-
MilLife Topics
- Military Basics
- Deployment
- Transitioning & Retiring
- Casualty Assistance
- Moving & PCS
- Housing & Living
- Recreation, Travel & Shopping
- Relationships
- Parenting
- Special Needs
- Health & Wellness
- Safety From Violence & Abuse
- Financial & Legal
- Education & Employment
- I am a…
- Benefits & Resources
- Benefits
- Back to Menu
- View Benefits Finder
- View Benefits Finder
- Moving
- Military OneSource Services
- Planning & Prevention
- Discounts & Perks
- Pay & Leave
- Education & Employment
- Recreation
- Family & Child Care
- Relationships
- Health Care & Emotional Well-being
- Retirement
- Assistance Programs
- Housing
- Shopping
- Legal
- Travel
- Popular Benefits
- MilTax
- Space-A Travel
- DOD MWR Libraries
- Resources
- Back to Menu
- View Resources Finder
- View Resources Finder
- MilLife Guides
- Military OneSource Network Websites
- Podcasts
- Government Websites
- Webinars
- External Websites
- Directories & Tools
- Online Learning
- Mobile Apps
- Popular Resources
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS
- Plan My Move
- Moving Personal Property
- DPS Login
- Other Resources
- Data, Research & Statistics
- Products
- Back to Menu
- View Products Finder
- View Products Finder
- Popular Product Types
- Book/Booklets
- Fact Sheets
- Brochures
- Flyers
- Educational Items
- Posters
- Popular Products
- 5 Ways to Help a Friend Who’s Experiencing Domestic Abuse
- Creating Calm in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1: Kids Book
- Non-medical Counseling Flyer
- A Survivor’s Guide to Benefits Booklet
- Non-medical Counseling Fact Sheet
- MFLC Program Brochure: Child & Youth
- Confidential Help
24/7/365 Access to Support
No matter where you serve or live, free and confidential help is available.
- In Crisis?
- Veterans/Military Crisis Line
- Back to Menu
- Veterans/Military Crisis Line
- PhoneLive ChatInternationalWebsite
Dial 988 then press 1 or text 838255
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
- Back to Menu
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
- PhoneLive ChatText
Call 800-799-SAFE (7233)
Text “START” to 88788
- DOD Safe Helpline - Sexual Assault Support
- Back to Menu
- DOD Safe Helpline - Sexual Assault Support
- PhoneLive ChatWebsite
Call 877-995-5247
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- Back to Menu
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- PhoneLive ChatTTY
Call 988
Use your preferred relay service, or dial 711 then 988
- Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate Locator - Family Advocacy Program
- Back to Menu
- Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate Locator - Family Advocacy Program
- Interactive Tool
In the United States, call 911 if you are in an emergency.
For those outside the United States, call your local emergency number.
- 800-342-9647
- Call Us OCONUS
- Call Us TTY/TDD
- Live Chat
- About Us
- Browse By Program/Office
- Casualty & Mortuary Affairs
- Child & Youth Advocacy
- Child & Youth Programs
- Commissary, Military Exchange & Lodging
- Family Advocacy Program
- Military Community Support Programs
- Military & Family Life Counseling
- Military Family Readiness Programs
- Military Funeral Honors
- Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR)
- Office of Special Needs
- Personnel Accountability & Evacuations Operations
- Spouse Education & Career Opportunities
-
Contact Military OneSource
Information and support for service members and their families. About the Call Center.
- 800-342-9647
- Call Us OCONUS
- Call Us TTY/TDD
- Additional Ways to Contact Us
ARTICLECommon Relationship Challenges
6 minute read • May 20, 2024Every couple is unique, but the challenges they face tend to be universal. A first step toward a healthy relationship is accepting that the road will not always be smooth. Recognizing those areas that need attention and knowing when to seek help will let you grow as a couple and forge a strong and enduring bond.
A long-term, loving relationship gives you emotional support and strength during life’s hard times. Love Every Day, a free, text-based relationship resilience tool from Military OneSource, can improve the quality and stability of your connection.
Reinvigorate Your Relationship
Keep your relationship strong with free tools and support from Military OneSource.
Common challenges for couples
Certain topics tend to cause issues for couples. Talking openly about these and other areas where you disagree can help you head off conflict.
- Finances. Money is a common source of stress in relationships, so it’s important to make sure you and your partner are on the same page when it comes to managing your finances. Learn about the many free resources available through the military to help you and your partner manage your money.
- Trust. Trust in a partner can be shaken by any number of reasons. Infidelity is a big one, but even seemingly small betrayals like not following through with doing the dishes or being late for dinner can erode trust if it happens too much. Non-medical counseling through your installation or Military OneSource can help you and your partner rebuild your trust. Sessions are free and confidential.
- Parenting. The best time to discuss how you will raise your children is before you become parents. But even when your parenting styles are in sync, conflicts are bound to arise once you have children. How you and your partner handle your disagreements is what’s important. Expert support and other free resources are available to help you and your partner build a strong family through every stage of parenting.
- Major changes. A serious illness or disability can test any relationship. But even happy events such as a new baby can bring stress. Couples who learn resilience and flexibility work together as a team during good times and bad. Military OneSource specialty consultations can help you and your partner adjust to a new baby, care for an older relative, support a family member with special needs and more.
- Mismatched responsibilities or priorities. It’s common for couples to fight when one partner feels overburdened with housework or is annoyed that the other spends too much time at work or on other activities. Talk through your feelings with an open mind. A non-medical counselor can help you and your partner aim for balance in your lives.
Common challenges for military couples
Military life brings additional challenges to couples, including:
- Frequent separations. Deployments and temporary duty assignments mean that military members spend more time away from home than the average civilian. Missing important events like anniversaries and birthdays can be hard for both members of the couple. But the day-to-day absence can be just as rough, particularly if the partner at home is trying to manage household and other responsibilities alone. Being geographically separated can also bring up a host of other issues, including concerns about being faithful to one another. Personalized coaching through the Military OneSource Building Healthy Relationships specialty consultation can help you and your partner stay connected while apart.
When couples are geographically separated, they can experience a lack of emotional connection due to the physical distance. Personalized coaching through the Military OneSource Building Healthy Relationships specialty consultation can help you and your partner stay connected while apart.Another relationship resource offered by Military OneSource is OurRelationship, a flexible, online, evidence-based tool that military couples can access even when they are geographically separated — with the choice to work on their own or with a coach — to strengthen their relationship.
- Permanent change of station moves. Moving every few years as a military couple can be exciting because you get to experience new places, but it can also be stressful. The work of packing up your home, feelings of loss as you say goodbye to your old community, and anxiety about finding your way around a new one can affect your relationship. Prepare for your move using resources from Military OneSource. Learn about your new area with MiltaryINSTALLATIONS. Tap into free resources to make your PCS easier, including Plan My Move, an online tool that simplifies the moving process.
- Transitions. Military life is full of them and many bring mixed emotions. Returning from deployment is joyous, but can strain your relationship as you get used to being together again. The Military OneSource Building Healthy Relationships specialty consultation can help ease the stress of reconnecting after deployment. Leaving the military is a big change that affects both partners in a couple. Military OneSource also offers a specialty consultation to help service members transition smoothly to civilian life.
Getting help with relationship challenges
Asking for help through difficult times is a sign of strength. When you seek support as a couple, it signals to each other that your relationship is a priority and you are both willing to invest the time into making it thrive.
Non-medical counselors are professionals who understand the unique issues you face as a military couple. They will work with you individually or as a couple to help you develop the skills to build a strong relationship that will endure through life’s ups and downs. Non-medical counseling is free and confidential.
Connect with a non-medical counselor through your installation’s Military and Family Life Counseling Program, or by calling Military OneSource at 800-342-9647. You can also set up counseling via live chat or online request. Sessions are available face-to-face, by phone or by secure video or online chat.
OurRelationship is another option for military couples seeking help for relationship challenges. This flexible, online tool gives you the choice to work on your own or with a coach to strengthen your connection.
Listen to the Managing Relationship Stress podcast to hear about the wide variety of free relationship resources from Military OneSource. You can also read more about the full range of relationship support available at MilitaryOneSource.mil/Rethewe.
If you are concerned that you are in an unhealthy relationship, connect with the Family Advocacy Program for information and support.
Learn about military bases worldwide. Get installation overviews, check-in procedures, housing, neighborhood information, contacts for programs and services, photos and more.
Release 5.24.19aSAFETY ALERT: If you need to exit this website in a hurry, click the “Exit Site” button and you will be quickly redirected to Weather.com.
Computer use can be monitored and is impossible to completely clear. If you are afraid your internet usage might be monitored, visit the 24/7 Family Advocacy Program Victim Advocate Locator or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800−799−7233.
Your session will expire in 5 minutes.Click "Extend" below to stay logged in.
This site is for testing purposes only.If you are part of the general public, navigate to the public site. This site is solely for testing and approving site pages before they are released to the general public.