Mormon Wives Star Mikayla Matthews Splits from Husband Jace Terry amid Their Intimacy Issues
mikayla matthews revealed she and husband Jace Terry have separated in Season 4 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The separation follows years of intimacy struggles rooted in Mikayla’s childhood sexual abuse and ongoing health challenges; she has chosen to prioritize healing over immediate marriage work. The couple agreed the split is practical for now while they maintain daily contact for their four children.
Mikayla Matthews on choosing healing over marriage
On-screen, Mikayla described being overwhelmed by a combination of childhood trauma, chronic illness and postpartum recovery that left her unable to engage in emotional or physical intimacy. She said her nervous system remained in a fight-or-flight state, making intimate contact — including kissing and other physical touch — deeply triggering. In a candid exchange she said, “It’s still new to me, and it’s new to him, and we’re just navigating it the best way that we can. Unfortunately, I think it’s just something that’s going to take a lot more time. ” — Mikayla Matthews, star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4.
Why the couple separated
Producers showed the couple hitting a relationship wall after years of couples therapy that did not yield the progress either partner hoped for. Mikayla cited chronic eczema flare-ups and postpartum recovery as factors that compounded her capacity to work on marital issues. She disclosed sexual abuse in childhood by three different people between ages six and fifteen, and said that therapy discussions about sex and intimacy often provoked a fight-or-flight response. The separation emerged when both partners concluded they could not move forward together while those issues remained unresolved.
Reactions from Jace Terry
Jace Terry has acknowledged both frustration and patience in the on-screen conversations. He expressed that months passing without measurable progress left him concerned, and he set a boundary that any future reconciliation would require Mikayla’s commitment to trauma-focused therapy. Jace is identified in the episodes as a former Waffle Love project manager who is now a stay-at-home dad; he emphasized the couple’s decision to separate as a potential route to allow focused healing rather than continued cycles of unmet expectations.
What comes next for the family
The pair have framed the separation as non-permanent and practical: they will continue daily contact for the sake of their four children and have avoided a complete family split. Mikayla has made clear she needs space to pursue intensive trauma work without the added pressure of meeting her husband’s physical needs right now. Jace has said he hopes the break will prompt committed therapy that can help regulate Mikayla’s nervous system and create a foundation for rebuilding intimacy if and when that becomes possible.
Observers on the show watched both partners navigate a difficult trade-off between individual healing and family cohesion; mikayla matthews has positioned personal recovery as the immediate priority, leaving the timeline for reconciliation open as they manage care for their children and daily contact while they work through trauma and health issues.
