In this episode, I share a powerful story from a listener who has lived through 17 years of marital chaos. On paper, he’s a hardworking, successful man—a career in medicine, a thriving real estate business, and five kids. But behind the scenes, his marriage has been a war zone: false accusations, secret fertility treatments, volatility, and finally his wife moving three hours away with the children.
In the middle of all this, he admits he lost himself—turning to affairs and even escorting—becoming a man he barely recognizes. Now, with his teenage daughter reaching out about her mother’s abuse, he’s finally facing the truth and taking steps to fight for custody.
This is a raw reminder that living in dysfunction doesn’t make you stronger—it makes you weaker. If you’re in chaos, you need to draw the line before you lose everything, including yourself.
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deardso.comJoin the HFM Brotherhood today!What is Dad Starting Over?
Welcome to the Dad Starting Over podcast! "Starting Over" means different things to different people. It could be that you're newly divorced and starting over fresh with a new life. It could be that you're still married and wanting to hit the reset button and finally do things right within your marriage. Whatever your story may be, you're in the right place.
I'm Ralph, a.k.a DSO, the author of books called "The Dead Bedroom Fix", "Divorce Panic", "Real Talk" and "Red Flags". You can learn more about me, my books, one-on-one coaching, and the member-only part of my site called the Brotherhood at https://helpformen.com