Ask Allison: My son tells me his wife screams at him and knows how to push his buttons. He feels so lost. How do I help?

"My son confided in me recently and told me his marriage is going through a bad patch. He said his wife is constantly screaming at him no matter what he does, sometimes screaming foul names at him in front of their children."

"She loses her temper over petty things and knows how to push his buttons, so the only way he says he can retaliate is to shout back."

A husband faces persistent screaming and name-calling from his wife, sometimes in front of their children. The wife loses her temper over petty issues and provokes him, which leads him to retaliate by shouting. Retaliatory shouting escalates conflict, harms children emotionally, and models unhealthy behavior. Immediate priorities are protecting children, avoiding matching hostility, and setting clear boundaries. Use de-escalation techniques and document incidents. Seek individual therapy, couples therapy, and anger-management or mental-health assessment as appropriate. If abuse persists or escalates, implement a safety plan and consider legal or child-protection advice.

Read at Independent