How to Improve Your Marriage When Your Partner Refuses to Participate

By The Encompass Outreach Group

​Just about every marriage faces issues at one point or another. While these issues can lead to arguments and fights, they usually result in the couple working together to resolve them. But, what happens when a person that is part of the couple refuses to participate? When a partner is unwilling to participate in the marriage, it can aggravate the existing issues, making them even worse and harder to resolve. Here are some ways to improve your marriage even if your partner refuses to participate.

• Build a Support System - If your partner is refusing to participate in improving your marriage, it’s important to build an additional support system. This includes other family members and friends that you can rely on when you need support, whether mentally, physically, or emotionally. They can help you focus on your own well-being and happiness even when your partner won’t. 

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• Focus on Yourself -  When your partner refuses to participate in your relationship, one of the best things you can do is focus on yourself. Work to make yourself a better person and do what makes you happy. Sometimes, this will even motivate your partner to change their ways. If your partner is not fulfilling all of your wants, consider exploring things you can do on your own, like joining a running group, taking classes, joining a book club, or simply building new friendships. By expanding your interests and social circles, you can find new ways to feel fulfilled and have to rely on your partner less.

 

• Read, Research, and Re-Evaluate - It’s also important to read, research, and re-evaluate when you have a spouse or partner who isn’t helping out in your relationship. Many other people have been through similar situations, and you can learn from their experiences. Consider seeking out self-help books and researching specific tools, like different exercises for couples, and then re-evaluating what you want out of the relationship and whether you are willing to give some things up to make the marriage work.

 

• Go to Marriage Counseling on Your Own - It may seem strange to go to marriage counseling by yourself, but it can still do your relationship a lot of good. You will be talking with a trained relationship expert who can offer you advice and guidance on things that can improve your situation, suggest changes you can personally make to help, and also provide you with another support system for sharing your feelings.

 
Encompass Connection Center helps couples learn how to resolve issues and create fulfilling, productive relationships. For many couples, those issues can stem from a lack of participation. Just like any problem, though, participation issues can be fixed. We offer a free relationship assessment to determine your relationship’s strengths and potential threats. For more help, look into our RINGS Experience, which includes marriage strengthening exercises and a coaching model to help build real intimacy and growth skills.

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