Cupid's Pulse Article: Courtney Stodden Reconciles With Estranged Husband Doug HutchisonCupid's Pulse Article: Courtney Stodden Reconciles With Estranged Husband Doug Hutchison

By Laura Seaman

Teen bride Courtney Stodden and Lost actor Doug Hutchison have gotten back together after their separation, and they plan on renewing their vows, according to UsMagazine.com. The two were married in 2011 when Stodden was only 16 and Hutchinson was 51, attracting plenty of criticism from the public. Since then, the young model has been on Celebrity Big Brother in the UK, which is where “she realized that there is this whole world out there to explore,” according to a source. “She was so reliant on Doug up until doing the show, but after going so far away, she realized she could survive by herself.” The pair said that the age gap was the main reason for the split, but now it appears they are ready to try again.

What are some factors to consider before getting back with an ex?

Cupid’s Advice:

Sometimes relationships fall apart, but that doesn’t mean they’ll never work out in the future. If you’ve ever gotten back with an ex, you know exactly what this means. Maybe the timing wasn’t right, or you both had some issues to work out. Either way, sometimes it’s worth a second shot. You two were close once, so maybe you can be close again. Just keep a few things in mind before you start making a move on your ex:

1. You have to know what went wrong the first time. Clearly something went wrong, otherwise you wouldn’t be exes. You need to know what this fatal flaw was, otherwise there’s no way you can fix it the second time around. And don’t just guess, but be one-hundred percent sure. Maybe you or your ex said, “It’s not you, it’s me,” or “I’m just not ready for a relationship right now.” Were these the real reasons? This is the time to find out.

Related: Doug Hutchison and Teen Bride Courtney Stodden Separate

2. You need to know that things have changed. If things haven’t changed, then your relationship won’t change either. It didn’t work the first time, so unless there’s a change, it won’t work a second time. Make sure you’ve talked about what went wrong and how this new relationship is different and has fixed whatever that problem was.

Related: Hillary Duff Writes Song About Estranged Husband Mike Comrie

3. You should have tried other options first. Don’t go back to your ex because you don’t think you have any other options, or because you don’t know how to live life without them. Try being single for a while! Go on dates with other people first. Who knows, maybe your ex is truly the one for you, but you need to know how to be happy by yourself and explore all your other options. Only then can you be truly confident in your decisions to try again with your ex.

Have you ever gotten back with your ex? What did you consider beforehand? Let us know in the comments.