Complaining about your spouse to your friends is a wonderful way to damage your relationship; the unthinking assumption that you should be venting about your sp

Complaining about your spouse to your friends is a wonderful way to damage your relationship; the unthinking assumption that you should be venting about your spouse is harmful and should be challenged. Just on this point, I couldn't agree more. The problem with "venting" is that whomever is listening is almost certainly part of your personal echo chamber. And when dealing with a problem in one's marriage, the last thing people need are mirrors reflecting themselves. I can't tell you the number of times I've come out of a fight with my wife where, some time later, I realized I was a total ass and needed to apologize for my behaviour. If I'd "vented" to someone, odds are it would've just hardened my resolve.