Tiger Woods - what about your family?
We are looking for athletes and their spouses or partners to work on their relationships with us. We do marriage coaching. Of course we can do a friendly or not-so-friendly divorce, but I always recommend that couples look at staying together first.
I've been waiting for something to make me do what I've always wanted to do. Its now happened. Tiger Woods has slipped - not perhaps in his golf game but in his personal life. We do not know whats going on with Tiger but lets suppose that he and his wife Elin Nordegren are having problems. They have 2 young children. He is the world's richest athlete, she is a model. Do they love each other? Do they have the skills to have a good relationship, to be responsible parents? Are they willing to acquire them if not? (Never mind the legal consequences for possible criminal conduct for assault and interference with police investigation, that is not my area). Is he having an affair, and if so do they want to overcome it? Do they want a divorce, and if so will it be it be in a friendly manner? What is best for their kids?
Athletes and their spouses have a very high divorce rate and many have children and are not married to the other parent. No matter how much money they have many lose it before or after their career ends. They are under the public spotlight with much pressure to perform. They have the opposite sex throwing themselves at them.
Otherwise they are just like us.
Athletes , we want you to work with us- you take care of charities, what about your families?
5 comments:
I am glad that you have a focus on athletes and other important people in the media as their relationships probably have a very important impact on the way younger generations now view marriage. Divorce, betrayal, and jumping from one relationship to another is all over the media from (supposedly) Tiger Woods to Sean Penn. It's becoming normal, okay, maybe even "the things to do." I'm not saying two public people should stay together for the public, but if they were able to work things out (through marriage coaching or something else) I think that would do wonders, for themselves, their kids, and possibly those watching them.
thanks Dani, you seem like a very insightful young person
I think what we are witnessing with Tiger (and those who have experienced similar public stuggles before him - Magic Johnson, John Edwards, former President Clinton, to name a few) is the challenges inherent in trying to manage power, wealth, and fame. This experience makes it possible to live with very few consequences for one's actions until the behaviors grow so outrageous, since nothing is keeping them in check, that it cannot be ignored by one's family and ultimately the public eye when the situation implodes on itself.
Public figures are human and fallible like us - we just don't have the resources to take it to the extremes that they can.
What Lord Acton said in 1887 holds true today:
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
I certainly hope Tiger will learn from his mistakes, and that he and his wife will do what's best for their children and themselves. I hope they can repair their marriage if it is their desire to do so. Regretably it looks like they have a long row to hoe.
However, as a therapist/counselor here in town, I've seen hard working couples do just that, and become closer than they ever thought possible.
While very difficult and not always possible, it is possible in many instances to heal after infidelity in a marriage, and for some it's the very wake-up call they need to really work things through and make their marriages stronger.
thanks Diane, very well put
I agree with you Michael, Dani and Diane regarding Tiger Woods. I appreciate your blog Michael regarding the many obstacles we all face including public figures when I comes to maintaining a healthy familiy relationship. My husband and I are now separated and I believe in part from him being wealthy and having alot of power in his company. Like Diane states, absolute power corrupts absolutely!!!!! Thanks.
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