• 01
  • June
    2011

Most people associate the end of a marriage with infidelity, near-constant marital bickering or financial concerns. While this is certainly true, another equally responsible - yet widely underreported - culprit for divorce is a change in a spouse's career.

"Major life transitions, especially career transitions, are stressful, and that stress often bleeds into the marriage," said Bradford Wilcox, the director of the National Marriage Project.

According to divorce/family experts, a career change can cause undue stress for the spouse making the transition as they must learn to cope with increased expectations, new working conditions, a new work schedule, etc.

Unfortunately, this situation can lead the spouse to feel that they are losing control, and cause them to act out or fall into a depressed state.

Understandably, this creates increased marital strife that can easily culminate in a dissolution of marriage.

Another way in which a career shift can cause increased marital strife and ultimately divorce is if the new job is considered a "step down," meaning it's not as impressive as the previous position and/or pays significantly less money.

"For couples who are losing jobs, or going on to new jobs, especially if they're less prestigious or remunerative, it can be a real source of strain on a marriage," said Wilcox. "The second thing is the blow to the ego; this is particularly true for men who have established lifetime and marriage, making major contributions to the family."

While marital counseling with a qualified professional often enables couples experiencing these types of difficulties to air their grievances and work through their problems, many actually choose to use it as an opportunity to go their separate ways.

"Once a career is over it's an opportunity to go in a different direction with your personal life," said Joyce Morley, an executive coach and psychotherapist. "That obligation doesn't have to be there anymore."

Stay tuned for more from our Denver divorce blog ...

If you would like to learn more about dissolution of marriage, property division, child custody or any other divorce-related matter, you should strongly consider speaking with an experienced legal professional.

This post is provided for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.

Related Resources:

Career change can do a number on many relationships (MSNBC)