WHEN Strictly specialists Karen Hauer and Kevin Clifton separated in 2018 after 3 years of marital relationship, fans of the BBC dancing program were shocked.
But nobody was more blindsided than Karen herself, who thinks about the after-effects of the divorce the most difficult duration she has actually ever dealt with.
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The 41-year-old ballroom star, who has actually partnered celebrities such as Jamie Laing, Will Young and Jeremy Vine on the program, says: “I am an expert dancer, and I am structured and I am disciplined.
“But when psychological things occur to you, absolutely nothing you do on the outdoors assists.
“I went through a truly difficult divorce, and it was the most hard thing I’ve dealt with on my own — and, I think, in a spotlight.
“It’s almost like you want to hide and go into your own little cocoon.”
But thankfully, Karen wasn’t completely on her own.
Her cherished family pet Betty — a rescue dog from Bosnia who she embraced the very same year her relationship with Kevin ended — showed to be vital in her healing.
“Betty saved my life, pretty much,” describes Karen.
“Having that genuine love and having her there to help me in fact get up out of bed.
“My dog doesn’t evaluate me.
“She simply took a look at me and sat with me and she would pee if she required to, which then informed me that she required to go outside.
“‘Take me outside then I won’t pee in the house! Take me out. Get some fresh air’.”
Karen embraced Betty through family pet charity Wild At Heart, and their bond had a big effect on her at a time when she required it most.
She describes: “I found a lot more about the power of treatment through my dog and having the ability to launch tension through her.
“And simply hanging around with her — I didn’t wish to speak with any person, I didn’t wish to be around individuals, I simply wished to be around my dog and it assisted me launch a lot.
“There were times when I simply strolled with her and I didn’t need to consider anything else and didn’t need to seem like I required to do anything else besides be with her.
“Those little tail wags and little appearances, and teaching her how to sit and how to provide high fives — it constantly brought severe delight to me.
“Those little things kind of helped me get through.”
Karen credits Betty with advising her to “keep going” and reckons that her dog saved her a fortune.
She laughs and says: “I would need to pay a great deal of money for treatment.
“She was totally free treatment for me.
“I think Betty needs a therapist now.”
But regardless of the distress of her relationship ending, Karen has no bitterness about her marital relationship to Kevin, who in 2019 got together with his previous Strictly Come Dancing partner Stacey Dooley, 36, and is now father to their six-month-old child, Minnie.
Karen, whose very first marital relationship to her previous dance partner Matthew Hauer ended in 2009, says: “I have no remorses.
“I would be wasting my time thinking about the past.”
She is now better than she’s ever sought weding physical fitness expert Jordan Wyn-Jones, 34, in 2015 and transferring to a farm with him in Greater Manchester.
Karen says: “Marriage is a responsibility, and making sure that you’re constantly paying attention to this person, to your whole family, that’s massive for us.”
And it’s not simply Betty who becomes part of their family — Karen has actually likewise included 3 more rescue dogs to what she calls her “band”.
She exposes: “Two years after Betty — who’s the Queen Bee of your home — came Marley.
“Then I got Phoebe — she is my first tripod.”
I have no remorses. I would be squandering my time thinking of the past.
Karen Hauer
Karen sobs as she describes how Phoebe wound up losing a leg.
She says: “She was run over by a car in Greece and she was basically delegated pass away on the side of the roadway.
“They discovered her and amputated her leg.
“I ended up being actually buddies with the owner of Wild At Heart, and they sent me a video of Phoebe.
“She’s a remarkable dog — you would never ever believe she has 3 legs.
“She’s lively, incredibly gorgeous and she’s really hot.
“She’s the protector of your home.
“Then in 2015 my hubby and I embraced Joey from Budapest.
“His leg didn’t grow totally as he had an abnormality, so no one desired him.
“He got an operation, they took his leg off and he joined the band.”
Venezuelan-born Karen — who is set to register for her 11th series on Strictly — reckons she and her hubby won’t stop contributing to their canine brood.
She exposes: “We got our last rescue dog together, our child Joey.
“It’s a path you’re both working on and you’re just trying to be the best for one another.”
Karen is now dealing with insurance coverage company PetPlan, which has actually simply introduced its awards campaign to commemorate and acknowledge extraordinary animals who improve our lives.
This year’s style takes a look at how family pets are the unrecognized therapists of the country — as Karen discovered through her experience with Betty.
And the dancer thinks her dogs naturally understand when she or Jordan is having a hard time.
She says: “When we’re ill, Phoebe constantly can be found in and lays on me, on the side.
“A number of days ago my hubby wasn’t feeling effectively and she sat by the end of the bed with him and wouldn’t come downstairs.
“They’re really instinctive and in some cases more instinctive than your own partner.
“They’re happy to simply see you happy and feel that you’re happy.
“That’s something that’s really hard to kind of understand — how they’re so sensitive to everything.”
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