It is clear that Married At First Sight exes Emily Balch and Brennan Shoykhet are still grappling with the fallout of their brief marriage. The tension between them was palpable during the MAFS reunion, where accusations flew and emotions ran high. Continue reading to delve into Emily and Brennan’s perspectives on the collapse of their relationship and their paths forward.
MAFS Reunion Shows Emily & Brennan Hashing Things Out
The MAFS Season 17 reunion brought all the couples face-to-face for the first time since the season concluded. As fans know, none of the couples from this season stayed together, marking it as one of the most disappointing seasons in the series’ history.
Among these couples were Emily Balch and Brennan Shoykhet. Their tumultuous relationship was a focal point of the season, and their reunion segment did not disappoint in terms of drama.
Host Kevin Frazier facilitated a conversation with Emily and Brennan, aiming to uncover the reasons behind their marital breakdown. Brennan began by recounting their couple’s therapy session with Dr. Pia Holec.
“I was overly concerned with how it would make Emily feel,” he said regarding their session with Dr. Pia. However, Emily had a different recollection. She believed Brennan was more worried about how expressing his feelings would affect him personally.
“I told you a million times, ‘I’m a big girl.’ You’d say the meanest things, and I’d be like, ‘Great,’” Emily countered. “You saying something mean is actually progress for us.”
Season 17 Had Many Firsts for Emily & Brennan
During the reunion, Brennan admitted, “So, that was actually my first time in therapy. Where I felt the conversation was going, we had already resolved.” He explained that he saw the session as an opportunity to address unresolved issues. “I didn’t know that you didn’t feel that way. In my head, it was like a free therapy session. Let’s take advantage of this and actually focus on the problems we needed to address. So, I do apologize for the scene with Dr. Pia.”
Despite Brennan’s explanation, Emily wasn’t convinced. She called him out for what she saw as attempts to manipulate and control situations to his benefit. “I hope you can generally see you were controlling. I don’t want you to say you were controlling if you don’t mean it,” she stated. “I hope you can actually look at that and see the control. What you did there hurts more than you saying hurtful things.”
Emily, who had never been in a relationship before marrying Brennan on the show, felt that he exploited her inexperience. She accused him of manipulating every situation to his advantage. Despite Brennan’s attempts to apologize and clarify his behavior during the reunion, Emily remained uninterested in accepting his apologies.
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Moving Forward
The reunion highlighted the deep-seated issues between Emily and Brennan, issues that went beyond the typical teething problems of a new relationship. Brennan’s lack of experience with therapy and his subsequent misinterpretation of their sessions played a significant role in their downfall. Emily’s inexperience in relationships, combined with Brennan’s controlling tendencies, created a perfect storm that their marriage could not withstand.
Both Emily and Brennan expressed their hopes for growth and learning from their failed marriage. Brennan seemed to recognize his mistakes and expressed a desire to change, while Emily stood firm in her conviction that she deserved better. The reunion, though tense and emotionally charged, provided a form of closure for both, allowing them to articulate their grievances and attempt to move forward.
In the end, the story of Emily and Brennan serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities of marrying a stranger and the importance of honest communication and mutual respect. As they each embark on their separate paths, the lessons learned from their time on Married At First Sight will undoubtedly shape their future relationships.
