18 May,2026 02:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Image for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: File pic
For people seeking love after divorce, separation, or losing their partner, the journey is not just about surrendering to fate or approaching it with blind optimism. The second-chance seekers are treating emotional compatibility as a process that deserves active effort and not just chemistry.
In a consumer study by Indian matchmaking and matrimony app Rebounce, previously married singles opened up about their journey of healing and finding love again, and "couple's therapy" came out as the hero element of their journey.
The survey reveals a sharp openness toward therapy and couples therapy among the divorced, separated, and widowed singles looking to remarry or seeking a long-term serious relationship. More than 44 per cent of these individuals called it a "proactive relationship investment" for a better future.
The study was conducted among 8673 divorced, separated, and widowed individuals who were between 27 and 45 years. Participants came from metros and smaller Indian cities. The survey showed that 91 per cent of the respondents are employed, while 9 per cent were homemakers. The detailed analysis of the study shows a quiet change in the second-chance seekers' world, with the majority seeking emotional counseling to break the pattern, avoid repeated emotional exhaustion, and deal with unresolved resentment toward their past experience.
Ravi Mittal, who is the founder and CEO of the matchmaking app, commented, "Previously married singles are far more conscious in their approach; we say this over and over again. They have not only worked around the taboo of ending a marriage that did not deserve to be carried any longer, but also the judgment around seeking professional help to sort out their emotions. It is inspiring."
Over 38 per cent of divorced and separated singles in their 30s clearly stated that they have been to therapy after their marriage ended, and in the journey to finding a compatible partner for re-marriage, they would strongly consider visiting a couples' therapist in case there is any lapse in communication or emotional trigger surfacing during their courtship period with a serious match. In the survey, widowed individuals spoke of therapy before committing to someone new as an "emotional checkpoint" as opposed to the crisis-management view of the same from the divorced singles' perspective. The difference in stance mostly stemmed from how their marriage ended.
One of the strongest insights from the survey showed that for approximately 57 per cent of the previously married singles from both Tier 1 and 2 cities, their match's unhealed trauma from the previous marriage is acceptable, but the refusal to work on it and sort it out before committing to a new relationship is not. This major shift in second-chance relationships shows that they are prioritising emotional accountability over societal labels. Anushree (33) from Delhi said, "I don't mind that my match has a rough past, which has shaped him in some ways. I do too. But I would start minding it if he refused to reflect on it and go to therapy to resolve those sensitive issues."
Interestingly, 28 per cent of divorced, separated, and widowed individuals who found love for a second time revealed that they opted for couples therapy before saying yes to the relationship. They clarified that therapy should not only be done after the damage is done; it can be preventive, too. For 12 per cent of these people, the therapy helped build healthy boundaries that they were unable to create in their previous marriage. Ajay, a single father from Indore, said, "We expect health checkups before marriage, so why not emotional checkups too? It is not something to be addressed only when an emergency strikes. Maintenance is very important, especially for people like us who haven't had a pleasant experience with love previously."
7 out of 10 previously married singles who found love again and are considering remarriage explained that they don't purely depend on blind compatibility and compromise anymore. They also disclosed that after their marriage ended, therapy was just as embarrassing as the failed marriage. But they no longer look at it as a tool for "failing couples", but rather they associate the same with emotional guidance by a professional.
