
I feel torn between:
- wanting to save and improve the marriage,
- wanting a healthier environment for my daughter,
- and feeling deep resentment and emotional exhaustion myself.
Has anyone been through something similar where marriage counselling genuinely helped? Especially Islamic marriage counselling? Can emotionally harmful communication and constant negativity actually improve over time if both people engage sincerely?
JazakAllah khair.