I remember finally convincing my ex that we needed to go to couples therapy. Since insurance was paying for it (my insurance, of course) he was willing to go one time. He knew the end was near and he really didn't want me to go (I was finacially supporting both of us, his 16 year old daughter and her daughter).

The therapist asked us what our issues were and I just blurted out, "He is mean!" Both my ex's mouth and her mouth dropped. She asked him to leave and talked to me alone. She was afraid of the retribution that might be in store for me.

She referred both of us to The Domestic Abuse Project, a non-prof organization here in Minneapolis. I went, he didn't, and withing 3 weeks of my first session came the Great Guppie Murder and I was gone and never looked back.