Dear WholeFamily Counselor, I've not seen this concern addressed anywhere and am hoping you can help me to understand it. Ever since our daughter was born four years ago, I've felt my husband places our role as partners second to our role as parents. I'm proud of his love and care for our daughter, but I feel "jilted" in a way because his relationship with her is such a strong focus. It's hard to talk about because it seems childish, and, in fact, when I first brought it up in my daughter's first months, he told me he thought it was immature to want more of his individual attention.

Dear WholeFamily, I have been married for almost three years. I had a difficult time planning the wedding because I have a bad relationship with my parents. My parents were physically abusive to me while I was growing up and even up to the time I moved out at 19, and I struggled with planning the wedding without my family. My husband and I did not have much money to pay for the wedding, and although his family is wealthy and expected a lavish affair, they refused to contribute because they felt my parents should pay.

Dear WholeFamily Counselor, My marriage of fifteen years is in serious jeopardy and I feel helpless. My wife recently went back to work after 12 years of motherhood. There she met a man and started a flirtatious exchange. At first it didn't bother me and I felt so confident in our relationship I let it go on. Then started the touching and kissing. I felt she was going through a phase and allowed it to go on and didn't discourage it. Well, of course it went a lot farther. After this episode she told me it was over,(she got it out of her system) and our life and family was too important to jeopardize. She promised me that was that. One week later she was very late from work and I found out things went over the top.

Dear WholeFamily Counselor, On January 12th this year, I met my fiance. The first moment I saw her I knew that she was "The One". She was the new bartender in a lounge I frequent and I began talking with her after closing time. After a few nights of this it came out that she lives with a boyfriend who is also the father of her 3-year-old child. I was crushed but shamefully continued to pursue her.

Dear WholeFamily, My wife and I have been married for 3 years and our first child is due in 3 months. My wife has told me that she is not happy in our relationship and doesn't have the same love for me she had when we were engaged. We met with a marriage counselor to discuss this. I want to work things out and stay together. She wants a separation and then a divorce. The main issue has been that I have taken her for granted and put my other interests ahead of her.

Dear WholeFamily Counselor, My husband and I have been married for four years. Our five children and their families live thousands of miles away. We send presents, equal in value and sentiment, to all of our children and grandchildren. My husband's youngest and his wife never send us a card or present for birthdays or Christmas, which I guess shouldn't bother me, but it does. Usually, we have to ask if they've received their gifts. This year there was one acknowledgment, for the doll we sent for our granddaughter -- the fact that she liked it. No mention of the birthday present or other Christmas presents that were in the package.

Dear WholeFamily Counselor, My husband and I can't seem to get along. For a while he went through a period of months of staying away from home and when he was home we either fought or he was asleep. He has sleep apnea and it seems chronic. He has a doctor that he sees for it and uses a cap machine but he won't wear it. You can tell when he doesn't as his sleep is affected. We have five children and this is also hurting them.

Overbearing In-Laws Dear WholeFamily Counselor, I have a rather difficult situation involving in-laws; basically, a mother-in-law and father-in-law who are obsessed with my brother-in-law and sister-in-laws' two small children. They are very controlling and overbearing and cause a lot of stress in the family. The situations also directly affect myself and my husband, who is stepfather to my 2 children (not the favored ones)... Signed, lately with a constant headache.

Dear WholeFamily Counselor, My husband and I have been married for five years and have two young children. My husband is a good provider and wonderful father and claims to be faithful. My problem is his friendship with an ex-employee of his, and current coworker of mine. I believe their relationship is completely wrong. First of all, the girl is only 21 years old (my husband is 31), she is very immature and obviously doesn't know enough about the consequences of her actions. She and my husband used to talk on the phone constantly, at all hours of the night. He would call her on his cell phone or from work or when I was at work. He would always lie about it.

Dear WholeFamily, I have recently been told by wife of just under two years that she doesn't want anything to do with me. I should have seen it coming. I never thought it was ever going to come. She told me she wanted out and wanted to end the marriage. Right before Christmas I sensed our marriage going down in flames. I was right. She would go out and not come home until the morning while I was watching our son (my stepson).