Jon Gosselin: A Family Therapist Says His Behavior Not Unusual Post-Divorce

Posted on September 21, 2009 by Lolita Carrico

Jon Gosselin’s wild behavior seems out of character for the dad of eight.  Soon to be ex Kate Gosselin told People magazine that one explanation for Jon’s antics was that “he was abducted by aliens” because his new partying ways don’t reflect the man she was married to.

According to licensed family therapist Kimberley Clayton Blaine, Jon Gosselin’s dating and partying ways aren’t that unusual.  Blaine says:

Jon Gosselin’s behavior is extreme, but many men start dating immediately after leaving a long term relationship or marriage.  Men are far more likely to start dating than women after a divorce or separation, and men marry more quickly than woman after a divorce. Gosselin’s dramatic change in behavior is an example of extreme transitioning after the break-up of his marriage.

Blaine says Gosselin’s actions represent his reaction to feeling “locked in” by his responsibilities, and these actions mimic a “teen or mid-life crisis”. The family therapist says that she sees a pattern of “extreme transitioning” from responsible family man to wild party guy in many men post-divorce. Blaine says that she is not condoning or making excuses for his behavior, just stating that it happens more than people realize.

That is just super, isn’t it?