How'd I get here? Well, I bought into the "happy wife, happy life mantra" (my wife waited for me to age, in my prime I would have never gone for it). My wife is a beauty, even in her 40's, she hardly wrinkles, yet no surgeries/botox/fillers, is 5'3" and 115 lbs, works out daily, however, she's a firecracker. She hides it because she's from a wealthy family (her Dad was an oil executive) and image is everything for them.

In bad arguments she'd throw things at me or hit me. She's really upset I called the police and had her arrested last year (her Dad bailed her out same day). We were 3 months into the divorce when she pleaded with me to give it another try, was tired of the court fight. The violence has ended, I am 6'3" and a lean 190 lbs, so I was never badly hurt physically, but emotionally I just took it and suppressed the shame and hurt. Now she says she wants to move on, I've been staying in the guest room, she seems to have ptsd from being sent to jail, won't let me even hug her.

Our marriage was also already pretty hampered because my teenage daughter came to live with us 2.5 years ago, her mom and stepdad lost custody due to abuse and neglect. My daughter came with a lot of bad habits and poor mental health, she tried to turn it around but met the wrong a month ago (he's 17, she's 18, which in my state is illegal) and decided to move in with him she got off her meds and started doing drugs. I told her if she left, she'll decline and as such is never welcomed back.

My Mom is off her meds, she's gotten bad and last time I saw her was Thanksgiving, she was trashing me with a lot of our family, made up that my wife and I are swingers and that's why we are not doing well. Entirely false, but my mom was insulted I even brought it up to her, told me to not call her ever again. My Dad has tried to snap her in shape but he's gotten soft as he's aged.

My youngest won't talk to me. She's 7 and following her mom's lead. My son is old enough to understand my predicament, and as a young man, he's neutral but sympathetic to my cause (he'd seen my wife hit me a couple times in the past).

All this has got me underperforming in my business, questioning myself. My Therapist thinks I'm doing the best I can given all that I am going through. Any advice from anyone that has gone down this path? Did the divorce process help part the clouds? How was the dating scene after the divorce?