Courtesy of Redbook Magazine - Article Featuring Tara Fields, Ph.D., LMFT

The Real Reason Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner Are Still Wearing Their Wedding Rings

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Tara Fields was recently quoted in Redbook magazine. Read the original article here. 

Ever since announcing their divorce, and subsequently depressing all of America, ​ Jen and Ben have been seen about town still wearing their wedding rings, which has frankly made it hard for us to grieve, and a little bit confused.

Apparently they’re doing it to present a united front for the sake of their three kids, Violet, 9, Seraphina, 6, and Samuel, 3, who they have said they’re “committed to co-parenting.”

Marriage and family therapist, and author of The Love Fix: Repair and Restore Your Relationship Right Now,Dr. Tara Fields told us that Ben and Jen are doing it to send a message to the media that they’re still a team. 

“They’re saying, no matter what you’re reading, we’re still a team, we’re still parents.” They’re also doing it as a reminder to their children that while their relationship with each other may have changed, the way they feel about their family has not, and never will.

Dr. Fields adds, “During a divorce, there are so many phases of grieving, and in the early stages, a couple can feel some internal ambivalence that can manifest externally. Together, a couple can say ‘let’s both decide as a team to put our rings back on’ which is a fantastic choice, especially for famous people who are vulnerable and want to protect their kids.”

 “Wearing their rings is a wonderful way to say that no matter what is happening, we can still control this one element and that’s the statement they’re making to the outside world and their children.”

A source close to the couple agrees with Dr. Fields. The “insider” conferred to People, that the rings do act as a symbol for their children. “They just want their kids to be okay.”

And that’s something we can certainly stand by. 

Dr. Dean Edell reviews THE LOVE FIX

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Before he retired, Dr. Dean Edell hosted the nationally-syndicated Dr. Dean Show, for decades the highest-rated program on the radio. But to me, Dean was a role model, teaching me that the media could be used not just for entertainment, but to make the world a better place.

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Dr. Dean Edell’s spectacular review of THE LOVE FIX:
 
When you fall in love you ultimately raise your chances of eventual conflict and pain. If you accept that conflict can be a great teacher then you are ready for the next level. Yes, Dr. Tara Fields has three decades under her belt as a couple’s therapist but unlike most of her brethren, also has had a vast experience in the media. So she knows how to   communicate. And you are the beneficiary. That’s only one reason why this is the best relationship book I have ever read. Modern psychological research has advanced our knowledge beyond the simplistic idea that relationship problems are because men and women are from different planets!  Hang on, because if you are serious about improving fixing and growing your love look no further. First, this is NOT a book full of vague feel-good platitudes and homilies. Yes, it is wise and modern but most important for me, refreshingly objective, down to earth, direct and practical. For instance,  you and your partner can take self assessment tests (HEARTwork) that give you a numerical score for your feelings and relationship status…then armed with such REAL information, you will find simple practical exercises ( 3-minute Fix) that anyone can do . And then there are the stories about real people gleaned from Fields extensive experience as a therapist. These vignettes read like a novel you can’t put down. I believe that this is an important book even if you are not in a stressed relationship. The push in medicine these days is prevention. Why not take that attitude about your relationship which after all can be the most important source of joy or misery in your life. This is a must read for all of us.
Dean Edell M.D.