Marriage Intensives & Online Counseling | Imago Therapy โ€“ The Marriage Restoration Project

How to Get Your Husband to Care About Saving the Marriage

How to Get Your Husband to Care About Saving the Marriage

Youโ€™re trying to hold the marriage together, but your husband seems… indifferent.
You bring up your concerns, and he shrugs. You suggest counseling, and he resists.
Itโ€™s like youโ€™re trying to save a sinking ship while heโ€™s acting like everything is fine.

If you’re asking yourself, โ€œHow do I get him to care before it’s too late?โ€ โ€” youโ€™re not alone.

This article will help you understand what might be going on beneath the surfaceโ€”and how to inspire your husband to take meaningful action before your marriage hits the point of no return.

Why It Feels Like He Doesnโ€™t Care About Your Marriage

Letโ€™s start with the hard truth: men and women often cope with relationship stress in very different ways. If your husband seems disengaged or passive, it doesnโ€™t always mean he doesnโ€™t careโ€”it may mean he doesnโ€™t know how to engage.

He might:

  • Feel ashamed that he doesnโ€™t know how to fix things
  • Believe things aren’t as bad as you say they are
  • Shut down emotionally to avoid conflict or failure
  • Think youโ€™re threatening divorce, not inviting connection

๐Ÿ’ฌ โ€œMy husband didnโ€™t think anything was wrongโ€”until I said I couldnโ€™t do it anymore. Then he panicked. But it felt too late.โ€ โ€“ Real client

What Not to Do (Even Though It’s Tempting)

โŒ Donโ€™t Ultimatum Without a Plan

Saying โ€œWe need counseling or Iโ€™m doneโ€ can backfire if he feels coerced or ambushed. It may make him dig in deeper out of pride or panic.

โŒ Donโ€™t Chase or Over-Explain

Trying to talk about the relationship every day, writing long emotional texts, or crying to get a reaction often makes him feel overwhelmedโ€”and more likely to shut down.

โŒ Donโ€™t Wait Until Youโ€™re Numb

Many women exhaust themselves trying to โ€œwake upโ€ their husband, then grow cold when nothing changes. If youโ€™re still emotionally invested, act nowโ€”not when your heart has already left.

What Does Work to Re-Engage Your Husband

1. Lead With Clarity, Not Emotion

Instead of trying to make him feel, show him the impact of disconnection in calm, clear terms.

Try: โ€œIโ€™ve been feeling really lonely in our marriage, and I donโ€™t want to stay stuck like this. I still care about usโ€”and I want to know if you do too.โ€

2. Appeal to Logic and Legacy

Men often respond better to structured solutions than to emotional appeals. Reframe saving the marriage as a strategic decisionโ€”for your family, your future, and your well-being.

โ€œWeโ€™ve invested so much in this life together. Iโ€™m not ready to give up if thereโ€™s a path forward that really works. Iโ€™d love to explore that with you.โ€

3. Offer a Clear, Time-Bound Solution

He may resist weekly therapyโ€”but a focused, 2-day private retreat can feel more doable and results-driven. Many men are more open to that structure because it feels like a clear plan, not endless talk.

โ€œThis isnโ€™t about dragging you to therapy for months. I found something differentโ€”something that helps couples reconnect in just two days.โ€

Why Your Husband Might Say No (and What to Do)

Even with the perfect approach, he may still resist. Hereโ€™s whyโ€”and how to respond:

ObjectionWhat He Might SayHow to Respond
Fear of failureโ€œWhat if it doesnโ€™t work?โ€โ€œThen weโ€™ll know we tried everythingโ€”but at least we gave it our best shot.โ€
Avoiding blameโ€œYou just want someone to tell me Iโ€™m wrong.โ€โ€œThis isnโ€™t about blame. Itโ€™s about learning how to connect better, together.โ€
Hopelessnessโ€œI donโ€™t think anything can fix this.โ€โ€œMaybe. But we wonโ€™t know unless we try something thatโ€™s actually different.โ€

What to Do Right Now

  1. Stop over-pursuing โ€” create space for curiosity
  2. Have one clear, non-emotional conversation
  3. Present a real optionโ€”like our 2-day marriage retreat
  4. Set a loving but firm boundary (โ€œIโ€™m not giving up, but I wonโ€™t keep doing this aloneโ€)
  5. Book a free consultation to talk about next steps

You Donโ€™t Have to Do This Alone

You shouldnโ€™t have to beg your husband to care.
But you also donโ€™t have to give up before trying something that works.

Picture of Shlomo & Rivka Slatkin

Shlomo & Rivka Slatkin

Rabbi Shlomo Slatkin is an Imago relationship therapist and certified (master level) Imago workshop presenter with over 20 years of experience hosting couples therapy retreats in-person and online.

Picture of Shlomo & Rivka Slatkin

Shlomo & Rivka Slatkin

Rabbi Shlomo Slatkin is an Imago relationship therapist and certified (master level) Imago workshop presenter with over 20 years of experience hosting couples therapy retreats in-person and online.

FEATURED IN

Get effective relationship help even if you’ve tried couples counseling before.
Name(Required)
Privacy*
*By using this form you agree with this site's privacy policy and consent to you submitted data being collected and stored. We take your privacy seriously, and will never spam you. - In addition, you are giving us permission to add you to our email list. You will receive our free 60 Second Plan to a Happy Marriage, along with transformational emails that will help you with your marriage.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

CONTACT US