A Media Development, Publishing, Management and Production Company

Speaking Point: Another celebrity marriage is heading for divorce court. It seems like an epidemic lately. Do celebrities seem to have more failed relationships that the rest of the world? Are there normal reasons for splitting? Are celebrities under special pressures that can weigh down on their relationships? What does it take for a celebrity to have a successful marriage? Can a marriage be considered successful even if it ends in divorce? Dr. Sheila is both a clinical psychologist and attorney who comments on the psychological and legal issues affecting our society today. She is the author of several self-help books, including Self-Fullness – The Art of Loving and Caring For Your ‘Self’ and Do You Use Food To Cope? A Comprehensive 15-Week Program for Overcoming Emotional Overeating and on the facul

Speaking Point: • Celebrity couples divorces for many of same reasons the rest of us do – incompatibility, financial loss, illness, infidelity, substance abuse, etc. But what many celebrity couples have that the rest of us probably don’t have are (1) public scrutiny of their personal activities; (2) competing career demands; and, (3) access to temptation. These factors can certainly tax even the strongest bonds

Speaking Point: • In today’s world, you won’t find many couples who are not under pressure but celebrities’ status in our world does position them for extra stress than can weigh them down. For example, in a celebrity couple where one spouse is more famous or more successful than the other spouse may experience feelings of jealousy and/or competition that can undermine their bond. In addition, the publication of otherwise private information can negatively affect the couple’s efforts to resolve their issue and reconcile. Lastly, the time demands on a celebrity can prevent him/her from fully being present in their marriage and as a consequence the marriage may suffer.

Speaking Point: • For a celebrity to have a successful marriage they need to do what the rest of need to do: work on it! A successful marriage takes commitment on the part of both spouses to put the relationship first, to take time to communicate and listen, and to respect the other person’s choices and preferences

Speaking Point: • Not all marriages are meant to last forever. If during the course of the relationship, the spouses brought out the best in each other, loved and respected each other and did whatever they could not to harm the other I would considerate it a successful marriage - even if they eventually parted ways.