When a couple schedules therapy, it is easy to assume they share the same goal. They made the appointment. They arrived together. They are both sitting in the room. But that does not necessarily mean they are both there to work on the relationship.
Grief and grace may seem like separate things, but I have come to believe they are deeply connected. Grief asks us to accept that life will not unfold exactly as we hoped. Grace helps us respond to ourselves and one another within the life that actually unfolds.
Sometimes maturity is not found in deciding whether someone is entirely good or entirely bad. Sometimes it is found in learning how to protect yourself while still allowing another person to remain human in your story.