Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ay nagsalita ang socialite na si Tessa Prieto tungkol sa paghihiwalay nila ng asawang si Dennis Valdes.
Tinapos na nina Tessa at Dennis ang kanilang pagsasama bilang mag-asawa isang taon pagkatapos ng magarbong renewal of wedding vows sa kanilang 25th o silver anniversary noong June 24, 2019.
Read: Tessa Prieto-Valdes, husband Dennis Valdes renew wedding vows on 25th anniversary
Eksklusibong nakausap ng Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP.ph) si Tessa sa media launch ng streaming app na AQ Prime na ginanap sa Luxent Hotel nitong Lunes, August 8, 2022.
Kapansin-pansin ang pagpapakilala sa kanya na hindi na dala ang apelyido ng asawa niyang Valdes.
Pinasaya ni Tessa ang naturang event kung saan tumulong siya sa paghu-host sa question-and-answer portion ng naturang mediacon.
Ngunit sa likod pala nito ay may dinadala siyang pasananin sanhi ng paghihiwalay nila ni Dennis pagkatapos ng 26 taong pagsasama.
Hindi na idinetalye ni Tessa ang dahilan ng kanilang hiwalayan dahil sariling version lang daw niya ang mapakikinggan. Pero inamin niyang dumaan siya sa matinding trauma at na-depress dahil sa nangyari sa kanilang mag-asawa.
“Moving forward na ako, and choosing my new chapter,” sabi ng lifestyle columnist at philanthropist tungkol sa estado niya ngayon.
Mahirap daw ang pinagdaanan niya, pero sa tulong ng mga kaibigan at pamilya ay nakayanan niyang bumangon.
Mahinahong pahayag ni Tessa, “It was very painful, and of course I felt the betrayal.
"But in the end, after a year and a half, I decided, ay, it’s time that it wasn’t mine to fix but mine to let go.
“So, nice… I feel that my journey at this point is more purposeful with my kids, and I want to do is to share my healing with others.
"That it’s actually… of course, it’s very traumatic and negative. But it’s so easy if you have support groups, if you have people that love you, and that see you in that new phase you are… the friends.”
Nagpapasalamat si Tessa na nandiyan ang apat nilang anak ni Dennis na naintindihan ang mga pangyayari, at hindi naging sagabal sa desisyon nilang maghiwalay.
“My eldest is 36 and the youngest is 17.
“They are the most evolved. They’re the ones to say... they get it more than me. Parang, 'Move on. Do not stay on our account.'
“Ang galing! They understand naman,” pagmamalaki niya.
Dahil dito, kahit paano ay napagaan daw ang bigat na pinagdadaanan niya.
UNDERGOING ALL KINDS OF THERAPy for healing
Ibinahagi rin ni Tessa sa PEP.ph ang mga ginawa niyang therapy sa Amerika para malampasan ang trauma at depression na pinagdaanan.
“All kinds of healing ginawa ko na,” napapangiti niyang pakli.
“Especially… of course, there’s trauma healing, there’s therapy, there’s little therapy."
Bahagyang ipinaliwanag ni Tessa ang iba’t ibang healing at therapy na ginawa niya.
“Very spiritual… everything. Sound healing, gong therapy.
“Talk therapy, lalo na retail therapy, lahat ng therapy. Horse equine... name it.
“Eto na nga, pati kabayo!
“You have therapy with the horse. Not ride it, but walk the horse. And commanding the horse, apparently, is very therapeutic.
“Tapos meron akong sound healing. Meron akong gong bath.
“I went to the States for four months. I went to Santa Fe [New Mexico].
“I went to a shaman. Shaman is parang manghihilot na parang may pagka-exorcist.
“Then, I went to parang trauma therapy, tight rope... lahat, everything.
“As much as like, you know, parang for drug addiction and for alcoholic anonymous, meron ding therapy for healing for marriages.”
Pero ayon din kay Tessa, "Of course, in the end, it’s God. God will find the real reason and the timing of it all."
LOOKING AT THE BRIGHTER SIDE
Hindi naman daw agad-agad mawawala ang sakit na idinulot ng paghihiwalay nila ng asawa.
Pag-amin ni Tessa, “I have to say it’s not yet done. It’s still… it’s ongoing.
“It’s just, for me, a learning curve.
“So, there are days that are terrible, but there are more days that I call it’s a progression.”
Naha-handle naman daw niya ito, at gusto ni Tessa na positibo lang ang pag-uusapan at wala siyang sasabihin laban sa kanyang asawa.
Saad niya, “In the end, I’m looking it, like, always on a brighter side.
“I had a wonderful marriage. No regrets.
“Twenty-six years. It was wonderful. It was wonderful!
“I think, you know, things happen, and I’m one not to bash my husband. He’s still the father of my kids. I love him so. But, you know, we have moved on.
“Mine is like… I guess it’s because, like, I don’t wanna share it with all the negativity. Because I’m not coming from a broken, awful marriage.
"I’m just coming from… may nangyari lang… alam mo yun?
“It’s a phase in his life, like mid-life crisis or andropause, whatever. May nangyari.”
Ayon kay Tessa, nag-uusap pa rin sila ni Dennis dahil co-parenting sila para sa kanilang anak.
NO TO ANNULMENT
Hindi raw handa si Tessa sa annulment dahil alam niyang mas masakit ang proseso nito at haharapin nila sa korte.
“It’s very long and very painful. So, I will see. Pause muna on that side.
“I’ll take care of my heart first. Let it flow lang muna.
“If ever, siguro it’s called separation of properties. So, that’s what we are doing.
"But not yung annulment. No annulment, but separation of properties, wherein what’s his is his, what’s mine is mine.
“Whatever, we eventually give it to the kids. I need to protect my kids,” paliwanag niya.
Inamin ni Tessa na nandiyan pa rin ang pagmamahal niya kay Dennis, dahil hindi naman daw puwedeng kalimutan ang 26 years nilang pagsasama.
Pero handa na ba siyang umibig muli?
“Everything is possible. And everything is possible also for second love.
“Yes. On the record, yes!” bulalas ni Tessa.
Natatawa pa niyang dagdag, “Now, it’s like my time to explore. Exploration!
“I wanna be a cougar. I can end up with that!”